Festivals

Nelsons and BSO’s Marriage of Figaro: A triumphant platform performance but trouble behind the scenes

by

United StatesUnited States Tanglewood 2026 [3] – Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro: Soloists, Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows, Boston Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons (conductor). Tanglewood, Massachusetts, 1.8.2026. (CSa)

Patrick Carfizzi (Dr Bartolo), Elizabeth Bishop (Marcellina), Michael Sumuel (Figaro) and Nikola Hillebrand (Susannah) in The Marriage of Figaro with the BSO at Tanglewood © Hilary Scott

Read more

The EIF’s Elektra at Usher Hall is a triumph of magnificent singing and orchestral drama

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Edinburgh International Festival 2026 [5] – Richard Strauss, Elektra: Soloists, Chorus, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Karina Canellakis (conductor). Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 23.8.2026. (GT)

Karina Canellakis conducting the BBC SO with Günther Groissböck (Orest) © Andrew Perry

Read more

An outstanding and moving centenary tribute to György Kurtág at the Salzburg Festival

by

AustriaAustria Salzburg Festival 2026 [4] – ‘Hommage à Kurtág’: Brahms, Kurtág, R. Schumann, and Ligeti: Noah Bendix-Balgley (violin), Tabea Zimmermann (viola), Daniel Ottensamer (clarinet), Stefan Dohr (horn), Kirill Gerstein (piano). Grosser Saal, Mozarteum, Salzburg, 22.8.2026. (MB)

Tabea Zimmermann (viola), Kirill Gerstein (piano) and Daniel Ottensamer (clarinet) © SF/Marco Borrelli

Read more

Looking back, moving forward: Măcelaru opens the Enescu Competition

by

RomaniaRomania George Enescu Competition 2026 [1] – Various: Mayumi Kanagawa (violin), Yo Kitamura (cello), Roman Lopatynskyi (piano), Romanian Radio National Orchestra / Cristian Măcelaru (conductor). Romanian Atheneum, Bucharest, 23.8.2026. (ES-S)

Cristian Măcelaru conducting the Romanian Radio National Orchestra © Cristina and Petrica Tanase

Read more

Amy Harman steals the show at her first, and hopefully not last, BBC Prom

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom BBC Proms 2026 [20] – Britten, Mozart, Musgraves, Elgar: Felix Klieser (horn), Amy Harman (bassoon), Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Benjamin Marquise Gilmore (leader). Royal Albert Hall, London, 23.8.2026. (LJ)

Felix Klieser (horn) with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields © BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Read more