A shimmering kaleidoscope of sonority from the ONL

By Mark Thomas, 30 January 2020

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“a magical and mysterious layer of sound culminating in a thrilling climax”

Reviewed at Cadogan Hall, London on 29 January 2020

Ravel, Ma mère l'Oye (Mother Goose): Suite

Debussy, La Mer

Beethoven, Piano Concerto no. 4 in G major, Op.58

Ravel, La Valse (Balanchine)

Ravel, Rapsodie espagnole: Feria

Eric Lu, Piano

Orchestre National de Lille

Alexandre Bloch, Conductor

Aušrinė Stundytė magnetic in Lille’s Makropulos Case

David Karlin, 5th February

Kornél Mundruczó brings the characters to life in Janáček’s drama of eternal youth; the brilliance of Dennis Russell Davies and the Orchestre National de Lille come close to overwhelming the proceedings.

****1

A dramatic Fantastique from the Orchestre National de Lille

Clare Varney, 16th July

New Chief Conductor Joshua Weilerstein brings the ONL to Amsterdam's Concertgebouw for a programme including Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, featuring Edgar Moreau.

****1

Alexandre Bloch bids a fond farewell to Orchestre National de Lille

Clare Varney, 10th July

After eight years, Music Director Alexandre Bloch conducts Brahms in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, with Noa Wildschut at the soloist in Bruch's First Violin Concerto.

***11

L'ONL et Weilerstein entre deux mondes au Festival de Pâques d'Aix

Pierre Michel, 28th March

Entre le vieux monde de Brahms et celui des années 1930 de Barber et Barraine, le cœur des interprètes a balancé, laissant in fine une impression mitigée.

***11

Un Faust diablement captivant à l’Opéra-Comique

Pierre Michel, 21st June

Une mise en scène ingénieuse et subtile signée Denis Podalydès du « théâtre total » de cette version originale de Faust, avec une distribution emmenée par un Jérôme Boutillier irrésistible.

*****

« Le passé n’est jamais mort » : l’ONL à la Philharmonie

Chloë Rouge, 17th March

Avec son directeur musical Joshua Weilerstein, la formation lilloise a livré un programme poignant qui associait Un survivant de Varsovie de Schönberg et la Symphonie n° 13 « Babi Yar » de Chostakovitch.

****1

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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).

A shimmering kaleidoscope of sonority from the Orchestre National de Lille