Masterworks of the Belle Époque with Dame Sarah Connolly

By Mark Valencia, 13 January 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“her ease with the language is a treasurable weapon in her vocal armoury”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 12 January 2023

Debussy, Chansons de Bilitis (arranged by Jake Heggie)

Boulanger, Nocturne, for violin and piano

Boulanger, D'un matin de printemps

Chausson, Poème de l'amour et de la mer, Op.19 (arranged by Franck Villard)

Dame Sarah Connolly, Mezzo-soprano

Principal Players of Royal Northern Sinfonia

Maria Włoszczowska, Violin

Dinis Sousa, Piano

Patriotic angst with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Thomas Zehetmair

Nick Butters, 24th April

Patriotic Sibelius and early Mendelssohn are served up at the Glasshouse in Gateshead.

***11

A new light on Mendelssohn at the Glasshouse

Nick Butters, 6th March

Nil Venditti arrives like a small, joyful bomb at The Glasshouse and lights up a familiar Mendelssohn symphony with new insights.

****1

Sir Bryn Terfel charms Glasshouse audience in reimagined Schubert

Nick Butters, 21st November

Terfel’s charismatic account of Schubert songs orchestrated by a variety of composers, Sofia Gubaidulina’s meditation on his Impromtu and the composer’s own longest symphony make a varied and rewarding evening at The Glasshouse, Gateshead.

****1

Ticket to ride: thrilling, moving witty Berio at the Glasshouse

Nick Butters, 11th October

Sophia Burgos and members of Royal Northern Sinfonia charm, amuse and astonish in a selection of Luciano Berio’s works at the Glasshouse.

****1

Hymn of Praise: thrilling Mendelssohn at the Glasshouse

Nick Butters, 26th July

As the BBC Proms visits Gateshead, Dinis Sousa and the Royal Northern Sinfonia excel in Mendelssohn, although David Fray's Bach underwhelms.

****1

Fire and ice: Víkingur Ólafsson performs at the Glasshouse

Nick Butters, 6th February

A Finnish soundscape, fine detail in Bartók and deep understanding in Beethoven from the Royal Northern Sinfonia with Dinis Sousa and Víkingur Ólafsson.

*****

More reviews...

Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.

Masterworks of the Belle Époque with Dame Sarah Connolly at Wigmore Hall