Robert Beattie

Wexford Festival Opera makes a strong case for Stanford’s The Critic

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IrelandIreland Wexford Festival Opera 2024 [2] – Stanford, The Critic: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford National Opera / Ciarán McAuley (conductor), O’Reilly Theatre Wexford, 24.10.2024. (RB)

[l-r] Arthur Riordan (Mr Sneer), Mark Lambert (Mr Puff), Hannah O’Brien in The Critic © Patricio Cassinoni

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Fine Wexford Festival Opera cast for Mascagni’s Le maschere, but the opera itself is unconvincing

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IrelandIreland Wexford Opera Festival 2024 [1] – Mascagni, Le maschere: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera / Francesco Cilluffo (conductor). O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford, 23.10.2024 (RB)

Ioana Constantin Pipelea (Colombina), Gillen Munguia (Brighella), Andrew Morstein (Florindo), and Lavinia Bini (Rosaura) in WFO’s Le maschere © Patricio Cassinoni

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Sestina Music convey the intense spirituality of music by Charpentier and de Brossard in Belfast

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Sestina Music’s Lux et Umbra – Charpentier, Sébastien de Brossard: Sestina Music (Mark Chambers [musical director / countertenor], Sarah Keating, Áine Smith [sopranos], Laoise O’Brien, Elisabeth Vogel [recorders], Sarah Groser [viols], Tristan Russcher [keyboards]). Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, Belfast, 19.9.2024. (RB)

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Much to enjoy in performances of Brahms and Poulenc at the Clandeboye Festival

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Clandeboye Festival 2024 [2] – Brahms, Poulenc: Barry Douglas (piano), Michel Lithiec (clarinet), Michael d’Arcy (violin), Lidia Jewloszewicz-Clarke (violin), Ed Creedon (viola), David Kenny (viola), Arto Noras (cello), Killian White (cello). Clandeboye Estate, Northern Ireland, 21.8.2024. (RB)

Violist Ed Creedon

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Outstanding account of Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet at the Clandeboye Festival

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Clandeboye Festival 2024 [1] – Schubert, R. Schumann: Barry Douglas (piano), Michael McHale (piano), Andrey Baranov, Michael D’Arcy (violins), Ed Creedon (viola), Arto Noras (cello), Clandeboye Festival, Clandeboye Estate, Northern Ireland, 17.8.2024. (RB)

Barry Douglas and Michael McHale © Michael Burch

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