A joyful Porgy and Bess at the Lucerne Festival

SwitzerlandSwitzerland Lucerne Festival [2] – Gershwin, Porgy and Bess (concert performance): Soloists, NDR Vokalensemble, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester / Alan Gilbert (conductor). Kultur- und Kongresszentrum (KKL) Luzern, Lucerne, 25.8.2022. (JR)

Alan Gilbert conducts soloists and NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester in Porgy and Bess at Lucerne © Peter Fischli/LF

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Rattle and the LSO at the Proms was a Mahler experience nobody who was there will ever forget

United KingdomUnited Kingdom BBC Proms 2022 [21], Prom 49 – Birtwistle, Mahler: Louise Alder (soprano), Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 24.8.2022. (CK)

Sir Simon Rattle © BBC/Chris Christodoulou

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Beauty of Mozart from Nézet-Séguin and Philadelphia Orchestra musicians in Edinburgh

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Edinburgh International Festival 2022 [13] – Mozart Chamber Works: Yannick Nézet-Séguin (piano), Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra (Ricardo Morales [clarinet], David Kim, Juliette Kang [violins], Choong-Jin Chang [viola], Hai-Ye Ni [cello], Harold Robinson [double bass]). Queen’s Hall, 25.8.2022. (SRT)

Philadelphia Orchestra’s Mozart Chamber Works at Queen’s Hall © Todd Rosenberg

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Thomas Søndergård masterminds a spectacular Mahler Third Symphony in Edinburgh

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Edinburgh International Festival 2022 [12] – McMillan and Mahler: Linda Watson (mezzo-soprano), Ladies of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus (chorus director: Aidan Oliver), RSNO Junior Chorus (chorus director: Patrick Barrett), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Thomas Søndergård (conductor). Usher Hall, 23.8.2022. (GT)

Thomas Søndergård conducts the RSNO in Mahler’s Third with Linda Watson (mezzo-soprano) © Andrew Perry

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Wonderful music-making: Richard Egarr and Friends at Edinburgh was a joy

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Edinburgh International Festival 2022 [11] – Music for three violins with Richard Egarr and Friends: Richard Egarr (Harpsichord), Bojan Čičić, Rachell Ellen Wong, Ruiqi Ren (violins), Alex McCartney (theorbo), Jonathan Rees (viola da gamba). Queen’s Hall, 24.8.2022. (SRT)

Richard Egarr and Friends at Queen’s Hall © Ryan Buchanan

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Wagner at the Lucerne Festival: stellar singing and fine playing from the Budapest Festival Orchestra

SwitzerlandSwitzerland Lucerne Festival [1] – Wagner: Soloists, Budapest Festival Orchestra / Iván Fischer (conductor). Kultur- und Kongresszentrum (KKL) Luzern, Lucerne, 23.8.2022. (JR)

Budapest Festival Orchestra’s Die Walküre, Act I © Priska Ketterer

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Superb Saint-Saëns is the highlight from Barenboim at the Salzburg Festival

AustriaAustria Salzburg Festival [3] – Saint-Saëns and Wagner: Elina Garanča (soprano), Brandon Jovanovich (tenor), Michael Volle (baritone), Members of the Young Singers Project, Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus (chorus director: Jörn Hinnerk Andresen), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 22.8.2022. (MB)

Elīna Garanča (Dalila/Kundry), Brandon Jovanovich (Samson/Parsifal), Vienna Philharmonic © SF/Marco Borrelli

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