Hello friends,

Welcome to our newsletter. At 85, Martha Argerich is a seemingly unstoppable force of nature. At her annual Hamburg festival last week, she performed a favourite piano concerto, Beethoven's First. It's one of our recommended video streams this week, along with Irish National Opera's new production of Norma. 

Although she's been dead for over 50 years, Maria Callas still casts a daunting shadow over today's performers. Last weekend, Greek National Opera restaged the famous 1961 production at the ancient amphitheatre at Epidaurus, with Anna Pirozzi taking on the Callas mantle. Scroll down to read our review. 

Mark, Elisabeth and Jo

The Bachtrack Insiders

Personal picks from our site

Mark Pullinger Editor ​​​​​​
Vivaldi for bassoon

Antonio Vivaldi's bassoon concertos – he composed 39 of them! – have been much on my mind lately. They're full of wit and invention. Here's one played by the brilliant Sergio Azzolini, accompanied by Europa Galante. 

Elisabeth Schwarz Editor
Works inspired by the sea 🌊

From Beethoven's peaceful Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage to Mendelssohn's rousing Hebrides Overture and Debussy's boundary-pushing La Mer (conducted by Bernard Haitink!) – here are six works inspired by the sea that might help you cool down. 

Jo Johnson Head of Marketing 
Janáček's Sinfonietta

On 26th June 1926, in the Smetana Hall in Prague, a new work exploded into life. The opening was unlike anything audiences had heard before, with a huge brass ensemble that included 25 brass players. The Sinfonietta was a part of Janáček's late-in-life creative burst of energy, partly fuelled by his passionate friendship with Kamila Stösslová and partly by his desire to celebrate his homeland, which had recently declared independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It quickly established itself internationally and has enjoyed 100 years of performances that captivate audiences with its blaze of hedonistic joy. Sir Simon Rattle and the BRSO certainly enjoy themselves here!

Out and about

Our tips on what to see live in the UK this week

Knussen Chamber Orchestra
Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape
27th & 28 June
The 77th Aldeburgh Festival on the Suffolk coast comes to an end with two concerts conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth and featuring a starry line-up of soloists. Lawrence Power premieres Wigglesworth's new Viola Concerto.

I puritani
Royal Opera House, London
Opens 30th June
Richard Jones directs a new staging of Bellini's emotionally resonant last opera, not seen at the Royal Opera for over 35 years, which boasts a sublime score and a passionate love story. Lisette Oropesa stars as Elvira.

The Car Man
New Theatre, Hull
Opens 30th June
Loosely based on Bizet's opera, The Car Man has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in Matthew Bourne's New Adventures' repertoire. 
Also touring in the UK throughout 2026

Spem in Alium
Temple Church, London
2nd July
Thomas Tallis' rarely-performed monumental motet for 40 individual voices stands as one of the most extraordinary achievements in choral music. Thomas Allery conducts the Temple Singers.

By popular demand, we have a new section to our Newsletter: track bach Simply click on Johann Sebastian to find upcoming events, read recent reviews or articles, or watch streams of the composer we owe our name to.

Photography credits:
The surviving Viktor Hartmann works that feature in Pictures at an Exhibition © Public domain;
Norma © Ruth Medjber, Imogen Cooper © Clive Barda, Martha Argerich ©  Daniel Dittus, Isabelle Faust © Felix Broede;
Johann Sebastian Bach © Public domain;
Anna Pirozzi (Medea) © A. Simopoulos, Rachel Nicholls, Christine Rice and James Rutherford (Das Rheingold) © Marc Brenner, Manuel Liñán in Gala Flamenca © Damiano Mongelli;