Articles de David Smythe

Set in the sinister backstreets of Venice, this production from 2013 boasts strong singing all around and brisk, bright conducting by Stuart Stratford.

BBCSSO bids a fitting farewell to outgoing Chief Conductor Thomas Dausgaard with two epic Nielsen symphonies and memorable Mozart from clarinettist Jörg Widmann.

The RCS performs Jonathan Dove’s Flight with his specially commissioned reduced orchestration, with very fine ensemble singing. 

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra directed by Hugo Ticciati premiere Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy’s Seek the Light, performed as a thread with contemporary string works. 

John Butt and the Dunedin Consort are joined by Anna Dennis and Matthew Brook in “Trials of Love”, two Baroque cantatas illustrating the perils of infatuated love from Scarlatti and Handel.

Dominic Hill brings a touch of the theatre to a finely sung new production of Britten's opera, with Stuart Stratford conducting a driven ensemble.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra perform an evening of luminous early Mozart, lively Johann Strauss II and vivid Schoenberg. 

Intensely dramatic Berlioz with mezzo Catriona Morison with the RSNO and Thomas Søndergård, framed by Bert Sørensen’s vivid Evening Land and a sparklingly fresh Sibelius 2.

Bruno Delepelaire is a thrilling soloist in Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, while The Firebird dazzles.

A semi-staged concert that boasts strong musical performances and appealing production values makes a spirited case for reappraising Gilbert and Sullivan's penultimate collaboration.

Stuart Maunder directs a lavishly costumed cast, Derek Clark conducts fine playing and singing and Isabel Baquero’s choreography sparkles.

Maxim Emelyanychev and violinist Dmitry Sinkovsky provided Russian thrills in a baroque programme with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on top form.

Memorable role debuts from Dorothea Röschmann, David Butt Philip and Catriona Morison make Ariadne auf Naxos with the RSNO and Lothar Koenigs a night to savour.

An entertaining assortment of vignettes from Ibert, Martinů and Richard Strauss made for a delightful summer evening of music.

Nicola Benedetti, the Festival's artist-in-residence, captures perfectly the intoxicating mix of Italian early music with her handpicked Baroque Orchestra.

David McVicar’s Jacobean-inspired production is a true delight, a finely sung production led by Roland Wood as Verdi's fat knight.

The RSNO welcomes the audience back in a light and joyful French programme conducted by Thomas Søndergård with its own oboist Adrian Wilson as soloist in L'Horloge de flore.

A dramatic new opera from Errollyn Wallen, with the Dunedin Consort, chorus and a strong cast including Isabelle Peters, Matthew Brook, Nardus Williams and Allison Cook.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra wraps up Perth Festival in style with a cheerful Mozart symphony and Nicola Bendetti revisiting Mendelssohn’s Violin concerto.