Latest One Stop Arts articles by Capriccio

Musical drama with Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski presented two highly dramatic works at the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday night. Extracts from Strauss' Die Frau Ohne Schatten were followed by Alexander von Zemlinsky's A Florentine Tragedy in a performance with few contrasts but much commitment.

Susan Graham and Malcolm Martineau at the Wigmore Hall

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

In this Wigmore Hall recital, Graham delivered a very interesting programme of material of particular personal resonance, occasionally sharing something very special indeed. Repertoire ranged from Purcell to a special commission called Sexy Lady, and the performance included some truly world-class singing.

Angela Denoke sings Berg and Wagner with the LSO and Gianandrea Noseda

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This Barbican concert featured extracts from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Berg's Three Fragments from Wozzeck and Beethoven's Fifth, played by the London Symphony Orchestra with conductor Gianandrea Noseda and soprano Angela Denoke. Some bold interpretative decisions characterised the Beethoven performance especially.

Die Walküre at Fulham Opera

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

For any opera company to mount a Wagner opera is a great undertaking. For a very small semi-professional opera company to mount the entire Ring Cycle is a feat of extraordinary daring and perhaps madness. But that is exactly what Fulham Opera has decided to do.

Understated Virtuosity from Alasdair Beatson at the Wigmore Hall

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Lawrence Dart reviews Alasdair Beatson playing Mozart, Fauré, Ravel and Schubert at the Wigmore Hall.

John Storgårds conducts the BBCSO with Truls Mørk

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This was a very interestingly programmed concert from the BBC Symphony Orchestra and John Storgårds. Cellist Truls Mørk performed the UK première of Rautavaara's Second Cello Concerto, and this was performed alongside music by Delius, Bridge and Sibelius: four works to a greater or lesser extent programmatic.

Colin Davis conducts Weber's Der Freischütz at the Barbican

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While Weber is widely acknowledged as being of historic importance as the link in the German operatic tradition between Beethoven and Wagner, his operas are rarely staged in England, and even in concert remain a relative novelty. Despite my quibbles I have to confess I was absolutely enraptured throughout, watching in a state of gleeful wonder at the beauties unfolding before me.

St Matthew Passion with the London Handel Festival

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Probably no other work in the repertoire has such mystical status as Bach's Matthew Passion. This performance from Laurence Cummings and the London Handel Orchestra at St George's, Hanover Square, part of the London Handel Festival, was not devoid of beauty, but one wished everywhere for more personality and sense of purpose.

Robin Ticciati and Christopher Maltman with the London Symphony Orchestra

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

At the Barbican on Thursday, Robin Ticciati conducted the London Symphony Orchestra through Strauss' Tod und Verklärung, Mahler's Kindertotenlieder and Brahms' Second Symphony, joined in the Mahler by baritone Christopher Maltman. There were moments of quiet beauty, but at times something wasn't connecting musically.

Die Zauberflöte at the Royal Academy Opera

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

In his Royal Academy Opera production, Stephen Barlow chooses to update the staging of Mozart's singspiel to the 1980s, with Sarastro as the charismatic head of a cultish organisation which is a mixture of Mormonism, Scientology and, at the end, a mass wedding of Moonies. It's a joyous evening with some excellent singing.

Eugene Onegin with English Touring Opera

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Eugene Onegin is one of the greatest of all operas, both musically and dramatically. James Conway's 2007 production for English Touring Opera, here revived for the first time, is very economic with stage materials – all we have is a mirror that bisects the stage, a few apple tree branches, a bed, and a couple of chairs. Catch it if you can – this is an extraordinary bargain. You will not regret it.

Echoes of Romanticism: the Nash Ensemble at Wigmore Hall play Mozart, Wagner and Strauss

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The Nash Ensembles' "Echoes of Romanticism" series at the Wigmore Hall is a fascinating story to tell, and this evening provided a particular insight into Richard Strauss – a key figure in this narrative. Excerpts from Strauss' Capriccio were presented alongside works by Mozart and Wagner.