SINCE 1999 A LIVE REVIEW SITE FOR OPERA, BALLET, CONCERTS, BROADCASTS, AND THEATRE
United Kingdom Three Choirs Festival 2022 [4] – Bach (arr. Stravinsky), Finzi, Britten, Poulenc: Elizabeth Watts (soprano), Three Choirs Festival Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra / Adrian Partington (conductor). Hereford Cathedral 29.7.2022. (JQ)
United Kingdom Three Choirs Festival 2022 [3] – Phibbs, Sibelius, Matthews, Rautavaara, Frances-Hoad: Fenella Humphreys (violin), Joseph Tong (piano). Holy Trinity Church, Hereford, 27.7.2022. (CS)
United Kingdom Three Choirs Festival 2022 [2] – Dyson: Rebecca Hardwick (soprano), Jess Dandy (contralto), James Oxley (tenor), Alex Ashworth (bass), Three Choirs Festival Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra / Adrian Partington (conductor). Hereford Cathedral 25.7.2022. (JQ)
United Kingdom Three Choirs Festival 2022 [1] – Dvořák: Anita Watson (soprano), Catherine Carby (mezzo-soprano), Ruairi Bowen (tenor), Stephan Loges (bass-baritone), Three Choirs Festival Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra / Geraint Bowen (conductor). Hereford Cathedral, 23.7.2022. (JQ)
Austria Lehár, The Merry Widow (Die lustige Witwe): Soloists, Dancers of Vienna State Ballet, Chorus and Orchestra of the Volksoper Wien / Alfred Eschwé (conductor). Volksoper Wien, Vienna, 3.9.2021. (RP)
Gabriel Jackson’s new The World Imagined
When Covid restrictions caused the cancellation of the 2020 Three Choirs Festival I regretted that decision on many levels. One of my main disappointments was that the cancellation deprived us of the opportunity to hear the world premiere of a major new work by Gabriel Jackson, The World Imagined. Happily, it has been possible to reschedule the premiere and include it in the plans for the 2021 Three Choirs Festival. I have been an admirer of this composer’s music, especially his choral works, for many years now so the prospect of such a significant new score is enticing. Consequently, I seized the chance to discuss the new work with Gabriel, albeit in a socially distanced way.
THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL 2021
It was a bitter disappointment when the Covid pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Three Choirs Festival in Worcester; this was the first time in its 300-year history that the Festival had been cancelled other than during war time. Since then, the outlook for live music-making in the UK has been very uncertain, but the highly successful vaccination programme and a very welcome significant reduction in case numbers has brought optimism and the Three Choirs has announced a programme for the 2021 Festival. The city of Worcester has again been given the opportunity to act as host and the Festival will run from 24 July to 1 August.
United Kingdom Three Choirs Festival [10] – Various composers: Roderick Williams (baritone), Susie Allan (piano), Cheltenham College Theatre, Cheltenham, 1.8.2019. (JQ)
