Monthly Archives: February 2016

Rhine Journey: curious and boisterous Schumann with the OAE

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Mark Pullinger

Brahms/Schumann: Kopatchinskaja; OAE/Alsop *** Royal Festival Hall, 6th February 2016 Exaggerated claims were made for Robert Schumann’s Violin Concerto in recent weeks. It was his final orchestral work, composed shortly before he was admitted to an asylum. After his death, … Continue reading →

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Sunny beams from Dvořák and Brahms as Nézet-Séguin returns to London

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Mark Pullinger

Dvořák/Brahms: LPO/Nézet-Séguin **** Royal Festival Hall, 3rd February 2016 Dvořák’s Sixth cannot claim to plumb any tragic depths, nor Brahms’ Double Concerto any virtuosic heights. Instead, both works ooze warmth. Brahms’ concerto is suffused with a mellow glow, while Dvořák … Continue reading →

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Burning bright: a vocally superb Trovatore ignites the Bastille

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Mark Pullinger

Verdi: Il trovatore **** Opéra Bastille, 31st January 2016 According to legendary tenor Enrico Caruso, the recipe for success in Il trovatore is disarmingly simple: “All it takes is the four greatest singers in the world.” An impossible task, perhaps, but … Continue reading →

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