Germany Beethoven: Pinchas Zukerman (violin), Daniel Barenboim (piano). Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, 29.2.2020. (MB)
Pinchas Zukerman and Daniel Barenboim bring to Beethoven a freshness born of internalisation
Mark Berry
Superb Berlin performances of Pierre Boulez’s ‘Music for the thinking ear’
Germany Boulez: Silvia Careddu (flute), Denis Kozhukhin (piano), Yulia Deyneka (viola), Boulez Ensemble / François-Xavier Roth (conductor). Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, 29.2.2020. (MB)
A forgettable Berlin concert from Zubin Mehta
Germany Ravel, Stravinsky: Martha Argerich (piano), Staatskapelle Berlin / Zubin Mehta (conductor). Philharmonie, Berlin, 23.2.2020. (MB)
Berlin witnesses a magnificent recital partnership between Braunstein and Argerich
Germany Schumann, Prokofiev, and Franck: Guy Braunstein (violin), Martha Argerich (piano). Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, 22.2.2020. (MB)
Staatsoper Berlin’s serious confrontation with the serious drama of Cherubini’s Médée
Germany Cherubini, Médée: Soloists, Staatsopernchor Berlin (chorus director: Martin Wright), Staatskapelle Berlin / Oksana Lyniv (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, 21.2.2020. (MB)
Good singing cannot redeem the Deutsche Oper’s incoherent Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Germany Mozart, Die Entführung aus dem Serail: Soloists, Chorus (chorus director: Jeremy Bines) and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin / Nicholas Milton (conductor). Deutsche Oper, Berlin, 18.2.2020. (MB)
John Storgårds leads a fine account of Schumann’s Scenes from Goethe’s Faust in Berlin
Germany 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)
Rhythmic precision at the heart of Kirill Petrenko’s concert with the Berlin Philharmonic
Germany 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)
