United Kingdom St Magnus Festival 2023 [1]: (ST)
The sense of place hits you and makes the St Magnus Festival feel really unique as the music begins.
Festivals
Opera Holland Park’s Hansel und Gretel is a lovely yet not too lovely evening
United Kingdom Opera Holland Park 2023 [2] – Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel: Soloists, Opera Holland Park Chorus (chorus master: Dominic Ellis-Peckham) and Children’s Chorus (chorus master: Scott Price), City of London Sinfonia / Kărin Hendrickson (conductor). Holland Park, London, 14.6.2023. (MB)
Nakariakov and Meerovitch in Dresden: a musical match made in heaven
Germany Dresden Music Festival 2023 [14] – 6.9.2023, Palais im Grossen Garten, Dresden: Sergei Nakariakov (trumpet and flugelhorn), Maria Meerovitch (piano). (LV)
Martin Helmchen’s sublime artistry shone through in Brahms’s First Piano Concerto in Dresden
Germany Dresden Music Festival 2023 [13] – 7.6.2023, Kulturpalast, Dresden: Martin Helmchen (piano), Dresden Festival Orchestra / Ivor Bolton (conductor). (MC)
In Dresden: Till Brönner’s contemporary groove and virtuosic percussionist Martin Grubinger
Germany Dresden Music Festival 2023 [11] – 5.6.2023, Kulturpalast, Dresden: Till Brönner and Band (Till Brönner [trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals], Olaf Polziehn [piano], Christian von Kaphengst [double bass, bass guitar, keyboard], Bruno Müller [guitar], David ‘Fingers’ Haynes [drums], Jan Miserre [keyboards] and Mark Wyand [saxophone])
Così fan tutte at The Grange Festival: fine, probing and beautifully sung
United Kingdom The Grange Festival 2023 – Mozart, Così fan tutte: Soloists, The Grange Festival Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Kirill Karabits (conductor). The Grange, Alresford, Hampshire, 10.6.2023. (CK)
Mikhail Pletnev, Respighi and the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini score at the Dresden Music Festival
Germany Dresden Music Festival 2023 [10] – 6.9.2023, Kulturpalast, Dresden: Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini / Omer Meir Wellber (conductor). (LV)
Janowski’s appealing Strauss and the compelling Hagen Quartet prove highlights of the Dresden Festival
Germany Dresden Music Festival 2023 [8] – 2.6.2023, Kulturpalast, Dresden: Francesco Piemontesi (piano), Dresdner Philharmonie / Marek Janowski (conductor). (MC)
