Monthly Archives: October 2015

Surveillance programme

Once you enter the opera house or concert hall, what’s the first thing you do? Collect your ticket from the box office? Deposit your coat into the cloakroom? I wouldn’t mind betting that you then dutifully queue to purchase a … Continue reading

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A heroine on heroin: ENO’s cold Bohème lacks heart

Puccini: La bohème ** English National Opera, 16th October 2015 Did anyone hear sobbing? La bohème is one of the great operatic tear-jerkers, yet Benedict Andrews’ new production for English National Opera, previously seen in Amsterdam, left me dry-eyed. Judging by the … Continue reading

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Cards on the table: Stephen Kovacevich at 75

Stephen Kovacevich is in ebullient mood. Dashing back from Paris for our meeting, he brews coffee at his north London home as we swap notes about orchestras. This week, he celebrates his 75th birthday. Born in Los Angeles, he took … Continue reading

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Disappointing Russian fare from the Razumovsky Ensemble

Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky: Razumovsky Ensemble ** Wigmore Hall, 15th October 2015 There’s a sense of deflation when you visit a restaurant for the first time, encouraged by friends or enticed by the menu, and it doesn’t live up to expectations. … Continue reading

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Still reigning: Leo Nucci’s masterly Rosenblatt Recital

Rosenblatt Recital: Leo Nucci **** Cadogan Hall, 13th October 2015 Received wisdom says “it ain’t over till the fat lady sings”. In the case of a Leo Nucci recital, it ain’t over till the Italian baritone’s sung “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata”. Nucci … Continue reading

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