United Kingdom Britten, Peter Grimes: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Andrew Davis (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 21.6.2011. (MB)
Mark Berry
Haphazard Götterdämmerung fails to light up Paris
Wagner, Götterdämmerung: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra national de Paris, Philippe Jordan (conductor). Opéra Bastille, Paris, 18.6.2011 (MB)
Outstanding Performances of Contemporary Works at the Cité de la Musique
Fedele, Staud, and Mantovani: Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, Robin Meier (IRCAM sound realisation), Franck Berthoux (IRCAM sound engineer), Ensemble Intercontemporain, Susanna Mälkki (conductor). Salle des concerts, Cité de la musique, Paris, 17.6.2011 (MB)
Conductor and Orchestra save the day in Palais Garnier’s Così fan tutte
Mozart, Così fan tutte: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra national de Paris/ Philippe Jordan (conductor). Palais Garnier, Paris, 16.6.2011 (MB)
Russian Song from Daniil Shtoda and Larissa Gergieva at the Wigmore Hall
Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, Rachmaninov, and Tchaikovsky: Daniil Shtoda (tenor), Larissa Gergieva (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 10.6.2011 (MB)
Brahms sung by a counter-tenor? Andreas Scholl in a fascinating recital
Purcell, Dowland, Handel, Johnson, Campion, Haydn, Brahms, and Anon: Andreas Scholl (counter-tenor), Tamar Halperin (harpsichord, piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 7.6.2011 (MB)
Robert Holl and András Schiff in a fine lieder recital
Schumann, Brahms, and Schubert: Robert Holl (baritone), András Schiff (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 29.5.2011 (MB)
Vladimir Jurowski offers a frustratingly variable experience
Haydn, Mahler, and Brahms: Hanno Müller-Brachmann (bass-baritone), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (conductor). Royal Festival Hall, London, 28.5.2011 (MB)