An exciting Sunday at the inaugural mcr:classical festival

Anja Bihlmaier conducts the BBC Philharmonic

Royal Northern College of Music's M15

Delyana Lazarova

By Rohan Shotton, 27 June 2023

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“the Stravinsky made for a well-judged and suitably floor-shaking end to a superb day”

Reviewed at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 25 June 2023

Beethoven, Egmont, Op.84: Overture

Ravel, Miroirs: Alborada del gracioso

Takemitsu, Toward the Sea II, for alto flute, harp and string orchestra

Bartók, 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56

Dawson, Negro Folk Symphony (The bonds of Africa)

Bernstein, On the Town: Three Dance Episodes

Boulanger, D'un matin de printemps

Coleridge-Taylor, Ballade for orchestra in A minor, Op.33

Kodály, Dances of Galánta

Adès, Dawn

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

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Joshua Weilerstein, Conductor

Anja Bihlmaier, Conductor

The Hallé

Delyana Lazarova, Conductor

Reality television: ENO’s Angel’s Bone in Manchester

Lawrence Dunn, 12th May

Kip Williams and ENO mount an extraordinary new production of Du Yun and Royce Vavrek’s multifaceted opera, with performances of great emotional directness broadcast live on camera.

*****

BBC Philharmonic’s bold but unbalanced Stravinsky and Adams

Leighton Jones, 1st May

Balance issues mar an otherwise compelling programme from John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

***11

Wagner and Strauss from Sarah Wegener and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 14th March

Celtic legends and dramatic landscapes fill Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall in an evening of emotional and reflective music under conductor Nicholas Carter.

****1

Watery worlds, rhythmic fire from Brauß and Hickox with the BBC

Leighton Jones, 7th February

Elisabeth Brauß excels in Ravel with the BBC Philharmonic and brings and unexpected encore.

****1

BBC Phil's Bluebeard's Castle eclipsed by Boulanger and Kodály

Peter Connors, 24th January

Anja Bihlmaier conducts the BBC Philharmonic in a moving D'un soir triste and joyful Dances of Galánta. Bluebeard's Castle, despite some fine things. feels less satisfying.

****1

Questions, answers and city nights: Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 17th January

In three hugely different musical voices, John Storgårds with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra move from the intimacy of Ives to the exhilaration of Adams, taking in Beethoven on their way.

****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.