Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Recitative and Aria for Tenor, "Misero! O sogno!", K431 (K425b)

There’s nothing like a bit of Mozart to help you unwind… and this was far more than a bit of Mozart, as part of the CBSO’s “Relax and Revitalise” series. 

Rolando Villazón and kammerorchesterbasel failed to impress in a programme of Mozart's concert arias for tenor.

In their latest set of concerts, the Mostly Mozart Festival on Tuesday presented two works: one largely unknown, the other among the most beloved in the standard repertoire. The first, Luciano Berio’s 1989 Rendering, is fragmented and open-ended. The second, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 5, “Emperor”, about as solid and decisive as they come.

This year’s Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center opened on Tuesday evening and, to put it encouragingly, there will certainly be room for improvement as the festival continues. (The present review relates to Wednesday’s performance of the same works.