Shostakovich’s Orango keeps the Red Flag flying

By Mark Pullinger, 25 August 2015

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“the violence was never overdone, lending a silky barbarity to Bartók’s score”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 24 August 2015

Bartók, The Miraculous Mandarin, Op.19, Sz 73

Mozart, Piano Concerto no. 24 in C minor, K491

Shostakovich, Orango (Prologue, Semi-staged. Russian)

David Fray, Piano

Natalya Pavlova

Natalia Yakimova

Alexander Shagun

Alexander Trofimov

Vladimir Babokin

Oleg Losev

Dmitro Kolyeushko

Ivan Novosyolov

Leo Elhardt

Denis Begansky

Yuri Yevchuk

Philharmonia Voices

Philharmonia Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor

Irina Brown, Director

Rosie Kay, Dancer

Rosie Kay returns to the stage with courageous Absolute Solo II

Graham Watts, 19th May

The emotional triple bill, including a new autobiographical solo, premiered in front of a spellbound audience at the Birmingham Rep.

****1

Rosie Kay: Conspiracy Theory and the Society of the Spectacle

Tatiana Rathelot, 8th November

When academia meets performing arts: Rosie Kay draws on conspiracy theories to analyze contemporary society.

****1

A Resurrection for the ages: Kent Nagano conducts the Philharmonia

Eleanor Knight, 19th March

Any performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony is an event, but this mighty Philharmonia account at the Royal Festival Hall proves extra special.

*****

A brilliant UK premiere of John Adams’ After the Fall

David Karlin, 25th February

The Icelandic pianist and Finnish conductor make a superb case for John Adams' latest concerto; the Philharmonia play Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé strongly but don't convince completely.

****1

Renes replaces Runnicles in a remarkable Philharmonia Bruckner 8

Dominic Lowe, 19th February

Stepping in for Sir Donald Runnicles at very short notice, Lawrences Renes conducts the Philharmonia in a sleek and vivid reading of Bruckner's magisterial Eighth Symphony.

****1

Karpman’s opera Balls tells a great story, but overshoots the line

David Karlin, 20th November

An entertaining portrayal of the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is marred by ham-fisted amplification.

**111

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Prom 53: Shostakovich’s Orango keeps the Red Flag flying over South Kensington