Everything you could wish for in style and attack
Iestyn Davies 40th Birthday Concert, Wigmore Hall ...up-tempo Handelian swagger in three of the Opus 6 Concertos and the heavenly ‘Chaconne’ from Il
I initially thought it was a human voice
Orfeo ed Euridice, Edinburgh International Festival The 18th century-style oboe, bursting into song in the pastoral scene, was like an ecstatic sunburst -
Astonishing intensity
Orfeo ed Euridice, Usher Hall, Edinburgh International Festival Much of the most intense music-making came not from the singers but from the players
Sweet enchanting harmony
Orfeo ed Euridice, Edinburgh International Festival There was indeed - as per part of the aria’s translation -‘sweet, enchanting harmony’ displayed in the
a Vespers which wrung every grain of dramatic force…
Monteverdi Vespers (1610) Cummings’s jumping exuberance (while managing to play the harpsichord and organ continuo as well) set the tone for a Vespers which wrung
Perfect from the first note to the last
Orpheus of Princes, Wigmore Hall From the musical point of view, for me the concert was perfect from the first note to the
In conversation with Lucy Crowe
We met with Lucy Crowe during our recording of Rodelinda. We talked about what she got up to during lockdown, our upcoming programme, Handel
Handel – Ritorna, oh Caro
Lucy Crowe performs this stunning aria from Handel's Rodelinda, capturing the sense of loss exquisitely, begging for the return of
Marcello – Oboe Concerto in D Minor
There are not many instrumental pieces that are as beautifully poignant as this one. Katharina Spreckelsen performs here the second
Bach – Chaconne | Nadja Zwiener
Nadja Zwiener, leader of The English Concert, performs Bach's mighty Chaconne from his Partita for solo violin in D Minor
Handel – Passacaille – Kristian Bezuidenhout
The passacaille dance takes its name from the Spanish dance pasacalle (literally walk-about). It presents a wonderful series of inventions over
Bach – Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe – Kristian Bezuidenhout
Bach's reserves some of his most beautiful music for the moment of death. In this video, Katharina Spreckelsen performs the
Tainted love: the making of a monster
It’s the mother of all bad hair days for Scylla in Leclair’s only opera. Based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Scylla is just a nymph going
Aphra Behn: International Woman of Mystery
Secret agent, prisoner, playwright and poet. Clearly there was never a dull moment in the life of this 17th century International Woman of Mystery.
More Game of Thrones than Young Person’s Guide
Benjamin Britten’s (1913-1976) extraordinary piece The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra has been a favourite of education schemes and family orchestral concerts for
Dido & Aeneas: The Untold Story – BigGive Christmas Challenge 2018
With just hours to go, the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018 goes live at midday tomorrow (27th November). Past appeals have always featured exciting
Music of the Dark Lady
Ahead of our 2018-2019 season we are delighted to announce our return to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe this summer on 8th
‘The most spectacular opera event of the season’ – Rinaldo report
Just over a month on from our latest Handel blockbuster, and we're still trying to catch our breath, such has been the critical acclaim that