Simon Thompson

Man of the theatre Riccardo Minasi brings a touch of theatricality to SCO’s Mozart Requiem

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Haydn, Mozart: Louise Alder (soprano), Hanna Hipp (mezzo-soprano), Julien Henric (tenor), Daniel Okulitch (bass-baritone), Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus (director: Gregory Batsleer) / Riccardo Minasi (conductor). Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 30.4.2026. (SRT)

Riccardo Minasi © Nancy Horowitz

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Berlin Festtage’s new Verdi Un ballo fails to ignite. Blame the director (partly)

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GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage 2026 [3] – Verdi, Un ballo in maschera: Soloists, Staatsopernchor Berlin, Staatskapelle Berlin / Enrique Mazzola (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 1.4.2026. (SRT)

Charles Castronovo (Riccardo) and Anna Netrebko (Amelia) © Stephan Rabold

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A Festtage Der Rosenkavalier in Berlin that left me in pieces

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GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage 2026 [1]: Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Children’s Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (chorus director: Vinzenz Weissenburger), Staatsopernchor Berlin (chorus director: Gerhard Polifka), Staatskapelle Berlin / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 31.3.2026. (SRT)

Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s Der Rosenkavalier (previous performance) © Ruth Walz

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A Berlin St John Passion with two Brits centre stage; lighter on drama but rich with devotional intensity

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GermanyGermany Bach, St John Passion: Soloists, RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin / Justin Doyle (director), Konzerthaus Berlin, 30.3.2026. (SRT)

RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik and director Justin Doyle at a 2024 Berlin concert © Fabian Schellhorn

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Adventurous Ravel L’enfant et les sortilèges from Søndergård, the RSNO and RCS soloists

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Dukas, Gershwin, Ravel: Ethan Loch (piano), Anna Stéphany (mezzo-soprano), Soloists from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, RCS Chamber Choir, RSNO Youth Chorus (director: Patrick Barrett), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Thomas Søndergård (conductor). Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 27.3.2026. (SRT)

Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges in rehearsal © Hope Connachan-Holmes

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Jörg Widmann conducts his own music really well with the RSNO. Beethoven’s? Less so

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Beethoven, Widmann, Mendelssohn: Veronika Eberle (violin), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Jörg Widmann (conductor), Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 27.2.2026. (SRT)

Violinist Monika Eberle rehearsing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with conductor Jörg Widmann and the RSNO © Clara Cowen

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