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Kent Nagano's farewell to Hamburg: Nante and Brahms in dialogue

By Mengguang Huang, 29 June 2025

Kent Nagano’s farewell in Hamburg showcases a spiritual dialogue between tradition and innovation, pairing Brahms’ profound Fourth Symphony with the luminous world premiere of Alex Nante’s Anāhata.

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Hamburg

29 Jun 2025

Kent Nagano's farewell to Hamburg: Nante and Brahms in dialogue

By Mengguang Huang

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Hamburg

A cold blaze of dreams and consciousness: Unsuk Chin's new opera Die dunkle Seite des Mondes

By Mengguang Huang, 31 May 2025

At Staatsoper Hamburg, Unsuk Chin’s new opera The Dark Side of the Moon immerses audiences in an hypnotic, introspective journey, where dreams, science and psyche collide in a rigorously crafted, thought-provoking spectacle.

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Hamburg

01 Jun 2025

Unsuk Chin's opera Die dunkle Seite des Mondes premieres in Hamburg

By Mengguang Huang

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Montreal

Refreshing innovation in Kent Nagano's seasonal Montreal concert

By Ian Cochrane, 10 December 2024

Contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux joins Kent Nagano for a program featuring the premieres of boldly disparate compositions by Matthew Ricketts and Aziza Sadikova.

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Montreal

11 Dec 2024

Refreshing innovation in Kent Nagano's seasonal Montreal concert

By Ian Cochrane

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Hamburg

Franciscan virtues for a modern age: a multimedia Messiaen remix in Hamburg

By Peter Quantrill, 02 June 2024

No half measures in a triple-decker Hamburg staging of Saint François d'Assise at the Elbphilharmonie.

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Hamburg

04 Jun 2024

Franciscan virtues for a modern age: a multimedia Messiaen remix

By Peter Quantrill

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Hamburg

Staatsoper Hamburg's new Boris Godunov traverses Russian history

By Alexander Hall, 16 September 2023

Opening the new opera season, Kent Nagano powerfully directs Mussorgsky's great psychodrama about a famous tsar, marred only by Frank Castorf's visually confusing and symbolically overweighted production.

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Hamburg

17 Sep 2023

Staatsoper Hamburg's new Boris Godunov traverses Russian history

By Alexander Hall

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Hamburg

Beauty and the beast: Sciarrino's Venere e Adone premieres in Hamburg

By Alexander Hall, 28 May 2023

What does opera in the 21st century look and sound like? Streets removed from anything Mozart, Verdi or Wagner would have recognised. But Salvatore Sciarrino is his own man.

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Hamburg

29 May 2023

Beauty and the beast: Sciarrino's Venere e Adone premieres in Hamburg

By Alexander Hall

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Montreal

Music from the far north in frozen Montreal

By Ian Cochrane, 25 February 2023

Alexandre Kantorow dazzles in Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto with Kent Nagano and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

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Montreal

27 Feb 2023

Music from the far north in frozen Montreal

By Ian Cochrane

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Amsterdam

Kent Nagano conducts Dutch premiere of Hans Abrahamsen’s The Snow Queen

By Rose Dodd, 04 June 2022

Performed for the first time in a concert version, Abrahamsen's 2019 opera appears with a fine cast at the Concertgebouw.

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Amsterdam

06 Jun 2022

Nagano conducts Dutch premiere of Abrahamsen’s The Snow Queen

By Rose Dodd

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Hamburg

Summer marches in: Mahler's Third Symphony at the Elbphilharmonie

By Matthew Rye, 02 May 2022

Kent Nagano brings Mahler's former Hamburg orchestra out of the opera house and into the concert hall for the composer's symphonic hymn to life.

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Hamburg

03 May 2022

Summer marches in: Mahler's Third Symphony at the Elbphilharmonie

By Matthew Rye

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Paris

Shock and awe in Paris from Warlikowski and Nagano with Bernstein's A Quiet Place

By David Karlin, 09 March 2022

In the expert hands of both director Warlikowski and conductor Kent Nagano, the sequel to Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti proves to be even darker and more dramatic.

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Paris

10 Mar 2022

Shock and awe in Paris with Bernstein's A Quiet Place

By David Karlin

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Zurich

Britten at apocalyptic proportions in the Tonhalle Zürich

By Sarah Batschelet, 07 October 2021

A stunning performance of Britten’s War Requiem makes for a night to remember in Zurich.

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Zurich

09 Oct 2021

Britten at apocalyptic proportions in the Tonhalle Zürich

By Sarah Batschelet

Hamburg

Barmy, balladic and balmy: three pieces at the Elbphilharmonie

By Alexander Hall, 27 September 2020

Kent Nagano and the Hamburg Philharmonic contrast barmy Hindemith with balmy Schubert, while Julian Prégardien explores Mahler’s balladic Wayfaring Songs.

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Hamburg

27 Sep 2020

Barmy, balladic and balmy: three pieces at the Elbphilharmonie

By Alexander Hall

Montreal

The OSM plays exquisitely at Montreal’s Schubert Festival

By Ian Cochrane, 14 January 2020

As part of its Schubert Festival, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal wowed the audience with a concert that featured excerpts from Rossini operas as well as two Schubert symphonies.

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Montreal

16 Jan 2020

The OSM plays exquisitely at Montreal’s Schubert Festival

By Ian Cochrane

Montreal

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal premieres Moussa's Violin Concerto

By Ian Cochrane, 28 November 2019

Native sons Samy Moussa and Andrew Wan combine their considerable talents for a sensational world premiere of a violin concerto that was commissioned by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

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Montreal

30 Nov 2019

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal premieres Moussa's Violin Concerto

By Ian Cochrane

Hamburg

Olfactory and ocular obfuscation: Shostakovich's The Nose in Hamburg

By Alexander Hall, 07 September 2019

Kent Nagano and the forces of Staatsoper Hamburg launch their new season with a production of Shostakovich's very first opera in which the ears are beguiled but the eyes are not.

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Hamburg

08 Sep 2019

Olfactory and ocular obfuscation: The Nose in Hamburg

By Alexander Hall

Montreal

Jean-Philippe Collard excels in Messiaen and Ravel in Montreal

By Ian Cochrane, 30 April 2019

Three contrasting 20th-century masterworks were judiciously crafted and insightfully honed by the Orchestre Symphonique of Montreal and their music director Kent Nagano.

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Montreal

01 May 2019

Jean-Philippe Collard excels in Messiaen and Ravel in Montreal

By Ian Cochrane

Stockholm

A majestic Boris Godunov at the Konserthuset in Stockholm

By Laura Servidei, 08 March 2017

The Stockholm Concert Hall hosts the Göteborg Symphonic Orchestra and Opera Chorus for a concert performance of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov.

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Stockholm

10 Mar 2017

A majestic Boris Godunov in Stockholm

By Laura Servidei

Hamburg

From femme fatale to angel: Lulu in Hamburg

By Matthew Rye, 12 February 2017

An uncompromising approach to the unfinished score of Berg's opera results in a compelling musical and dramatic interpretation.

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Hamburg

13 Feb 2017

From femme fatale to angel: Lulu in Hamburg

By Matthew Rye

Hamburg

Troy Story: Les troyens in Hamburg

By Matthew Rye, 10 February 2017

A musically strong revival of an austere production still leaves one feeling short-changed.

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Hamburg

11 Feb 2017

Troy Story: Les troyens in Hamburg

By Matthew Rye

Zurich

Kent Nagano’s startling Beethoven and Messiaen in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet, 08 January 2017

2017 began with a bang in Zurich, thanks to a stellar pianist, Daniil Trifonov, and a peak performance by the Tonhalle Orchestra under Kent Nagano’s seasoned baton.

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Zurich

09 Jan 2017

Startling Beethoven and Messiaen in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet

Montreal

OSM opens its season with a sophisticated Carmina Burana

By Alan Yu, 08 September 2016

Kent Nagano and OSM wowed with cerebral approach to Carmina Burana.

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Montreal

09 Sep 2016

A sophisticated Carmina Burana in Montréal

By Alan Yu

Montreal

Britten's War Requiem makes for an heroic season's end for the OSM

By Patricia Maunder, 25 May 2016

The OSM closes out the 2015-16 season with all guns blazing and an ethereal flag of peace in a splendid battle of Britten.

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Montreal

26 May 2016

An heroic season's end for the OSM

By Patricia Maunder

Montreal

Kent Nagano excites on eve of OSM's international tour

By Christina Volpini, 10 March 2016

The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Kent Nagano give terrific performances of Debussy, Prokofiev and Stravinsky as they embark on their American tour.

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Montreal

12 Mar 2016

Kent Nagano excites on eve of OSM's international tour

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Musical monograms: Shostakovich's Tenth a highlight in Montréal

By Christina Volpini, 28 November 2015

With Mahler’s arrangement of Bach orchestral suites and Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, this concert showcased the many ways that composers have placed musical signatures on their work.

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Montreal

30 Nov 2015

Musical monograms: Shostakovich's Tenth a highlight in Montréal

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Kent Nagano and Yefim Bronfman ‘go bold’ in Montréal

By Christina Volpini, 19 November 2015

The stark aesthetic contrast between Ives’ Symphony no. 4 and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1 led to an evening of music that was diverse, challenging and very entertaining.

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Montreal

21 Nov 2015

Kent Nagano and Yefim Bronfman ‘go bold’ in Montréal

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Orchestral pyrotechnics in Montréal

By Christina Volpini, 21 October 2015

Nagano and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal imbued programmatic works with a sense of excitement, sprinkling the magic dust that brought each works’ characters to life.

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Montreal

23 Oct 2015

Orchestral pyrotechnics in Montréal*

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Kent Nagano and the OSM come up trumps in Pelléas et Mélisande

By Alan Yu, 09 September 2015

Kent Nagano and the OSM came up trumps in concert version of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

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Montreal

12 Sep 2015

Nagano comes up trumps in Pelléas et Mélisande

By Alan Yu

Montreal

Montréal’s ‘Philip Glass Fever’ raises questions

By Christina Volpini, 07 March 2015

While Glass' latest music has managed to package and sell a form of experimentalism to the masses, it also sparks debate about style versus substance.

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Montreal

10 Mar 2015

Montréal’s ‘Philip Glass Fever’ raises questions

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Bold and eclectic: Nagano commanding in Bartók in Montréal

By Christina Volpini, 13 January 2015

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s program was a collage-like display of the diverse music that emerged from composers in New York City from 1936 to 1956.

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Montreal

16 Jan 2015

Bold and eclectic: Nagano commanding's Bartók

By Christina Volpini

Montreal

Montreal Symphony Orchestra like a well-groomed gentleman in Mozart and Saint-Saëns

By Alan Yu, 27 November 2014

Kent Nagano and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra perform Mozart favourites and Saint-Saëns' third violin concerto

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Montreal

28 Nov 2014

A well-groomed gentleman in Mozart and Saint-Saëns

By Alan Yu

Montreal

Miah Persson transforms OSM Romantic Lieder concert into one of transfigured beauty

By Richard Turp, 20 November 2014

Swedish soprano Miah Persson dominates the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s enterprising Romantic Lieder program conducted by Kent Nagano.

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Montreal

21 Nov 2014

Miah Persson transforms Montréal concert into one of transfigured beauty

By Richard Turp

Montreal

Nagano tackles three “monstres sacrés” in Montréal

By Richard Turp, 04 March 2014

A substantial musical menu of works by Wagner, Liszt and Berlioz, the poster boys of 19th century Romanticism, along with a world première, presented by l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Marc-André Hamelin and Kent Nagano.

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Montreal

05 Mar 2014

Nagano tackles three “monstres sacrés” in Montréal

By Richard Turp

Montreal

Beethoven's “lesser” symphonies with the OSM and Nagano

By Marc Wieser, 09 January 2014

The OSM opened their 2014 offering with an evening of Beethoven. Kent Nagano was at the helm with pianist Radu Lupu as the soloist in the Fourth Piano Concerto.

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Montreal

12 Jan 2014

OSM and Kent Nagano play Beethoven

By Marc Wieser

Montreal

Montreal Bach Festival culminates with the B minor Mass

By Stephen Raskauskas, 06 December 2013

The grand finale of this year's Montreal Bach Festival was the Mass in B minor with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Kent Nagano, joined by an impressive set of soloists.

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Montreal

09 Dec 2013

Montreal Bach Festival: B minor Mass

By Stephen Raskauskas

Montreal

An evening of art and music at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal

By Stephen Raskauskas, 30 October 2013

Though museums have long been host to musical events, a partnership between the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal with conductor Kent Nagano and Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal brought art to the concert hall this Wednesday evening.

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Montreal

31 Oct 2013

An evening of art and music at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal

By Stephen Raskauskas

Montreal

Nagano conducts Beethoven and Berg at the Maison Symhonique

By Nancy Berman, 20 March 2013

If you like your Beethoven clean, precise and streamlined, you should go hear Kent Nagano and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra perform the First and Seventh Symphonies, along with the Berg Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Wellington’s Victory at the Maison Symphonique.

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Montreal

22 Mar 2013

Nagano conducts Beethoven and Berg at the Maison Symhonique

By Nancy Berman

Montreal

Something different for Christmas: The OSM does Berlioz's L'enfance du Christ

By Nancy Berman, 20 December 2012

Christmastime comes with its musical traditions, from sing-along Messiahs to Christmas carols to Mariah Carey singing “All I Want for Christmas is You”. And there’s no denying that shouting any of the above at the top of your lungs will immediately get you into the Christmas spirit.

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Montreal

28 Dec 2012

Something different for Christmas: The OSM does Berlioz's L'enfance du Christ

By Nancy Berman

Munich

Andreas Kriegenburg's Wozzeck: A true masterpiece

By Max Woods, 06 June 2012

The plight of the introvert, stigmatised by society despite the many benefits of their contemplative natures and inner strength, is an important part of the contemporary Zeitgeist, but it is in fact nothing new.

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Munich

09 Jun 2012

Andreas Kriegenburg's Wozzeck: A true masterpiece

By Max Woods

Montreal

Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Cirque Éloize in Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé

By Alan Yu, 28 May 2012

The concert by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) on Monday concluded its 2011/2012 season, the first in its new home at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal.The evening got off to an upbeat start with Berlioz’s Le Corsaire overture. As a composer of overtures, Hector Berlioz may well have been the torchbearer for the Beethovenian tradition.

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Montreal

30 May 2012

Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Cirque Éloize in Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé

By Alan Yu

Munich

Nasty Children at the Bayerische Staatsoper

By Max Woods, 06 November 2011

The pairing of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges (“The Child and the Spells”) with Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg (“The Dwarf”) is an interesting juxtaposition.

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Munich

09 Nov 2011

Nasty Children at the Bayerische Staatsoper

By Max Woods

Edinburgh

An orchestra descends into the circular auditorium

By Alan Coady, 17 August 2011

The more intriguing a piece's title, the more interesting the endeavour to explore its connection to the compositional process. The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, under Kent Nagano, opened their Edinburgh Festival concert with a shimmering piece by Tōro Takemitsu (1930-1996).

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Edinburgh

19 Aug 2011

An orchestra descends into the circular auditorium

By Alan Coady