Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Alexey Markov

Showing 25 of 25 reviews

Read reviews in other languages: Français, Deutsch

Loading image...

Exciting debut elevates Met Queen of Spades

By Cameron Kelsall, 04 June 2025

Galina Cheplakova steps in for Sonya Yoncheva in the penultimate performance of this revival, winning over the audience with vocal clarity and dramatic commitment.

***11

Loading image...

***11

New York City

04 Jun 2025

Exciting debut elevates Met Opera The Queen of Spades

By Cameron Kelsall

Loading image...

Milan

A new Onegin underwhelms at La Scala

By Laura Servidei, 22 February 2025

Mario Martone’s new production is inconsistent, while the musical performance is hindered by lacklustre conducting and a miscast prima donna.

**111

Loading image...

**111

Milan

22 Feb 2025

A new Onegin underwhelms at La Scala

By Laura Servidei

Loading image...

Zurich

Noseda launches a Rachmaninov 150th celebration in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet, 12 February 2023

The first of four Rachmaninov anniversary concerts shared by Zurich’s two fine orchestras is an audio feast, climaxing with the choral symphony, The Bells.

*****

Loading image...

*****

Zurich

12 Feb 2023

Noseda launches a Rachmaninov 150th celebration in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet

Loading image...

Milan

A tale of two basses: Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov at the Teatro alla Scala

By David Karlin, 07 December 2022

Ildar Abdrazakov and Ain Anger excel in the confrontation of tsar and historian; Kaspar Holten's safe but effective staging focuses on the relentless march of history.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Milan

07 Dec 2022

A tale of two basses: Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov at La Scala

By David Karlin

Loading image...

Milan

Three card trick: La Scala’s gamble pays off in their new Pique Dame

By Mark Pullinger, 23 February 2022

Valery Gergiev finally turns up to conduct an electrifying evening, crowned by Asmik Grigorian's full throttle performance as Liza.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Milan

23 Feb 2022

Three card trick: La Scala’s gamble pays off in Pique Dame

By Mark Pullinger

Loading image...

London

A couple of Cavaradossis, plus a divine diva: Tosca at the Royal Opera House

By Roy Westbrook, 08 December 2021

A change of tenor mid-performance adds further drama to a night at the opera in Covent Garden...

****1

Loading image...

****1

London

08 Dec 2021

A couple of Cavaradossis, plus a divine diva: Tosca at the ROH

By Roy Westbrook

New York City

Tchaikovsky’s tale of dark obsession sparkles with notable Met debuts

By Ako Imamura, 29 November 2019

The young soprano Lise Davidsen scored a successful debut at the Met, with impressive support by conductor Vasily Petrenko, also making a debut, led a memorable revival of Pique Dame.

****1

****1

New York City

29 Nov 2019

Tchaikovsky’s tale of dark obsession sparkles with notable Met debuts

By Ako Imamura

Milan

Valery Gergiev conducts a grandiose Khovanshchina at La Scala

By Renato Verga, 27 February 2019

In Khovanshchina, even more so than in Boris Godunov, the chorus is the chief protagonist and the La Scala chorus was truly astonishing.

****1

****1

Milan

27 Feb 2019

Gergiev conducts a grandiose Khovanshchina at La Scala

By Renato Verga

New York City

Off-the-mark Iolanta, but a terrifying Bluebeard at the Met

By Robert Levine, 28 January 2019

Mariusz Treliński's double bill pairing returns to the Metropolitan Opera with fine performances from Sonya Yoncheva and Gerald Finley in the leads.

****1

****1

New York City

28 Jan 2019

Off-the-mark Iolanta, but a terrifying Bluebeard at the Met

By Robert Levine

St Petersburg

Netrebko takes on Adriana Lecouvreur at the Mariinsky

By David Karlin, 18 June 2017

Isabelle Patriot-Pieri's new production is a quirky mix of traditional and the opposite; Netrebko shows her star quality; Eyvasov impresses.

****1

****1

St Petersburg

18 Jun 2017

Netrebko takes on Adriana Lecouvreur at the Mariinsky

By David Karlin

New York City

Pretty Yende + Javier Camarena = pretty spectacular Puritani duo

By Robert Levine, 14 February 2017

As it turned out, the second performance of the Met’s revival of I puritani was the one to see – it offered some of this season’s greatest singing – and a surprise.

****1

****1

New York City

14 Feb 2017

Pretty spectacular Puritani duo at The Met

By Robert Levine

Amsterdam

Caged bird: Tchaikovsky stars in Herheim's Pique Dame at Dutch National Opera

By Mark Pullinger, 09 June 2016

The role of the outsider struck a chord with Tchaikovsky, whose homosexuality alienated him from society. Stefan Herheim takes that identification as the central idea in his remarkable new production at Dutch National Opera.

*****

*****

Amsterdam

09 Jun 2016

Caged bird: Tchaikovsky stars in Herheim's Pique Dame

By Mark Pullinger

Lucerne

Masquerade: Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian RSO in Lucerne

By Sarah Batschelet, 19 March 2016

During the Lucerne Easter Festival, Mariss Jansons conducted the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir in three highly charged works.

****1

****1

Lucerne

19 Mar 2016

Masquerade: Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian RSO in Lucerne

By Sarah Batschelet

Munich

A lackluster Traviata in Munich

By Ilana Walder-Biesanz, 24 May 2015

Both the staging and the music of the Bayerische Staatsoper's Traviata disappoint.

**111

**111

Munich

24 May 2015

A lackluster Traviata in Munich

By Ilana Walder-Biesanz

New York City

From darkness to light and back again: Iolanta and Bluebeard’s Castle at The Met

By Ako Imamura, 29 January 2015

The Met's première of Iolanta and Bluebeard's Castle, delayed by snow, opened with powerful singing and deeply effective staging. Iolanta showcased beautiful singing from the principals, while Bluebeard's Castle showed off brilliant playing by the Met Orchestra.

****1

****1

New York City

29 Jan 2015

From darkness to light and back again

By Ako Imamura

London

The lows have it: the Mariinsky's Boris Godunov at the Barbican

By David Karlin, 03 November 2014

Mikhail Kazakov gives a compelling portrayal of the troubled Tsar Boris, as Gergiev and the Mariinsky provide a great showcase for one of the masterworks of Russian music.

****1

****1

London

03 Nov 2014

The lows have it: the Mariinsky's Boris Godunov

By David Karlin

Loading image...

Vienna

Give me fever: Pique Dame an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Snapdragon, 30 June 2025

Anna Netrebko singt ihr Rollendebüt als Lisa – wie so oft – auf allerhöchstem Niveau.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Vienna

30 Jun 2025

Give me fever: Pique Dame an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Snapdragon

Loading image...

Vienna

Es bleibt spannend... Carmen an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Snapdragon, 21 April 2024

Das Staatsopernorchester unter Asher Fisch und eine großartige Besetzungen zündeten Bizets Rhythmusfeuerwerk.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Vienna

21 Apr 2024

Es bleibt spannend... Carmen an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Snapdragon

Loading image...

Paris

La rentrée tape-à-l’œil de Klaus Mäkelä avec l’Orchestre de Paris

By Erwan Gentric, 06 September 2023

Dans un programme 100% russe, le directeur musical de l'Orchestre de Paris et sa formation produisent un formidable jeu en technicolor, mais dont les teintes paraissent parfois excessivement rehaussées.

***11

Loading image...

***11

Paris

06 Sep 2023

La rentrée tape-à-l’œil de Klaus Mäkelä avec l’Orchestre de Paris

By Erwan Gentric

Loading image...

Vienna

Spiel mit der Obsession: Pique Dame an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Isabella Steppan, 30 January 2022

Unter der Leitung von Valery Gergiev bestachen das Staatsopernorchester und ein überwiegend russisches Sängerensemble in Tschaikowskys vorletzter Oper.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Vienna

30 Jan 2022

Spiel mit der Obsession: Pique Dame an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Isabella Steppan

Lyon

À l'Opéra de Lyon, la Tosca de Christophe Honoré voit double

By Augustin Javel, 20 January 2020

Après sa création au Festival d’Aix-en-Provence cet été, la production de Tosca de Christophe Honoré arrive à l’Opéra de Lyon, dans une mise en scène puissante mais parfois écrasante pour les chanteurs.

****1

****1

Lyon

20 Jan 2020

À l'Opéra de Lyon, la Tosca de Christophe Honoré voit double

By Augustin Javel

Paris

Gergiev et le Mariinsky touchent le Graal : Parsifal à la Philharmonie

By Tristan Labouret, 22 September 2019

Sous la direction frémissante de Valery Gergiev, les troupes du Théâtre Mariinsky se sont surpassées dans l'œuvre de Wagner. Yulia Matochkina a marqué les esprits en Kundry.

****1

****1

Paris

22 Sep 2019

Gergiev et le Mariinsky touchent le Graal : Parsifal à la Philharmonie

By Tristan Labouret

Paris

Le Mariinsky à la Philharmonie : Iolanta plus russe que jamais

By Clara Leonardi, 21 September 2019

Une Iolanta plus candide que jamais, un orchestre du Mariinsky lumineux dirigé par un Gergiev imaginatif : l'opéra de Tchaïkovski couronne en beauté le week-end Saint-Pétersbourg de la Philharmonie de Paris.

****1

****1

Paris

21 Sep 2019

Le Mariinsky à la Philharmonie : Iolanta plus russe que jamais

By Clara Leonardi

Lyon

Odabella victorieuse : magnifique assassinat de barbare à l’Opéra de Lyon

By Beate Langenbruch, 12 November 2017

Daniele Rustioni, Tatiana Serjan et Erwin Schrott triomphent dans Attila de Verdi

*****

*****

Lyon

12 Nov 2017

Odabella victorieuse : magnifique assassinat de barbare à l’Opéra de Lyon

By Beate Langenbruch

Salzburg

Sünde in Weiß: Faust bei den Salzburger Festspielen

By Christine Arnold, 10 August 2016

Viel Wirbeln und Drehen in Reinhard von der Thannens Salzburger Faust-Inszenierung: Sein weißes Bühnenbild verschmilzt mit den nuancenreichen Orchesterklängen unter der Leitung von Alejo Pérez.

***11

***11

Salzburg

10 Aug 2016

Faust in Salzburg

By Christine Arnold