Latest stories
-
Bertrand Chamayou on Saint-Saëns
10th Sep 2018
The French pianist talks to Katherine about his new recording of the Second and Fifth Piano Concertos and a selection of the composer's lesser-known solo piano works, released on Friday on Erato.
-
Rossini's Semiramide from Mark Elder
7th Sep 2018
Rossini's final Italian opera seria receives a taut, compelling reading on period instruments in an interpretation which plays up its baroque pedigree to great effect.
-
Presto Editor's Choices - August 2018
2nd Sep 2018
An irresistible collection of evergreens from a veteran baritone, Mendelssohn from the cutting-room floor, and two rare sets of incidental music by Fauré feature among this month’s favourites.
-
Jiří Bělohlávek conducts Janáček
31st Aug 2018
Late recordings of the Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba, the Sinfonietta and The Fiddler's Child bear witness to the Czech conductor's affinity for his countryman's music.
-
Richard Bonynge on Edward J. Loder
28th Aug 2018
The veteran operatic conductor talks to Katherine about the world premiere recording of the Bath-born composer's Gothic melodrama Raymond and Agnes, out now on Retrospect Opera.
Featured product
Loder: Raymond & Agnes
Majella Cullagh (Agnes), Mark Milhofer (Raymond), Andrew Greenan (Baron), Carolyn Dobbin (Madelina), Quentin Hayes (Antoni), Alessandro Fisher (Theodore), Alexander Robin Baker (Francesco) Retrospect Opera Chorus, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Richard Bonynge
More products from this article -
Bernstein Symphonies from Simon Rattle and Antonio Pappano
24th Aug 2018
Pianist Krystian Zimerman brings understated affection and Classical clarity to The Age of Anxiety with Rattle, whilst Pappano and his Roman orchestra emphasise the dramatic qualities of all three symphonies.
-
Yo-Yo Ma records Bach's Cello Suites for the third and final time
17th Aug 2018
The Chinese-American cellist returns to works which he describes as his 'constant musical companions' in interpretations of uncommon freshness and spontaneity.
Featured product
Six Evolutions - Bach's Cello Suites
Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
-
Rossini's Semiramide and other forthcoming vocal highlights
15th Aug 2018
Rossini's Babylonian opera presented uncut and on period instruments, plus new releases from Cecilia Bartoli, Joyce DiDonato, Stuart Skelton and Barbara Hannigan.
Featured product
Rossini: Semiramide
Albina Shagimuratova (Semiramide), Daniela Barcellona (Arsace), Mirco Palazzi (Assur), Barry Banks (Idreno), Gianluca Buratto (Oroe), Susana Gaspar (Azema), David Butt Philip (Mitrane), James Platt (L’ombra di Nino) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Opera Rara Chorus, Sir Mark Elder
More products from this article -
New Release Round-Up - 10th August 2018
10th Aug 2018
Penderecki from Anne-Sophie Mutter, Bernstein from Antonio Pappano, Mozart from Daniel Barenboim and friends/family, plus the first commercial recording of an English Romantic opera conducted by Richard Bonynge.
-
Antonio Pappano on Bernstein
6th Aug 2018
Ahead of the Bernstein centenary later this month, the conductor talks to Katherine about recording his three symphonies with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (out this Friday on Warner Classics).
-
Rachmaninov's Études-tableaux from Steven Osborne
3rd Aug 2018
Katherine is mesmerised by the Scottish pianist’s introspective but evocative accounts of Rachmaninov’s two sets of ‘study-pictures’, out now on Hyperion.
Featured product
Rachmaninov: Études-tableaux
Steven Osborne (piano)
-
Presto Editor's Choices - July 2018
31st Jul 2018
A nocturnal English song recital from Sarah Connolly and Joseph Middleton, a compelling new opera from an octogenarian composer, and a bracing Alpine adventure from Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra.
-
Wagner's Die Meistersinger from Bayreuth, directed by Barrie Kosky
27th Jul 2018
Katherine reviews the Australian director's complex but illuminating 2017 production, which places the composer himself at the heart of the action.
-
Allan Clayton on Brett Dean's Hamlet
26th Jul 2018
Following on from our interview with the composer earlier this week, Katherine talks to the English tenor about bringing this new incarnation of Shakespeare's 'sweet prince' to life.
Featured product
Brett Dean: Hamlet (DVD)
Allan Clayton (Hamlet), Sarah Connolly (Gertrude), Barbara Hannigan (Ophelia), Rod Gilfry (Claudius), Kim Begley (Polonius), John Tomlinson (Ghost/Grave-Digger/Player-King), Jacques Imbrailo (Horatio) London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus, Vladimir Jurowski
More products from this article -
Brett Dean on Hamlet
23rd Jul 2018
The Australian composer talks to Katherine about the genesis of his acclaimed 2017 Shakespearean opera, filmed at Glyndebourne last summer and now available on DVD and Blu-ray from Opus Arte.
Featured product
Brett Dean: Hamlet (DVD)
Allan Clayton (Hamlet), Sarah Connolly (Gertrude), Barbara Hannigan (Ophelia), Rod Gilfry (Claudius), Kim Begley (Polonius), John Tomlinson (Ghost/Grave-Digger/Player-King), Jacques Imbrailo (Horatio) London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus, Vladimir Jurowski
More products from this article -
New Release Round-Up - 20th July 2018
20th Jul 2018
Strauss from Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Brahms from Mario Venzago, Shostakovich from Mikhail Pletnev, and the world premiere recording of an absorbing new opera by Aribert Reimann.
-
Jan Bartoš on Beethoven
18th Jul 2018
The Czech pianist shares his thoughts on his new Beethoven album, out now on Supraphon.
Featured product
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas
Jan Bartoš (piano)
-
Mozart's La clemenza di Tito from Yannick Nézet-Séguin
13th Jul 2018
Marina Rebeka and Joyce DiDonato strike sparks off one another as Vitellia and Sesto in a terrific new recording of Mozart's final opera, with Rolando Villazón as the idealistic emperor against whom they conspire.
-
Christopher Purves on Handel
5th Jul 2018
The British bass-baritone talks to Katherine about the second volume of 'Finest Arias for Base Voice', out now on Hyperion.
-
Presto Editor's Choices - June 2018
30th Jun 2018
Revelatory Debussy from Alexander Melnikov, a Mahlerian Midsummer Night’s Dream from Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and another nocturnal box of delights from Stephen Hough.
