United Kingdom Richard Strauss: Aga Mikolaj (soprano), BBC Philharmonic Orchestra/Vassily Sinaisky (conductor), Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 8.2.2014 (MC)
Aga Mikolaj Pours Feeling into Strauss Songs
Stan
Charm and Grace Abound in Mid-Wales Opera’s Acis and Galatea
United Kingdom Handel, Acis and Galatea (production premiere): Soloists, Chorus and Brecon Baroque / Nicholas Cleobury (conductor) Richard Burton Theatre, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, 30.1.2014 (GPu)
The Aurora Orchestra not Deflected by Changes of Soloists
United Kingdom Mozart, Britten, Mahler and Shostakovich: Jane Irwin (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), Nicolas Fleury (horn), Aurora Orchestra, Andrew Gourlay (conductor), Wigmore Hall, London, 9.2.2014 (CS)Met’s Rusalka Works its Magic with Fine Performances and Design
United States Dvořák, Rusalka: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor), shown at Duke of York Cinema, Brighton as part of the Met Live series, 8.2.14 (RB)
Texan Oilmen and Ranchers in Fulham Opera’s Rheingold
United Kingdom Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists of Fulham Opera, Nick Fletcher (piano accompanist), Peter Relton (revival director). St John’s Church, Fulham, London, 9.2.2014. (JPr)
Lightness and Sparkle from Joshua Bell
United States Tartini, Beethoven, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and Wieniawski: Joshua Bell (violin), Sam Haywood (piano), Benaroya Hall, Seattle, 5.2.2014 (BJ)
A Delectable Lieder Recital by Kate Royal
United Kingdom Schubert, R. Strauss, Mahler Kate Royal (soprano); Malcolm Martineau (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 07.02.2014 (CC)
Well Designed and Purposeful Recital from Osborne
United Kingdom Prokofiev, Ravel, Rachmaninov: Steven Osborne(piano), Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, 26.1.2014 (GPu)