Lyric’s new production Tosca was terrific! Both leads Michelle Bradley ( Tosca ) & Russell Thomas (Cavaradossi ) made the Lyric debut along with a young Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim. Powerful and forever extended open voice on both, particularly Bradley reminded me of Leontyne’s husky warm tone. What a power couple~ Bradley also managed to portray vulnerable side of Tosca who’s madly in love with Cavaradossi. This power duo, Bradlley and Thomas, hitting every high note with a dramatic flair.
I also loved the set. Nothing out of ordinary ( sure beats some Euro-trash sets ) but beautifully executed. Seen at the Lyric for the first time it was done by '72 San Francisco Opera by a French director and designer Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Rather traditional but opulent and hyper realistic especially inside the church in the ACT1.
Last week the ever fantastic Grigory Sokolov, he plays it in such a great manner you can’t imagine it should ever sound different. And as always a generous number of encores (6)….
Yesterday concert with the solist Albrecht Mayer, good but not so much preferred as solo instrument. Program with Mozart - starting with Symphony Haffner…., after the break also an excellent rendition of the first symphony of Prokofiev. At first I was skeptical on how Mozart would combine with this, but it was actually quite fitting as it’s a classic symphony….
The conductor is one to watch, Riccardo Minasi……
Many of my favourites from Tori’s catalogue played with her usual passion and talent. The fluidity of her voice is still there but when she needed to power through, she seemed more restrained than I remembered her being. Perhaps this was the crowd which I felt was unusually quiet for one of her shows or maybe it will take time post the Covid lay off - only her fourth show. The band has to be tight to match her amazing piano skills but Jon Evans on bass is so fluid.
NIce.
Where was the venue?
I had ticket to go see him last December at Philharmonie Luxemburg but sadly he cancelled due to illness!
Argerich, Sokolov and Zimerman are my three bucket list.
I really miss seeing him. I went to see him every year from 2004 to 2018. Went to see him 3 times in one year. Victoria hall Geneva, Nancy in France and the usual haunt Alte Oper in Frankfurt for some Schubert impromptus and Beethoven Hammerklavier sonata. Sadly i missed a few gems after 2018 before covid set in.
I almost completed your bucket list. I have seen Sokolov and Argerich already multiple times. So far Zimmermann is missing.
The Venue is the Meistersinger Halle in Nuremberg, just 25 km away from my home.
Jane Glover finally made the CSO debut this week.
The program opened with Haydn Symphony No.71. Rhythmic and dynamic it was far more animated and interesting than any of my recordings. Tho middle slow movement still dragged on I felt. Contrasting with Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 composed a few years earlier than the No.71 was far more likable because it had familiar hummable almost addictive melody line. No wonder Mozart’s music are played far more than Haydn’s.
Oboe Concerto, OTOH, I think maybe it’s due to where I was sitting, the soloist sometimes was drown out by the strings so it was somewhat muted. I felt it lacked sparkle. Same for Handel’s Organ Concerto No.4. I did not care much for the tone of pipe organ and the note delivery was rather vague. What I enjoyed most, tho, was how Glover directed the orchestra. The way she moved that itty bitty baton in precision along with arms moving ever so gracefully was fitting for Mozart’s rhythmic grooves.
Robyn Hitchcock, one of Englands national treasures at QEH on London’s Southbank last night. Joined at various points by Kimberley Rew and Morris Windsor so three quarters of “The Soft Boys”. Lovely set list spanning his 40+ year career, I booked these tickets in Jan 2020, good to get back to live music!
Just heard Wardruna at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, cannot say I saw them as the sightlines from the balcony are appalling and my only view was the back of the head of the chap seated before me. Cracking version of Helvegen though and nice version of the one about there being no fishfingers left in the aisles of Iceland.
Great pics, it was a lovely evening, we were row E central, good sound, Kimberley was manic as usual, Robyn’s banter up to its usual standard! My theory is that Kimberley having written “Walking on Sunshine” “Going Down To Liverpool” and “Love Shine A Light” he can coast on quite comfortably on the royalties for ever! Good to see Robyn back in the U.K.
Saw William the Conqueror in Marlborough last weekend. Great to have a band in front of us in the first time in a long while. Got a signed LP after as well in lovely green vinyl.
