Behind closed doors: Poetic Bluebeard's Castle

By Kevin W Ng, 04 August 2016

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“harps conveying the sinister serenity of the lake of tears”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 3 August 2016

Dvořák, Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104

Bartók, Duke Bluebeard's Castle

Alban Gerhardt, Cello

Ildikó Komlósi, Judith

John Relyea, Duke Bluebeard

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Charles Dutoit, Conductor

Korngold and Mahler from Ray Chen, Vasily Petrenko and the RPO

Roy Westbrook, 12th May

Few violin concertos soar from the first bar as Erich Korngold’s does, especially as in Ray Chen's high-wire account at the Royal Albert Hall.

****1

Turangalîla underwhelms at the Southbank’s Multitudes festival

Roy Westbrook, 23rd April

Serious music ill-matched by filmic limitations as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tackles Messiaen’s epic “symphony” as part of the Southbank’s cross-genre festival.

**111

Edusei’s Beethoven and Rangwanasha’s Strauss thrill at Cadogan Hall

Christopher Woodley, 26th February

Kevin John Edusei, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate the joys of a life well-lived – rounded off to the sounds of larks ascending.

****1

Petrenko’s searing Shostakovich overshadows Grosvenor’s Beethoven

Nick Boston, 3rd February

Stylish Beethoven from Benjamin Grosvenor and dramatic Ustvolskaya from Yuriy Yurchuk, but Petrenko and the RPO’s blistering Shostakovich steals the show.

****1

Charisma and colour from Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic

Chris Garlick, 7th September

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s BBC Proms matinee proves an ideal opportunity to demonstrate their strengths in a programme of Respighi, Milhaud and Vaughan Williams.

****1

Perception-altering Shostakovich from Serebrennikov and Petrenko

Mark Pullinger, 27th April

As part of the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival, Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony is given a stunning visual direction by Kirill Serebrennikov to match the RPO's gripping playing.

*****

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Kevin W Ng

Kevin writes about music and culture, with a focus on opera. Originally trained as a violinist, he has a particular interest in 20th-century music. He is currently based in New York City.

Prom 25: Behind closed doors: Poetic drama from Dutoit in Bluebeard's Castle