United States Stars of Chicago Lyric Opera at Millennium Park 2011: Soloists: René Barbera, Jamie Barton, Anna Christy, Renée Fleming, Emily Fons, James Morris, Susanna Phillips, Matthew Polenzani, Ljuborm Puškarič, Lyric Opera Orchestra, Emmanuel Villaume (conductor), Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago. 10.9.2011. (JLZ)
Stan
Festival Maribor (4): The Cello Updated, From Dowland to Nirvana
Slovenia Festival Maribor (4), “Boundless Creativity”: Giovanni Sollima, Monika Leskovar, Igor Mitrovič, Gregor Marinko, Niko Sajko, Gorazd Strlič, Jernej Feguš, Maruša Bogataj (cellos), Festival Maribor String Orchestra, Marko Letonja (conductor). Maribor (Slovenia), Union Hall, 05.09.2011 (LV)
Ostrava Days (6):Student Compositions Performed with Mixed Results
Czech Republic Ostrava Days (6): Smith, Feery, Peszat, Sturalova, Ryczek: Conrad Harris (violin), Theo Nabicht (bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet), Thomas Verchot (trumpet), Zuzana Biscakova (piano), Chris Nappi (percussion), Ostravaská Banda String Quartet, Janacek Conservatory, Ostrava, Czech Republic. 02.09.2011 (GG)
New 9/11 choral work confronts tensions between Christianity and Islam
United Kingdom Richard Blackford, Copland, Barber: Paul Nilon (tenor), Stephen Gadd (baritone), Simon Callow (narrator), Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Carr (conductor), Town Hall, Cheltenham, 11.9.2011. (RJ)
Dudamel Masters Mahler’s Seventh with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Sweden Mahler, Symphony no. 7: Göteborgs Symfoniker (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra), Gustavo Dudamel (conductor), Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden, 10.9.2011 (NS)
Heady cosmopolitan mix of contemporary music at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival
United Kingdom Qigang Chen, Metcalf, Bowden, Reich: Gerard McChrystal (soprano saxophone), Oliver Coates (cello), Sound intermedia (sound diffusion), BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Jean-Michaël Lavoie (conductor), BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, 9.9.2011 (Gpu)
Good performances in enigmatic and thought-provoking production of Dido and Aeneas
United Kingdom Purcell: Dido and Aeneas. Joint opera production between Operamus and Birmingham Conservatoire with Annette Thompson (Director) and Daniele Rosina (Conductor), Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, 4. 9. 2011 (GR).
Concert of the Year (so far): Brahms and Wagner played at Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm
Sweden Brahms, Wagner – Baltic Sea Festival: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra – Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor, Victoria Mullova, violin, Nina Stemme, soprano – Berwald Hall, Stockholm, 3.9.2011 (GF)