Good singing cannot redeem the Deutsche Oper’s incoherent Die Entführung aus dem Serail

GermanyGermany Mozart, Die Entführung aus dem SerailSoloists, Chorus (chorus director: Jeremy Bines) and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin / Nicholas Milton (conductor). Deutsche Oper, Berlin, 18.2.2020. (MB)

Deutsche Oper Berlin’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (c) Thomas Aurin

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John Storgårds leads a fine account of Schumann’s Scenes from Goethe’s Faust in Berlin

GermanyGermany Schumann, Szenen aus Goethes Faust, WoO3: Soloists, RIAS Chamber Choir (chorus director: Gregor Meyer), Children’s Choir of the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Gymnasium, Berlin (chorus directors: Jan Olberg and Vera Zweiniger). Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra / John Storgårds (conductor), Philharmonie, Berlin, 16.2.2020. (MB)

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In Akron, a lively Valentine from Apollo’s Fire

United StatesUnited States Vivaldi, Porpora, Fontana, Strozzi, Monteverdi: Erica Schuller (soprano), Brian Giebler (tenor); Olivier Brault, Alan Choo, Adriane Post, Carrie Krause (violin solos), Apollo’s Fire / Jeannette Sorrell (conductor). First United Methodist Church, Akron, Ohio, 13.2.2020. (MSJ)

Erica Schuller

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Rhythmic precision at the heart of Kirill Petrenko’s concert with the Berlin Philharmonic

GermanyGermany Stravinsky, Zimmermann and Rachmaninov; Grisey: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Kirill Petrenko (conductor); Raphael Haeger, Simon Rössler, Jan Schlichte, Wieland Welzel, Matthias Kessler, Laura Melero Beviá (percussionists) / James Wood (conductor). Philharmonie, Berlin, 15.2.2020. (MB)

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra & Kirill Petrenko (conductor) (c) Marco Borrelli

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