United Kingdom Prom 73 – Brahms and Schmidt: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 10.9.2015 (MB)
Mark Berry
New Macbeth Opera at Covent Garden Fails to Excite
United Kingdom Luke Styles, Macbeth: Soloists, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jeremy Bines (conductor). Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, 9.9.2015 (MB)
Boulez, Grime, and Mason at a Proms Saturday Matinée
United Kingdom Proms Saturday Matinée 4, Boulez, Grime, and Mason: London Sinfonietta, Thierry Fischer (conductor). Cadogan Hall, London. 29.8.2015
Magnificent Schubert from Bernard Haitink and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
United Kingdom Prom 57 – Schubert and Mozart: Maria João Pires (piano), Chamber Orchestra of Europe / Bernard Haitink (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 28.8.2015. (MB)
Hai Ting-Chinn’s Solo Tour de force in Maxwell Davies and O’Regan Operas
United Kingdom Peter Maxwell Davies, The Medium, Tarik O’Regan, The Wanton Sublime: Hai-Ting Chinn (mezzo-soprano), Orpheus Sinfonia, Andrew Griffiths (conductor). Studio 2, Arcola Theatre, London, 27.8.2015 (MB)
The SWR Symphony Orchestra’s Triumphant First – and Last – Appearance at the Proms
United Kingdom Prom 55 – Boulez, Ligeti, and Bartók: Sophie Cherrier (flute), SWR Experimental Studio (live electronics), SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg, François-Xavier Roth (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 26.8.2015 (MB)
Dialogueless Fidelio Lacks Clarity Despite Good Individual Performances
Austria Salzburg Festival (5) – Beethoven, Fidelio: Soloists, Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus (chorus master: Ernst Raffelsberger), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, 13.8.2015 (MB)
Herbert von Karajan Remembered at the Salzburg Festival
Austria Salzburg Festival (7) – Tchaikovsky and Brahms: Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo Muti (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 15.8.2015 (MB)