United Kingdom Britten, Poulenc: Polyphony, Stephen Layton (conductor), Temple Church Choir, James Vivian (conductor), Sally Pryce (harp). Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh. 8.12.2012 (MH)
Stan
Love and Deceit in Ponnelle’s Venerable Don Pasquale
United States Donizetti, Don Pasquale: Soloists, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Sir Andrew Davis, (conductor), Civic Opera House, Chicago. 8.12.2012 (JLZ)
A Dazzling Recital by Joshua Bell
United Kingdom Schubert, R. Strauss, Prokofiev: Joshua Bell (violin), Sam Haywood (piano). Wigmore Hall, London. 11.12.2012 (RB)
Wexford Festival (2) Less Would Have Been More for Chabrier’s Le Roi Malgré Lui
Ireland Emmanuel Chabrier, Le Roi malgré lui: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera / Jean-Luc Tingaud (conductor), Wexford Opera House, 3.11.2012. (ASB)
Witch Steals the Show in Viennese Hänsel und Gretel
Austria Humperdinck, Hänsel und Gretel: Soloists, Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper, Stage Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera / Guido Mancusi (conductor), Volksoper, Vienna, 8.12.2012 (MB)
Spellbinding Sibelius from Leonidas Kavakos
United Kingdom Sibelius: Leonidas Kavakos (violin), London Symphony Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä (conductor), Barbican Hall, London 9.12.2012 (CD)
Paavo Järvi’s Interesting Way with Schumann
Austria Schumann: Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Järvi (conductor). Großer Saal, Konzerthaus, Vienna, 9.12.2012 (MB)
Seasonal Bach, No Luxury Cars in Sight
United States Bach, Tunder, Kuhnau, Praetorius, Böddecker: Yulia Van Doren and Catherine Webster (sopranos), Laura Pudwell (alto), Colin Balzer (tenor), Jesse Blumberg (baritone), Pacific MusicWorks, Stephen Stubbs (conductor and lute), St James Cathedral, Seattle, 1.12.2012 (BJ)