Reflections and frenzy from Canellakis and the London Philharmonic

Karina Canellakis conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Véronique Gens and Andrew Staples with Karina Canellakis and the LPO

By Susannah Moody, 28 October 2025

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“whipping the LPO into an inspired frenzy with her own Nijinsky-style movements”

Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 22 October 2025

Boulanger, D'un matin de printemps

Boulanger, Faust et Hélène

Stravinsky, Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Véronique Gens, Soprano

Andrew Staples, Tenor

Jean-Sébastien Bou, Baritone

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Karina Canellakis, Conductor

Karabits and Szeps-Znaider carouse with the LPO

Christopher Woodley, 8th April

The sparkle of Max Bruch's Fecond Violin Concerto and the drama of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony overcome the gloom of Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s dark forebodings.

****1

Portraits and pictures from Ibragimova, Gardner and the LPO

Roy Westbrook, 1st April

From Three Screaming Popes to Pictures at an Exhibition, a pair of works inspired by paintings frame a violin concerto by Béla Bartók at London's Southbank Centre.

****1

Ticciati and the LPO deliver epic Sibelius plus lively Wennäkoski

Nick Boston, 25th March

Sibelius' Kullervo receives a dramatic performance from Ticciati and the LPO, with strong turns from Shenyang, Miina-Liisa Värelä and the YL Male Voice Choir.

****1

Paavo Järvi marks his new LPO appointment in Tchaikovsky and Sibelius

Mark Valencia, 4th March

Paavo Järvi demonstrates just why the London Philharmonic Orchestra has chosen him as its next Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor.

*****

Canellakis, Mutter and the LPO at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 24th February

Anne-Sophie Mutter’s commanding presence meet the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s exceptional adaptability, yielding a concert that balances tradition-steeped authority with modern transparency, rhythmic vitality and the orchestra’s own electrifying spontaneity.

****1

Phoenix Lands: the London Philharmonic blazes with energy

Charlotte Gardner, 4th February

Edward Gardner’s Bacewicz, Martinů, Lutosławski and Janáček set the Royal Festival Hall ablaze.

****1

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Susannah Moody

A London-based journalist and ex-lawyer, Susannah will cheerfully listen to most styles of music. Having trained as an operatic soprano through school and university, she has worked for several opera companies and set up a student opera company where she translated, directed and performed in productions including flash mob opera. Most recently she took part in the ENO Response programme reviewing the company's 2022-2023 season. She also writes about food as The Moody Foodie.

Reflections and frenzy: Boulanger and Stravinsky from Canellakis and the LPO