Jim Pritchard

Spousal abuse, racism and misogyny explored in Clint Dyer’s Othello production for the National Theatre

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom National Theatre Live’s Othello: filmed live (directed by Matthew Amos) on the Lyttleton stage of the Royal National Theatre and shown at Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 23.2.2023. (JPr)

Paul Hilton (Iago) and System © Myah Jeffers

Read more

Rick Wakeman revisits classic King Henry VIII and King Arthur albums at a triumphant Palladium concert

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom The Return of the Caped Crusader – Rick Wakeman Live at the London Palladium: Rick Wakeman (keyboards), Hayley Sanderson (vocals), English Rock Ensemble (Dave Colquhoun [guitar and backing vocals], Adam Falkner [drums], Lee Pomeroy [bass and backing vocals], Adam Wakeman [keyboards, guitar, backing vocals], The English Chamber Choir (conductor: Guy Protheroe). London Palladium, 22.2.2023. (JPr)

The Return of the Caped Crusader – Rick Wakeman Live at the London Palladium © Lee Wilkinson

Read more

The Royal Opera’s Barber of Seville revival is full of musical joie de vivre

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Rossini, The Barber of Seville: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Rafael Payare (conductor). Broadcast (directed for the screen by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 15.2.2023. (JPr)

Andrzej Filończyk (Figaro) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Rosina) © Bill Cooper

Read more

Andris Nelsons and the Vienna Philharmonic bring total coherence to Mahler’s Seventh Symphony

by

AustriaAustria Mahler: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Andris Nelsons (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Christoph Engel) on STAGE+ from the Musikverein, Golden Hall, Vienna, 15.1.2023. (JPr)

Andris Nelsons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Read more

Supercharged singing from Sir Antonio Pappano’s outstanding Elektra cast in Rome

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom R. Strauss, Elektra: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Marco Patino) from the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, 18.10.2022 and available on Rai Play. (JPr)

Ausrine Stundyte (Elektra) and Elisabet Strid (Chrysothemis)

Read more

Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra make a first Parsifal a memorable one

by

NorwayNorway Wagner, Parsifal (staged concert): Soloists, Bergen Philharmonic Choir, Edvard Grieg Kor, Edvard Grieg Jentekor, Edvard Grieg Guttekor, Collegium Musicums Choir (chorus master: Håkon Matti Skrede) and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra / Edward Gardner (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Marius Marthinussen Søreide) on Bergenphilive and OperaVision (and available until 21.5.2023) from the Grieg Hall, Bergen, 21.1.2023. (JPr)

Featured: Ricarda Merbeth ( far l, Kundry), Stuart Skelton (front l, Parsifal) and Brindley Sherratt (front r, Gurnemanz)

Read more

Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate for The Royal Ballet provides food for thought

by

United KingdomUnited Kingdom The Royal Ballet’s Like Water for Chocolate: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Siân Griffiths (mezzo-soprano), Tomás Barreiro (guitar), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Alondra de la Parra (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ross MacGibbon) at the Royal Opera House, Covent, Garden, 9.6.2022 and shown at Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 19.1.2023. (JPr)

Francesca Hayward (Tita) and Marcelino Sambé (Pedro) © Tristram Kenton

Read more