Bachtrack top ten: Richard Strauss

Richard Strauss

Richard Strauss (1894)

By Mark Pullinger, 11 June 2025

Loading, please wait...

“I may not be a first-rate composer, but I am a first-class second-rate composer”

Kevin W Ng, 5th February

The trailblaizing playwright makes a return to the operatic stage to direct a new production of Strauss’ Salome with Regents Opera – held in an old boxing venue, an apt location given the opera’s bloody subject...

Big birthdays: Philharmonia Orchestra celebrates 80 years

David Karlin, 8th September

Founded in 1945, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year with an ambitious season featuring many returning artists, and an extensive US tour.

Highest lustre: the complete Herbert von Karajan

Richard Bratby, 25th October

Deutsche Grammophon’s STAGE+ has assembled a comprehensive archive of Karajan’s recordings, concert films and opera performances – which did much to define the sound of classical music in the 20th century.

“I always want to do everything!”: Nikola Hillebrand in conversation

Elisabeth Schwarz, 16th July

The German soprano talks about her early love of the stage, her time in ensembles before going freelance next season, hiking and... Kaiserschmarrn.

Kahchun Wong on coming to Dresden and the future of classical music

Simon Cummings, 22nd August

The Singaporean conductor is soon to become Principal Guest Conductor at the Dresden Philharmonic. He talks about Mahler and Strauss, world premieres, creating bridges between West and East, and classical music’s future.

Bachtrack top ten: Shakespeare in music

Mark Pullinger, 22nd April

If music be the food of love... the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon has inspired composers for centuries. Enjoy our top ten playlist featuring works from Felix Mendelssohn to Thomas Adès.

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.