Looking for Thomas Adès in the Aquifer

Thomas Adès

Thomas Adès conducts the Hallé in Manchester

Adès performs with Stephen Waarts and the Hallé

By Lawrence Dunn, 26 March 2025

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“the whole orchestra is like a big instrument, quivering, on the verge of exploding in saturation”

Bachtrack, 26th May

The Toronto-born composer talks about new work Romanza for piano and orchestra, theatricality in music, taking influences from psychology, and the effect on his music of working for the United Nations.

Thomas Adès named Principal Guest Conductor of The Hallé

Bachtrack, 22nd May

The appointment marks the first formal conducting title of Adèsʼ career, during which he has enjoyed a close relationship with the orchestra as Composer-in-Association.

Kith and kin: Brett Dean and family prepare Of One Blood

Lawrence Dunn, 1st May

Brett Dean, Heather Betts and Lotte Betts-Dean sit down to discuss their work on Of One Blood, a new opera dramatising the lives of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots – affairs of the family all round.

Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and beyond

Lawrence Dunn, 10th March

We profile one of the most advanced and best-sounding concert halls in the UK, and take a look further afield at arts and culture across Manchester.

The giving of gifts: Pierre-Laurent Aimard on György Kurtág

Tim Rutherford-Johnson, 16th February

As the idiosyncratic, laconic Hungarian composer approaches his 100th birthday, we talk to Pierre-Laurent Aimard about his decades-long relationship with György Kurtág, on his unique playfulness and gift-giving.

Street-smart and subversive: Ailish Tynan talks Così fan tutte

Jessica Duchen, 7th January

The Irish soprano talks about singing Mozart’s Così fan tutte with English National Opera, in London and Manchester – and how the wily Despina is the perfectly subversive character for her.

Lawrence Dunn

Lawrence is commissioning editor at Bachtrack. He is a composer, improviser, pianist and writer. He has taught at Cambridge, Huddersfield and Sheffield universities. He has written music for, among others the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Slagwerk Den Haag, Philip Thomas, Juliet Fraser, Ilya Gringolts, Plus-Minus, Exaudi, Apartment House and Explore Ensemble.