BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017: A Thrilling Finale

By Rohan Shotton, 21 June 2017

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“all five entrants tonight are thrilling musicians whose careers will be fascinating to follow”

Reviewed at St David's Hall, Cardiff on 18 June 2017

Works by Rossini

Works by Strauss R.

Works by Ravel

Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, Z 626: Dido's Lament "When I am laid in earth"

Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K492: excerpts

Bellini, I puritani: selection

Previn, A Streetcar Named Desire

Lehár, Giuditta: Meine Lippen sie kussen so heiss

Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor: selection

Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin: selection

Puccini, La bohème: Che gelida manina

Wagner, Tannhäuser: O du, mein holder Abendstern (Song to the evening star)

Leoncavallo, Pagliacci: Si può? Si può? (Prologue)

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Thomas Søndergård, Conductor

Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Baritone

Catriona Morison, Mezzo-soprano

Louise Alder, Soprano

Kang Wang, Tenor

Anthony Clark Evans, Baritone

Nail-biting Shostakovich from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Dominic Lowe, 15th August

Before a searing performance of Shostakovich's Thirteenth from Ryan Bancroft and his Welsh forces, Benjamin Grosvenor delivers a terrific performance of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.

****1

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

Exciting Bacewicz and Lutosławski from Tadaaki Otaka and the BBC NOW

Nick Boston, 30th July

Strong performances of Bacewicz and Lutosławski in Tadaaki Otaka's final outing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Proms, with technically commanding and sincere Rachmaninov from Vadym Kholodenko.

***11

Nil Venditti impresses in BBC Proms debut

Christopher Woodley, 12th August

Beethoven and Sir Karl Jenkins receive top-notch performances from Nil Venditti and the BBC NOW.

****1

A choral treat to savour: Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms

David Karlin, 23rd July

An outstanding choral performance by nearly 300 singers of the BBC National Chorus of Wales and the Crouch End Festival Chorus lights up Verdi’s hybrid of opera and devotional music.

*****

Music that eats into you: Schoenberg and Zemlinsky at the BBC Proms

Alexander Hall, 22nd July

The Proms are often very clever at recreating musical events from the past. Here, two works originally premiered in 1905 are given a fresh outing by Ryan Bancroft and BBC NOW.

****1

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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.