Shostakovich Festival Leipzig opens with a remarkable performance of the neglected Fourth Symphony

GermanyGermany Shostakovich Festival Leipzig 2025 [1]: Dmitry Trifonov (piano), Gewandhaus Orchestra / Andris Nelsons (conductor), Gewandhaus, Leipzig. 15.5.2025. (GT)

Andris Nelsons conducts pianist Dmitry Trifonov and the Gewandhaus Orchestra © Jens Gerber

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The Cleveland Orchestra’s festival has Michelle Cann tell stories of the Chicago Black Renaissance

United StatesUnited States Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival: [1] – ‘The Women of Chicago’s Black Renaissance’: Michelle Cann (piano). Rheinberger Chamber Hall, Severance Music Center, Cleveland, 19.5.2025. (MSJ)

Michelle Cann told stories of the Chicago Black Renaissance © Roger Mastroianni/CO

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Mariotti illuminates the in-between at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

ItalyItaly Maggio Musicale Festival 2025 – Mozart, Stravinski, Poulenc: Emöke Baráth (soprano), Orchestra and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Michele Mariotti (conductor). Sala Zubin Mehta, Teatro del Maggio Musicale, Florence, 8.5.2025. (ES-S)

Michele Mariotti conducting the Maggio Musicale Orchestra © Michele Monasta

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The Takács Quartet at the reopened Frick: lines of continuity

United StatesUnited States Spring Music Festival – Beethoven, Janáček, Brahms: Takács Quartet (Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes [violins], Richard O’Neill [viola], András Fejér [cello]), Jeremy Denk (piano). Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium, Frick Collection, New York, 1.5.2025. (ES-S)

The Takács Quartet © George Koelle

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Aix’s carefully programmed Haydn, Tchaikovsky and Mozart is an afternoon of great beauty and power

FranceFrance Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival [3] – Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Grand Concert pour les Aixois: The Strings of Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra / Gábor Takács-Nagy (conductor). Cathédale Saint-Saveur, Aix-en-Provence, France, 20.4.2025. (CC)

Gábor Takács-Nagy conducts The Strings of Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra © Caroline Doutre/Festival de Pâques

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Memorable Chan, Capuçon and OSR concert at Aix, with moments of magic beyond count in Prokofiev

FranceFrance Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival [2]: Ogonek, R. Strauss, Prokofiev: Renaud Capuçon (violin), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande / Elim Chan (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, France, 19.4.2025. (CC)

Elim Chan conducts the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande © Caroline Doutre/Festival de Pâques

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Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic elevate Madama Butterfly in Baden-Baden

GermanyGermany Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Tschechischer Philharmonischer Chor Brünn, Berliner Philharmoniker / Kirill Petrenko (conductor). Festpielhaus Baden-Baden, 20.4.2025. (AL-L)

Eleonora Burrato (Cio-Cio-San) and Teresa Iervolino (Suzuki) © Monika Rittershaus

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Notable young talent on violin, flute, and viola excel at Aix

FranceFrance Ravel, Fauré, Saint-Saëns – Génération @ Aix: Anneleen Lenaerts (harp/mentor), Thomas Briant (violin), Sara Ferrández (viola), Alberto Navarra (flute). Théâtre du Jeu de Palme, Aix-en-Provence, 19.4.2025. (CC)

[Clockwise from l] Anneleen Lenaerts, Thomas Briant, Sara Ferrández and Alberto Navarra

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