Monthly Archives: November 2014

Scorch marks: Searing Rachmaninov from Gergiev and the LSO

Rachmaninov: LSO/Gergiev **** Barbican, 11th November 2014 Fluttering fingers and jabbing a toothpick baton, it’s difficult see how an orchestra can follow the beat – any beat – indicated by Valery Gergiev. Yet the London Symphony Orchestra plays for him … Continue reading

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Yuri Temirkanov charms London in St Petersburg invasion

St Petersburg Philharmonic/Temirkanov **** Royal Festival Hall, 8th November 2014 “Never look encouragingly at the brass,” was one of Richard Strauss’ conducting commandments. Yuri Temirkanov took this maxim to heart, barely looking at any members of his St Petersburg Philharmonic … Continue reading

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Opera Rara: Donizetti’s Les Martyrs a revelation

Donizetti: Les Martyrs ***** Opera Rara, Royal Festival Hall, 4th November 2014 There is no shortage of rare Donizetti operas set in exotic locations – Emilia di Liverpool, Zoroaida di Granata, Harrison di Accrington (okay, artistic license exercised on that final one) – so … Continue reading

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Martin Kušej’s Idomeneo cast as gripping political power struggle

Mozart: Idomeneo **** Royal Opera, 3rd November 2014 “Here be dragons!” warned seafaring maps of yore, denoting uncharted territories. Martin Kušej, undertaking his first Royal Opera exploration, excised the sea monster from his vision of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Well, there was a … Continue reading

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Glyndebourne’s La traviata on tour: or What the Maid Saw

Verdi: La traviata ** Glyndebourne on Tour, Woking, 1st November 2014 Verdi never met Marie Duplessis, for she died five months before the composer’s first visit to Paris, but he was deeply touched by her fate, to be related through … Continue reading

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