Čekovská and Mahler in Essen

By Matthew Rye, 11 September 2015

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“music bubbles into life on tuned percussion, then harp... and frolicking woodwind”

Reviewed at Philharmonie: Alfried Krupp Saal, Essen on 10 September 2015

Čekovská, Palingenia

Mahler, Symphony no. 5 in C sharp minor

Essen Philharmonic Orchestra

Tomáš Netopil, Conductor

A native son returns triumphant to Prague

Frank Kuznik, 12th September

Conductor Tomáš Netopil combines the best of two worlds at the Dvořákʼs Prague festival.

****1

Sir David McVicar’s psychologically driven Salome arrives in Chicago

Graham Meyer, 25th January

Revived at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the notorious opera director’s take stirs sympathy for Salome, but leans on some of his theatrical hobby-horses

****1

Marvelous Martinů in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 8th December

Tomáš Netopil and the Czech Philharmonic bring high energy to the Martinů Days festival with a smart, fresh take on Ariadne.

****1

A spirited celebration by hometown heroes at the Rudolfinum

Frank Kuznik, 16th February

The Czech Philharmonic offers a heartfelt tribute to some of the nation's most admired composers with help from contemporary stars.

****1

Tatjana Gürbaca’s Geneva staging of Kátya Kabanová travels to Brno

Gianmarco Segato, 13th November

Director Tatjana Gürbaca and Czech conductor Tomáš Netopil deliver a “Romantic” Kátya Kabanová from the Grand Théâtre de Genève at Brno’s Janáček Festival.

****1

A magical moment in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 20th December

The Czech Philharmonic caps its Advent series with a fine showing of homegrown talent and a memorable Christmas gift.

****1

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Matthew Rye

Matthew read music at Oxford and worked in music journalism for 30 years as a writer, critic and editor. He wrote numerous programme and CD booklet notes, spent 13 years as a Daily Telegraph critic, worked at BBC Music Magazine and was reviews editor of The Strad. He also wrote for The Wagner Journal and Opera and blogged at ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk. He was general editor of 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die (Cassell Illustrated, 2007) and was the author of a new series of eBooks, Masterpieces of Music (Erudition).

From a day to eternity: Čekovská and Mahler in Essen