Noseda's Rachmaninov

By Katy S. Austin, 01 August 2011

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Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 31 July 2011

Rachmaninov, Spring Cantata for Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra, Op.20

Rachmaninov, Aleko (Women's and Men's Dances)

Rachmaninov, Three Russian Songs for chorus and orchestra, Op.41

Rachmaninov, Vocalise, Op.34 no.14

Rachmaninov, The Bells, for choir and orchestra, Op.35

Svetla Vassileva, Soprano

Misha Didyk, Tenor

Alexei Tanovitski, Bass

Mariinsky Theatre Chorus

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Gianandrea Noseda, 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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Katy S. Austin

Katy sings soprano, plays violin, cycles about and listens to music. She's a graduate of both Bristol and City Universities and has been known to write libretti.