En direct, Vidéo: Rechercher des critiques de musique classique, opéra et ballet | Barbican Hall

En musique comme dans tout langage, un certain tropisme opère, avec son lot de lieux communs rassurants. On attend d’une formation américaine une certaine fraîcheur, et d’un chef vénézuélien, une chaleur trop souvent absente sous un climat tempéré. Il n’y a pas eu tromperie sur la marchandise. Gustavo Dudamel et le Los Angeles Philharmonic nous ont offert tout cela.

Le Barbican Hall accueillait le BBC Symphony Orchestra et son chef Sakari Oramo pour un programme d'une remarquable cohérence, à de multiples niveaux, et dont la gradation dramatique a conquis l'assemblée.

Dimanche 5 juillet au Barbican, le London Symphony Orchestra rejoint par des élèves de la Guildhall School et de nombreux choristes amateurs présentait "The Monster in the Maze" de Jonathan Dove, un opéra très enthousiasmant dirigé par Sir Simon Rattle, suivi par une symphonie de Walton elle aussi exaltante.

Mardi 2 juin, Janine Jansen jouait le Concerto de Mendelssohn avec le London Symphony Orchestra, et Daniel harding dirigeait en deuxième partie la Symphonie n°5 de Mahler. Un moment inoubliable, d'une intensité exceptionnelle.

Pour le dernier concert de la série du Barbican "Boulez at 90", l’Ensemble intercontemporain jouait Boulez, mais aussi Yann Robin et Matthias Pintscher sous la direction de ce dernier. Une performance d'exception, superbe hommage au maître.

Le BBC Symphony Orchestra donnait un programme Beethoven/Lutoslawski au Barbican Hall. Le chef Michal Nesterowic et le pianiste Steven Osborne ont remplacé les têtes d'affiche initialement annoncées. Un changement de distribution qui n’a pas empêché la soirée d'être réussie.

En ouverture de leur saison et préfigurant la célébration des 250 ans de Mozart, le Classical Opera, offrait au Barbican un concert de l’inachevé. Un programme monumental et une interprétation fidèle, pour un rendu presque trop soigné.

L’alliance d’Arvo Pärt et de Dhafer Youssef peut paraître surprenante, et en effet, le fil conducteur de ce programme au Barbican est plutôt frêle. Oui, il est admirable que le maestro Kristjan Järvi privilégie la musique du monde; oui, il est bien possible de dresser un lien abstrait, aussi ténu soit-il, entre la spiritualité de l’estonien Pärt et du tunisien Youssef.

Even locked behind a music stand, like a caged panther in a sleek black gown, Grigorian’s Salome bristles with dramatic energy in Barbican concert performance of Strauss’ “scherzo with a fatal conclusion”. 

Till Eulenspiegel and Ein Heldenleben frame Lisa Batiashvili playing Mozart's "Turkish" concerto. 

An exciting programme of Berlioz and Szymanowski makes for a delectable concert under Sir Antonio Pappano with violinist Lisa Batiashvili. 

Hindoyan, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Pablo Ferrández prompt musings on life, death, dance and the pursuit of beauty in London’s Barbican.

Julia Perry and two Europeans exiled to America feature in Susanna Mälkki's London Symphony Orchestra programme, featuring Leila Josefowicz as soloist in Stravinsky's Violin Concerto. 

Making his London Symphony Orchestra debut at the Barbican, Gustavo Dudamel’s Ravel fares better than his disappointing Strauss. 

The greatest music of the 18th century – no arguments, please – is given a fine reading at London's Barbican. 

Sakari Oramo continues to champion rare English repertoire, conducting Doreen Carwithen and Malcolm Arnold at the Barbican. 

Sir James MacMillan's Second Violin Concerto receives a convincing reading from Nicola Benedetti, bookended by fine performances of celebratory Shostakovich from Gianandrea Noseda and the LSO.

A BBC day of talks and concerts yields delight and revelation in equal measure. 

An evocative reading of Tippett's early masterpiece sits proudly alongside a blistering performance of Beethoven's lasting gift to the world. 

Energetic commitment from the ACO at the Barbican, with precision and edge from Alexander Melnikov and Jeroen Berwaerts in an evening of darkness and light.

In the 50th anniversary year of Shostakovich's death, the Czech Philharmonic bring two of the composer's greatest works to the Barbican, the latest stop on their European tour. 

In the 50th anniversary year of Shostakovich's death, you'll be hard pushed to hear a more thrilling rendition of the Tenth Symphony. 

Grisey and Stockhausen show the value of old-school technique in a festival of music from the recent past and futuristic present.

Musical Americana as RLPO Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan makes his BBC Symphony Orchestra debut. 

Another British music extravaganza from Sir Antonio Pappano and LSO proves to be a hit for an enthusiastic full house at the Barbican. 

Jakub Hrůša conducts a magnificent Shostakovich 11 and, just after the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a work by one of the many Jewish musicians who perished there.

A masterful performance of Boulez's Notations crown a memorable evening rich delights, including rapturous Debussy and three very fine world premieres. 

Oramo leads the BBC Symphony Orchestra and trumpeter Verneri Pohjola in a moving tribute to Kaija Saariaho with the UK premiere of her concerto HUSH. 

An evening of audience roars begins as soon as Gustavo Dudamel first mounts the podium at the Barbican. 

A deeply satisfying performance of Vaughan Williams' Fifth Symphony crowns an excellent evening of English repertoire at the Barbican. 

High contrasts of light and darkness make a special event in Boulez, Benjamin and Brahms at the Barbican. 

Laurence Cummings and the AAM serve up Messiah-shaped serenity at the Barbican. 

From Stonehenge in Vaughan Williams’ Tess of the d’Urbervilles-inspired Ninth Symphony to Arnold Bax’s Tintagel, the LSO heads on a musical tour of western England. 

A solo trio of David Butt Philip, Dame Sarah Connolly and Roderick Williams draw on extensive stage experience to inhabit their roles in a naturally assured, vividly communicative fashion.

A concert performance of Puccini's take on operetta sees a superlative reading of the score from Sir Antonio Pappano, and a sensational Magda from Carolina López Moreno.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields give exciting performances at the Barbican, with idiosyncratic Mozart from Buniatishvili. 

Stepping in for an indisposed Jonathon Heyward, Antonio Méndez conducts the BBCSO at their most colourful and joyously virtuosic. 

Sir Stephen Hough continues his advocacy of Chaminade with three of her miniatures and gives passionate performances of Schumann' and Chopin. 

Klaus Mäkelä opens his London Symphony Orchestra debut with Tapiola, gripping from its very first bars. 

Sakari Oramo and the BBCSO are in their element in rich repertoire including Szymanowski, Pejačević, Wagner and Strauss. 

Francesca Dego's dazzling performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto shares the stage with erotic Liszt and vivid Schubert. 

The long standing duo sound give impeccable sound and balance in a recital full of charm, whose musicianship and energy belies this being their farewell tour.

From the chrysalis of a Broadway play and then to film, David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly turns full cycle into an opera by composer Huang Ruo. 

Michael Tilson Thomas returns to the LSO with more Mahler, this time the mighty Resurrection Symphony which finds the conductor in glowing form. 

After nearly axing the ensemble last year, the BBC celebrates 100 years of the BBC Singers with a rapturously received programme. 

Fresh insights, bold choices and searing momentum from Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in their Barbican season opener. 

Before heading to the Far East for a 12-concert honeymoon, the nuptials of the LSO and new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano were completed in the fourth concert at the Barbican.