JUSTIN DOYLE DISCUSSES MONTEVERDI WITH MARK BERRY

Justin Doyle Discusses Monteverdi with Mark Berry

RKC17_Justin Doyle Antritt GP01_Fotograf Matthias Heyde
Justin Doyle from the general rehearsal for Vespers (c) Matthias Heyde

For his first concerts as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the RIAS Chamber Choir, Justin Doyle finds himself very much in at the deep end: dual-venue performances of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (at the Pierre Boulez Saal) and the Missa ‘In illo tempore’, with which it was published (just around the corner, at St Hedwig’s Cathedral). ‘Finds himself’, one might ask, or was he pushed? I was lucky enough to be able to do so, on the lunchtime in between the first, Friday evening performances, and the second ones on Saturday afternoon (the latter to be reviewed shortly).

Read more

A Day of Monteverdian Delights in Berlin

mfb

GermanyGermany Musikfest Berlin [6] – Monteverdi, Rossi, Marini, and Plainsong: Dorothee Mields, Hannah Morrison (sopranos), Thomas Hobbs, Andrew Staples, Volker Arndt (tenors), Andrew Redmond, Stefan Dreximeier (basses), RIAS Chamber Choir, Capella de la Torre/Justin Doyle (conductor). St Hedwig’s Cathedral and Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, 16.9.2017 (MB)

Justin Doyle Antritt; photo credit - Matthias Heyde
Justin Doyle Antritt (c) Matthias Heyde

Read more

Kasper Holten’s Thought-Provoking Production of Lohengrin, Excellently Performed at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin

GermanyGermany Wagner – Lohengrin: Soloists, Chorus and Supplementary Chorus (chorus master: Jeremy Bines) and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin / Donald Runnicles (conductor). Deutsche Oper, Berlin, 10.9.2017. (MB)
Photo credit: Marcus Lieberenz (original 2012 cast).
Deutsche Oper’s Lohengrin (c) Marcus Lieberenz (original 2012 cast)

Read more

Recent Music in Abundance from the Members of Ensemble Musikfabrik

mfb

GermanyGermany Musikfest Berlin [4] – Aperghis, Lim, Schöllhorn, Baltakas, Zorn, Saunders, and Poppe: Members of Ensemble Musikfabrik (Carl Rosman (clarinet), Melvyn Poore (euphonium), Dirk Wietheger (cello), Alban Wesly (bassoon), Marco Blaauw (trumpet), Florentin Ginot (double bass), Hannah Weirich (violin), Ulrich Löffler and Benjamin Kobler (piano), Dirk Rothbrust (percussion), Helen Bledsoe (flute)). Kammermusiksaal, Philharmonie, 10.9.2017. (MB)

Read more

Rebecca Saunders and Harrison Birtwistle’s Music of Today Provides Perspectives on Music of the Past

mfb
GermanyGermany Musikfest Berlin [3] – Saunders, Birtwistle, and Dowland: Doniatenne Michel-Dansac (soprano), Andrew Watts (countertenor), Peter Veale (oboe), Mirjam Schröder (harp), Paul Jeukendrup (sound design), Ensemble Musikfabrik, Enno Poppe and Harrison Birtwistle (conductors). Kammermusiksaal, Philharmonie, Berlin, 9.9.2017. (MB)
Musikfest Berlin - photo credit, Kai Bienert.
Musikfest Berlin (c) Kai Bienert

Read more