Friday 15 February 2008

Lucia di Lammermoor at ENO: Barry Banks and Anna Christy Interview


A final reminder of our interview with tenor Barry Banks and soprano Anna Christy about English National Opera's new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, which opens tomorrow night:


Sunday 10 February 2008

LSO, LPO and Philharmonia announce 2008-09 seasons; Natalie Dessay's Italian Opera Arias CD; Kate Royal in The Magic Flute at the ROH


It's been a bumper week for orchestral news in London. The LSO, LPO and Philharmonia have all announced their 2008-09 seasons, each of which includes at least one major themed series.





In addition, we've reviewed DVDs of Eugene Onegin with Renee Fleming and Das Rheingold with Karajan; CDs of The Bach Dynasty and Natalie Dessay in Italian Opera Arias; and Kate Royal and Christopher Maltman in Die Zauberflote at Covent Garden.





We've also interviewed soprano Anna Christy and tenor Barry Banks about ENO's first-ever production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opens next Saturday.



Monday 4 February 2008

Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela headline the Royal Festival Hall's 08-09 season


The Southbank Centre has announced the line-up for its 2008-09 Shell Classic International Series.
Featuring several of the world's greatest orchestras, conductors and soloists, it will see the Royal Festival Hall play host to several of the same orchestras as this season as well as a mouth-watering visit from the Vienna Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez conducting his Ensemble Intercontemporain and Gustavo Dudamel leading the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuala.


Fleming and Hvorostovsky in Decca's DVD of Eugene Onegin from the Met; The Mikado opens at ENO; The London Philharmonic announces the 08-09 season

Wonderful new DVD of Eugene Onegin from the Met:


The LPO announces 08-09:
http://www.musicalcriticism.com/news/lpo-preview-0208.shtml

Sarah Tynan and Robert Murray in ENO's The Mikado:
http://www.musicalcriticism.com/opera/eno-mikado-0208.shtml

Friday 1 February 2008

Madam Butterfly opens at ENO; La traviata cast B at Covent Garden; LSO Live's new Mozart Requiem; Lang Lang on the South Bank Show


Judith Howarth has opened in the ENO revival of Anthony Minghella's production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly:



Norah Amsellem and Charles Castronovo star in Cast B of the ROH's revival of Verdi's La traviata:



Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra's new recording of Mozart's Requiem:



News that Lang Lang will feature on the South Bank Show next weekend:



Monday 28 January 2008

Opera Review: ROH The Magic Flute / Die Zauberflöte

First night of David McVicar's production of The Magic Flute, now back at Covent Garden for the third revival:

http://www.musicalcriticism.com/opera/roh-flute-0108.shtml

Simon Keenlyside is always magnificent as Papageno, but it felt a bit like some of the other singers were resorting to stock gestures and to walking through the production.

The chorus didn't sing as lustily as is usual for them, and somehow there just wasn't the fire or warmth that Mackerras brought to the piece last time.

Tomorrow: an interview with Sarah Tynan and Robert Murray about The Mikado at ENO.


Sunday 27 January 2008

An interview with Sarah Chang


Our latest interview is an in-depth chat with the violinist Sarah Chang about her career to date, her forthcoming appearance with the London Symphony Orchestra in Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto, her new recording of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and her love of London.

Read more here:

Also, don't forget to read our latest CD reviews, which include:
Gerald Finley's new Ives CD on Hyperion
Simon Rattle's new recording of Pictures at an Exhibition on EMI
Mozart's Davide penitente on Naxos
Tippett's Complete Piano Music on Hyperion
Coming this week:
The Magic Flute
Madam Butterfly
LPO/Adam Fischer