Food for thought: Birtwistle’s The Last Supper

By David Smythe, 15 January 2017

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Roderick Williams gave a commanding central performance as Jesus, noble, gravely authoritative”

Reviewed at City Halls: Concert Hall, Glasgow on 14 January 2017

Birtwistle, The Last Supper (Semi-staged performance)

Martyn Brabbins, Conductor

Victoria Newlyn, Director

Susan Bickley, Ghost

Daniel Norman, Judas

Roderick Williams, Jesus

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

John Daszak, Tenor

William Towers, Countertenor

Andrew Watts, Countertenor

Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Tenor

Thomas Walker, Tenor

Alan Oke, Tenor

Marcus Farnsworth, Baritone

Benedict Nelson, Baritone

Matthew Brook, Bass-baritone

BBC Singers

Sound Intermedia, Electronics

Philip Sheffield, Tenor

The Royal Academy's Carmen has too many what-if moments

Dominic Lowe, 18th November

Presenting a work like Carmen is a punchy move by a conservatoire. The Royal Academy of Music's production has conceptual weaknesses, but features some good singing.

***11

Sacred and profane in Guildhall School's Respighi double bill

Susannah Moody, 6th November

From the spiritual conversion of a Medieval sex-worker, to the Sleeping Beauty tale reimagined, Guildhall stages a Respighi double-bill.

***11

Strauss à la Fellini: Ariadne auf Naxos at Opera North

Richard Wilcocks, 18th February

Rodula Gaitanou sets Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's comedy in the Cinecittà film studios of the 1950s.

****1

A cruel Così fan tutte at West Green House

Dominic Lowe, 30th July

Newlyn's updating of the opera to the Second World War was effective, while a superb Despina from Soraya Mafi gave the performance real fizz.

***11

Blue lips and beards: The Rake's Progress

Richard Milne, 16th March

Does the devil get the best tunes? Nick Shadow steals the show in the Royal Academy's production of The Rake's Progress.

***11

Die Wahrheit liegt in der Musik: Dido and Aeneas an der Royal Academy

Rainer Zerbst, 27th May

Ein ausdrucksstarkes Dirigat von Elizabeth Kenny und ein grandioses Sängerensemble beeindrucken in London.

***11

More reviews...

David Smythe

David the farmer was drawn into music through choirs, orchestras, taking part in and directing 'serious' opera as a student. Passionate about live classical music, particularly chamber opera, unusual pieces and events and giving the next generation the tools to engage with the classical world.

Food for thought in Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s The Last Supper