From darkness into light: the life and work of Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri's portrait by Sandro Botticelli

Mapa del Infierno by Sandro Botticelli

Codex Altonensis, an extraordinarily ornate manuscript of La Divinia Commedia (1350-1410)

Lucifer as depicted in the Codex Altonensis

Inferno, Canto XVIII by Sandro Botticelli

By Alexandra Richter, 14 September 2021

Loading, please wait...

Isabella Steppan, 17th September

Isabella Steppan explores Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, the third and final part of his Il trittico (The Triptych).

Divine intervention: Wayne McGregor on choreographing Dante

Sarah Kirkup, 16th September

Wayne McGregor’s ambitious ballet based on The Divine Comedy, with a commissioned score by Thomas Adès, is finally receiving its complete premiere – exactly 700 years after Dante’s death. The choreographer talks to Sarah Kirkup about the intricate process behind this multi-arts collaboration.

Prelude to a kiss: Rachmaninov’s Francesca da Rimini

Mark Pullinger, 15th September

The tale of Francesca and Paolo in Dante’s Inferno has inspired as many musical settings as paintings. Here, Mark Pullinger explores Rachmaninov’s neglected opera, Francesca da Rimini.

Bachtrack top ten: Dante Alighieri

Mark Pullinger & Elisabeth Schwarz, 13th September

Mark and Elisabeth descend to Hell to find the right soundtrack for Dante Week and to mark the 700th anniversary of the poet’s death.

Finespun sound: Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and beyond

Lawrence Dunn, 10th March

We profile one of the most advanced and best-sounding concert halls in the UK, and take a look further afield at arts and culture across Manchester.

The world over: Bachtrack’s Classical Music Statistics 2025

Bachtrack, 28th January

How is the classical music world changing? Looking back on a dizzying year, we pay particular attention to performers’ international connectedness. Documenting more than 30,000 events, Bachtrack’s statistics provide valuable insight into an unstable world.

Alexandra Richter

Alexandra hat Medienwissenschaften studiert und arbeitet als Filmproduzentin in Frankfurt. Tagsüber sind die Kunstausstellungen und Museen ganz Europas ihr zu Hause. Die Abende verbringt sie gern in der Oper und im Konzertsaal. Hier liegen ihre Schwerpunkte bei Romantischen Komponist*innen, wie Schubert und Wagner. Aber auch zeitgenössische und moderne Musik finden immer wieder Beachtung.