Angelic voices in the Swiss mountains

By Mark Thomas, 24 July 2018

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“singing lines soaring through the air”

Reviewed at Salle des Combins, Verbier on 23 July 2018

Berg, Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel"

Mahler, Symphony no. 4 in G major

Ying Fang, Soprano

Leonidas Kavakos, Violin

Verbier Festival Orchestra

Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor

An overwhelming Frau ohne Schatten at the Verbier Festival

Simon Thompson, 22nd July

Young musicians and experienced stars combine for a thrilling Frau in its centenary year

*****

A Salome lacking drama at the Verbier Festival

Mark Valencia, 21st July

Like most honest listeners I crave a taste of turpitude in Salome.

**111

Weltstar und Ausbildungsorchester am Verbier Festival

Thomas Schacher, 23rd July

An den grossen Festivals werden die berühmten Solisten von renommierten Orchestern begleitet. In Verbier aber spielt der Pianist Mikhail Pletnev mit dem jugendlichen Verbier Festival Orchestra zusammen.

****1

Fabio Luisi offre à Verbier une Résurrection pleine d’âme

Thomas Muller, 3rd August

À Verbier, Fabio Luisi dirige l'orchestre du festival dans une Symphonie « Résurrection » incroyable d'engagement, malgré quelques imprécisions formelles.

****1

Shani et Matsuev à Verbier : la Russie s'invite sur l’alpage

Thomas Muller, 31st July

Au Verbier Festival, Lahav Shani envoûte une soirée russe d’une énergie maîtrisée, accompagnant avec panache Denis Matsuev dans un Concerto n° 3 de Rachmaninov de toute beauté.

****1

Evergreen Mendelssohn from Midori and the Schleswig-Holstein FO

Mengguang Huang, 18th August

From Mendelssohn’s intimacy to Bruckner’s monumental scale, Eschenbach’s young orchestra reveals chamber-like sensitivity and steely discipline, with Midori’s interpretation standing as the evening’s emotional and artistic highlight.

***11

More reviews...

Mark Thomas

A lifelong devotee of classical music, Mark caught the bug after listening to The Planets, The Rite of Spring and Beethoven’s Fifth when he was knee-high to a grasshopper. He has degrees in non-musical subjects and currently works as a Chartered Governance Professional, but these have proved to be mere distractions from the wonders of sonatas, concertos and symphonies. He has been reviewing for Bachtrack since 2016, plays viola and violin (very shakily) and used to sing a bit (even more shakily).

Angelic voices in the Swiss mountains: Classy Kavakos and serene Ying Fang join Eschenbach