A rather surprisingly low-voltage evening of Vivaldi and Pergolesi at Versailles

FranceFrance Vivaldi & Pergolesi – Stabat Mater pour Deux Castrats: Bruno de Sá (male soprano), Cameron Shahbazi (countertenor), Orchestra of the Opéra Royal / Andrés Gabetta (director / violin). Chapelle Royale, Versailles, 6.4.2023. (CC)

From l-r: Andrés Gabetta (director / violin), Bruno de Sá (male soprano) and Cameron Shahbazi (countertenor)

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Some unforgettable singing of Couperin and Delalande from Leite and Carlier at Versailles

FranceFrance CouperinLeçons de Ténèbres: Ana Vieira Leite, Adèle Carlier (sopranos); Orchestre de l’Opéra-Royal / Gaétan Jarry (conductor / keyboards). Chapelle Royale, Versailles, 5.4.2023. (CC)

From l-r: Ana Vieira Leite, Adèle Carlier (sopranos) and  Gaétan Jarry  (conductor/keyboards)

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Dramatic grasp and drive from Shokhakimov’s concert performance of Carmen in Strasbourg

FranceFrance Bizet, Carmen (concert performance): Soloists, Maïtrise de l’Opéra National du Rhin, Chorus of the Opéra National du Rhin, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg / Aziz Shokhakimov (conductor). Salle Érasme, Palais de la Musique et des Congrès, Strasbourg, 4.4.2023. (CC)

Aziz Shokhakimov © Nicolas Roses

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Haydn’s Nelson Mass arrives in Cardiff under full sail

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Rebel, Purcell, Haydn: Anna Dennis (soprano), Hilary Summers (contralto), Rupert Charlesworth (tenor), Edward Hawkins (bass), BBC National Chorus and Orchestra of Wales / Christian Curnyn (conductor). Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, 6.4.2023. (PCG)

Nelson Mass in Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall © BBC NOW

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Jérémie Rhorer fails to penetrate to the heart of Beethoven’s Missa solemnis

GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage [3] – Beethoven: Camilla Nylund (soprano), Anna Kissjudit (mezzo-soprano), Saimir Pirgu (tenor), René Pape (bass), Staatsopern Chor Berlin (chorus director: Martin Wright), Staatskapelle Berlin / Jérémie Rhorer (conductor). Philharmonie, Berlin, 7.4.2023. (MB)

Jérémie Rhorer conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin © Peter Adamik

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