Austria Wagner, Parsifal: Soloists, Actors, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna State Opera Orchestra / Axel Kober (conductor). Vienna State Opera, 23.4.2025. (MB)
A fine cast in Serebrennikov’s important, thought-provoking Vienna State Opera Parsifal
Mark Berry
A much-revived Arabella continues to delight at the Vienna State Opera
Austria R. Strauss, Arabella: Soloists, Vienna State Opera Chorus and Orchestra / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Vienna State Opera, Vienna, 22.4.2025. (MB)
Intriguing Mahler performance and rare Weill from Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
United Kingdom Howell, Weill, and Mahler: Anu Komsi (soprano), BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo (conductor, violin). Barbican Hall, London, 16.4.2025. (MB)
Ryan Wigglesworth and the BBC SO celebrate and continue the Boulez programming legacy
United Kingdom Berg and Debussy: Sophie Bevan (soprano), BBC Symphony Chorus (chorus master: Neil Ferris), BBC Symphony Orchestra / Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 4.4.2025. (MB)
The BBC SO’s ‘Total Immersion’ day worthily celebrates the Boulez centenary
United Kingdom BBC SO Total Immersion: Pierre Boulez: Beñat Erro Díez, Lily Payne (clarinets), Hannah Miller (recording engineer), Tamara Stefanovich (piano), Anna Dennis (soprano), BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra / Martyn Brabbins (conductor). Milton Court Concert Hall and Barbican Hall, London, 30.3.2025. (MB)
Novel Queen Elizabeth Hall celebration of Ravel by Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Mathieu Amalric
United Kingdom Ravel: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Mathieu Amalric (speaker). Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 27.3.2025. (MB)
An evening of Bach piano concertos is something of a mixed experience
United Kingdom Bach: Berliner Barock Solisten, Alexandros Kapelis (piano). Barbican Hall, London, 25.3.2025. (MB)
Generous and rewarding contemporary string quartets from the JACK Quartet
United Kingdom Various: JACK Quartet (Christopher Otto, Austin Wulliman [violins], John Pickford Richards [viola], Jay Campbell [cello]). Wigmore Hall, London, 22.3.2025. (MB)
