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Aldeburgh Festival – 12-28 June 2026
The 77th Aldeburgh Festival offered a wide variety of repertoire, including several new and recent works of great interest. My experience of this year’s events featured memorable performances given in the Britten Studio and in the Concert Hall at Snape Maltings.
Gloucester Cathedral gets its voice back
In 2025 I reviewed for MusicWeb International a recording of organ music by Jehan Alain and Maurice Duruflé which the British organist, Matthew Martin had recorded on the organ of Buckfast Abbey. I read in the booklet a phrase that resonated with me: Martin referred to the organ as ‘the voice of the building’. Shortly afterwards, by coincidence, I heard the Very Rev. Andrew Zihni, the Dean of Gloucester, voice similar sentiments when he spoke at the carol concert in the cathedral on Boxing Day 2025 when he said of the organ: ‘When it sings, the Cathedral breathes’.
Elim Chan named next Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony
Chan joins the Orchestra as Music Director Designate effective immediately and officially begins her tenure as Music Director in September 2027
As Music Director Designate, she leads the San Francisco Symphony June 5 & 6 in a program featuring music by Wagner, Berlioz, and Debussy
New Main Stage curtains unveiled to King Charles III at the Royal Opera House
His Majesty was joined on stage by Royal Ballet dancer Marianela Nuñez and soprano Pretty Yende for historic unveiling
His Majesty met artists and backstage technical teams, as well as the Royal School of Needlework – all involved in the creation of the new stage curtains
Robert Beattie learns about the exciting collaboration between Northern Ireland Opera and Diva Opera
Northern Ireland Opera and Diva Opera have joined forces and will jointly present a new production of Puccini’s La bohème in Belfast later this month. I spoke to the respective directors of both companies, Cameron Menzies and Anne Marabini Young about this production. I also spoke to soprano Mary McCabe about the vocal and dramatic challenges of singing Mimì in the production.
Chelsea Opera Group present Mozart’s Idomeneo, re di Creta
A concert performance in Italian at London’s Cadogan Hall on Sunday 21st June 2026, 5.30pm (4.15pm: pre-concert talk with Dr Bruno Bower)
Tomasz Konieczny’s vision and drive propel the Baltic Opera Festival
In late March, Tomasz Konieczny was a busy man. The Polish bass-baritone was nearing the end of a run of Tristan und Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera, performing alongside Lise Davidsen and Michael Spyres in a new staging directed by Yuval Sharon. His buoyant, hearty Kurwenal was hailed by all, with The New Yorker deeming him ‘a born Wagner singer’. It was the hottest ticket in town, and the Met responded to the demand by adding a performance.
Konieczny is also a man on a mission, and Met performances were not the only thing on his agenda. On one of the first fine spring days in New York, he took time to discuss the Baltic Opera Festival (BOF) at a busy diner a few blocks from the Met. We met just days before the American Friends of the Baltic Opera Festival (AFBOF) was to be launched at The Kościuszko Foundation.
ELGAR FESTIVAL – 23 – 31 May 2026
Worcester, Malvern and Pershore – the Heart of ‘Elgar Country’
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Set against the iconic backdrop of ‘Elgar Country’, the Elgar Festival is a highlight of the West Midlands cultural calendar, this year taking place across the scenic destinations of Worcester, Malvern, and Pershore from 23 – 31 May 2026. The festival celebrates the enduring legacy of Worcester-born composer Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934), through a diverse programme featuring world-class artists and accessible performing experiences, talks, exhibitions and guided walks designed to attract the broadest audience.