Good tidings of great joy from the Dunedin Consort at Wigmore Hall

By Benjamin Poore, 20 December 2021

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“razoring what can be a rather long evening to the finest, sharpest edges”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 18 December 2021

Handel, Messiah

Dunedin Consort

John Butt, Director

Mhairi Lawson, Soprano

Owen Willetts, Countertenor

Nicholas Mulroy, Tenor

Robert Davies, Baritone

Christine Buras, Soprano

Claire Evans, Soprano

Judy Louie Brown, Mezzo-soprano

Christopher Bowen, Tenor

Jon Stainsby, Bass

The Dunedin Consort Messiah remains a welcome seasonal speciality

David Smythe, 18th December

The Dunedin Messiah, a speciality with Baroque instruments, is given with soloists Nardus Williams, Lotte Betts-Dean, Joshua Ellicott and Dingle Yandell in Perth, directed by John Butt.

****1

Leipzig 300: Dunedin Consort explores the Thomaskantor shortlist

David Smythe, 7th February

The Dunedin Consort explores the 1723 Thomaskantor shortlist: Georg Philipp Telemann, Christoph Graupner and Johann Sebastian Bach in a programme directed by John Butt.

****1

Troubled times reflected in Songs of War I Have Seen

David Smythe, 13th October

Composed for Baroque and modern players with Gertrude Stein’s spoken text, Heiner Goebbels Songs of War I Have Seen in an intriguing performance conducted by Ellie Slorach.

***11

An especially memorable Messiah from the Dunedin Consort

David Smythe, 14th December

John Butt directs the Dunedin Consort and a top team of soloists in St Mary's Cathedral for Handel's seasonal favourite.

*****

Authenticity and enjoyment in Dunedin Consort's Acis and Galatea

David Smythe, 22nd June

Rachel Redmond is a sweet voiced Galatea in the Dunedin Consort's performance of the Cannons version of Acis and Galatea in Perth.

****1

Evangelical fervour: Dunedin Consort's St Matthew Passion

Roy Westbrook, 12th April

Tenor Nicholas Mulroy directs a one-voice-to-a-part account of Bach's St Matthew Passion, featuring some splendid singing.

***11

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Benjamin Poore

Benjamin Poore is a writer and critic. His book on psychoanalysis and literature is forthcoming in 2019. He has previously written about literature and culture for the Independent, the Times Literary Supplement, and Times Higher Education. In his spare time he tries to sing Schubert; he has a very patient teacher.