Classical Interviews
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Adrian Sutton on his Violin Concerto
24th Oct 2024
The British composer discusses the inspirations behind his new concerto for Fenella Humphreys, his work for the theatre (including the score for the play War Horse), and how receiving a terminal diagnosis led him to channel his creative energies in new directions.
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Kathryn Stott - Five For The Road
22nd Oct 2024
Kathryn Stott is bringing her long performing career to an end this year, and releases her final recording with cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Sony Classical, this week. Matthew asked her to pick five highlights from her huge catalogue of recordings, and to offer a glimpse into what makes each so special to her.
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Alison Balsom talks about Baroque Concertos
21st Oct 2024
The trumpeter gives us the lowdown on her newly-released Baroque album - the inspirations behind it and the technical challenges it entails.
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Roberto Alagna at 60
16th Oct 2024
The French-Sicilian tenor discusses his sixtieth-birthday album on Aparté, learning his craft in Paris cabaret clubs, being Michael Jackson's warm-up act, and why he regrets not getting started on Wagner earlier in his career...
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Lawrence Brownlee on Donizetti's songs
9th Oct 2024
The American tenor introduces the inaugural volume of Opera Rara's mammoth Donizetti Song Project, which sees him joining forces with Carlo Rizzi to revive unpublished and previously-unrecorded songs - several of them written for the composer's friends to sing at parties...
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Kateřina Kněžíková on Strauss and Janáček
7th Oct 2024
The Czech soprano discusses her new recording of the 'Vier letzte Lieder' with her friend Jakub Hrůša, and reflects on her recent transition into more dramatic repertoire - beginning with Káťa Kabanová at Glyndebourne in 2021.
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Antonio Pappano on Mendelssohn's Elijah
3rd Oct 2024
The London Symphony Orchestra's recently-appointed Chief Conductor talks about his latest recording on LSO Live of Mendelssohn's oratorio, including how his experience as an operatic conductor helped him to bring out the drama and sense of narrative contained within the work.
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Dalia Stasevska on her Mixtape
26th Sep 2024
The Finnish conductor discusses her first project on Platoon, featuring orchestral music by contemporary composers including Anna Meredith, Caroline Shaw, Noriko Koide and SØS Gunver Ryberg - and explains her mission 'to become the Koussevitzky of my generation'...
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Dalia's Mixtape
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Dalia Stasevska
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Michael Spyres on In The Shadows
25th Sep 2024
Ahead of next week's Gramophone Awards and International Opera Awards, the baritenor discusses his shortlisted album (released on Erato in March) exploring early Wagner and the composers who influenced his writing.
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Huw Montague Rendall on Contemplation
18th Sep 2024
The British baritone discusses his debut album on Erato (released earlier this month), getting under the skin of Count Almaviva in the recent revival of David McVicar's production of Le nozze di Figaro at Covent Garden, and the joys of sharing a profession with his parents...
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Antonio Pappano on the London Symphony Orchestra
11th Sep 2024
Ahead of the opening concert of his first season as Chief Conductor of the LSO at the Barbican tonight, Sir Antonio Pappano talks about his history with the orchestra as well as his future plans with them, including his commitment to English music and new commissions.
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Carlos Simon on art and activism
10th Sep 2024
GRAMMY-nominated composer, activist and curator Carlos Simon has just released an album of orchestral works with the National Symphony Orchestra (where he's been Composer-in-Residence since 2021), and has a new commission being premiered at the 2024 Last Night of the Proms, on 14th September.
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James Heather on Pulse Music
28th Aug 2024
Ahead of his performance at Presto Music tonight, the British composer-pianist talks to us about forging his own creative path, how a near-death experience affected his relationship with the piano, and his musical inspirations (ranging from Nirvana to Michael Nyman).
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Lahav Shani on Prokofiev, Bruckner and Rotterdam
22nd Aug 2024
Ahead of his performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic at the BBC Proms tomorrow, the conductor and pianist discusses his dual career, musical upbringing and mentors.
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George Li on Movements
15th Aug 2024
The American pianist discusses his new album Movements, released on Warner last month and featuring Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze, Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales, and Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka.
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George Li (piano)
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Catriona Morison on Mahler, music education and mental health in the music industry
6th Aug 2024
Ahead of her performance of Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen at the Edinburgh Festival tonight, the Scottish mezzo talks about navigating the 'overwhelming' impact of winning Cardiff Singer of the World in 2017, and her new album Echoes (with Katharina Konradi and Ammiel Bushakevitz).
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Aigul Akhmetshina on 'Fifty Shades of Carmen'
5th Aug 2024
The Bashkir mezzo talks about tapping into Carmen's vulnerability in Damiano Michieletto's recent production at Covent Garden, how she recharges between performances of such an emotionally-demanding role - and why she wishes casting-directors would give her more opportunities to quite literally wear the trousers...
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Jaime Martín and Sophie Galaise on the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
1st Aug 2024
The Chief Conductor and the Managing Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra discuss how their associations with the orchestra first came about, the reasons behind setting up their own record label, and the importance of the touring work that the orchestra undertakes.
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Anna Clyne on SHORTHAND and Augmented Orchestra
30th Jul 2024
Ahead of the world premiere of her new work The Gorgeous Nothings at the BBC Proms tonight, the British composer discusses the Augmented Orchestra technology involved in the piece - and her forthcoming album SHORTHAND, out on Sony next month and featuring Avi Avital, Yo-Yo Ma and The Knights.
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Andrew Nethsingha on his Magnificat series
24th Jul 2024
The conductor discusses his acclaimed series of canticle recordings with the Choir of St John's College Cambridge on Signum Classics, and reflects on his recent move to Westminster Abbey (where he has served as Organist and Master of the Choristers since the beginning of last year).
