Latest stories

Jonas Kaufmann sings Wagner’s Parsifal

17th Feb 2014by Katherine Cooper

The German tenor gives the performance of his career as Wagner’s ‘Holy Fool’ in François Girard’s production from the Metropolitan Opera, with René Pape as Gurnemanz and Katarina Dalayman as Kundry.

New Year's Concert 2014

3rd Feb 2014by Katherine Cooper

Daniel Barenboim conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker in the traditional New Year’s Day programme of waltzes, polkas and marches from the Strauss Family and friends.

Christmas Carols from Bob Chilcott and others

9th Dec 2013by Katherine Cooper

Commotio bring their ‘clean, unfussy sound and pristine intonation’ to the former King’s Singer’s carols - plus Music for Advent from The Choir of Clare College Cambridge.

Christmas Oratorios from Bach, Berlioz, and Britten

2nd Dec 2013by Katherine Cooper

The Christmas Oratorio from Trinity College Cambridge, Saint Nicolas from Cambridge University Music Society (with Andrew Kennedy in the title-role), and L’Enfance du Christ from the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Robin Ticciati.

Poulenc from Patricia Petibon and Paavo Järvi

25th Nov 2013by Katherine Cooper

The fiftieth anniversary of the composer’s death is marked by outstanding performances of three of his sacred works: the Gloria, Stabat mater, and Litanies à la Vierge*.

Sir John Tavener, 1944-2013

18th Nov 2013by Katherine Cooper

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Mozart's The Magic Flute

21st Oct 2013by Katherine Cooper

Pavol Breslik and Kate Royal are the young lovers put to the test in Robert Carsen’s production from Baden-Baden, with Ana Durlovski as the Queen of the Night, and Dimitry Ivashchenko as Sarastro.

Berlioz's Les Troyens from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

7th Oct 2013by Katherine Cooper

Sir David McVicar’s 2012 production packs some serious magic thanks to Es Devlin’s breathtaking sets and fiercely committed performances from Eva-Maria Westbroek, Bryan Hymel and Anna Caterina Antonacci in the three main roles.

New Verdi releases from Jonas Kaufmann and others

16th Sep 2013by Katherine Cooper

The German tenor brings ‘nuanced psychological drama* to a collection of portraits including a foretaste of Otello, whilst Thomas Hampson is profoundly moving as a ‘care-worn and conflicted’ Simon Boccanegra.

Arias for countertenor/male soprano from Fagioli, Hansen, and Jaroussky

9th Sep 2013by Katherine Cooper

Argentine sopranist Fagioli scales the high Cs in a jaw-dropping recital of arias penned for the notorious star castrato Caffarelli, whilst Jaroussky explores music written by for his rival Farinelli by their mutual singing-teacher Nicola Porpora.

Dame Janet Baker celebrates her eightieth birthday

19th Aug 2013by Katherine Cooper

Curated to mark the great English mezzo's birthday, this 20-disc set from EMI includes classic recordings of music by Berlioz, Elgar, Mahler and Schubert as well as previously-unreleased material including Monteverdi and Scarlatti with Raymond Leppard.

Verdi arias from Anna Netrebko

12th Aug 2013by Katherine Cooper

The Russian soprano marks the composer’s bicentenary with arias and scenes from Don Carlo, Macbeth, Il trovatore, Giovanna d’Arco and I vespri siciliani in a recital which reveals a voice reaching glorious full bloom.

Dame Janet Baker at 80

25th Jul 2013by Katherine Cooper

In the lead-up to her eightieth birthday, the great English mezzo reflects on her career.

Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration Concert

22nd Jul 2013by Katherine Cooper

The American summer festival celebrates its three-quarter century in eclectic fashion, with Haydn from Emanuel Ax, Bernstein from the Boston Pops Orchestra, Ravel from Andris Nelsons, and excerpts from The Great American Songbook from James Taylor.

Handel Chandos Anthems from Stephen Layton and the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge

8th Jul 2013by Katherine Cooper

Transparent textures and stylish but unfussy phrasing are the order of the day in these buoyant accounts of the anthems which Handel composed during his year-long musical residency at the home of James Brydges, the Paymaster General during the War of Spanish Succession.

Cecilia Bartoli sings Bellini’s Norma

20th May 2013by Katherine Cooper

Giovanni Antonini recreates Bellini’s masterpiece as it would have been heard at its 1831 premiere, with period instruments, a light soprano Adalgisa, and a high mezzo in the formidable title-role – Bartoli, radiating neurotic intensity and raw pathos as the infanticidal Druid priestess.

Ian Bostridge sings Britten songs

29th Apr 2013by Katherine Cooper

The tenor brings formidable musical intelligence to the Michelangelo Sonnets, Who are these children?, Winter Words and the Hölderlin Fragments (with Antonio Pappano), and is joined by guitarist Xuefei Yang for Songs from the Chinese.

Pappano conducts Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle

22nd Apr 2013by Katherine Cooper

So theatrical that you can practically smell the greasepaint, Rossini’s ‘old man’s folly’ receives luxury treatment from the conductor and his Roman orchestra, with Marina Rebeka, Sara Mingardo, Francesco Meli and Alex Esposito making up a full-blooded operatic solo quartet.

Julia Lezhneva: Alleluia

1st Apr 2013by Katherine Cooper

The young Russian soprano makes her solo debut on Decca with cantatas by Handel, Mozart, Porpora and Vivaldi which showcase her scintillating coloratura, tonal clarity and warmth, and radiant middle register; Il Giardino Armonico and Giovanni Antonini accompany with panache.