Overwhelming despair in Britten's Rape of Lucretia

By Renée Reitsma, 17 June 2011

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ: Main Hall, Amsterdam on 15 June 2011

Britten, The Rape of Lucretia (concert version)

Ian Bostridge, Male Chorus

Susan Gritton, Female Chorus

Christopher Purves, Collatinus

Benjamin Russell, Junius

Peter Coleman-Wright, Tarquinius

Angelika Kirchschlager, Lucretia

Hilary Summers, Bianca

Claire Booth, Lucia

Oliver Knussen, Conductor

A bracing density of musical incident

Roy Westbrook, 3rd March

Oliver Knussen and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group excel in a cunningly linked group of works from the old (mid 1980s) to the brand new.

*****

Prom 26: Romanticism Triumphs as the Modernists come to the Proms

Charlotte Gardner, 4th August

Brahms's Second Piano Concerto acts as the enlightening partner to Dutch avant-garde composer Reinbert de Leeuw's first symphonic work in 40 years, under the baton of Oliver Knussen.

*****

A dream-inspired cocktail of works from Knussen and Benjamin

David Truslove, 18th March

A programme of personal choices curated by George Benjamin in collaboration with Oliver Knussen – that didn’t quite hang together but with two UK premières it was a fascinating evening.

****1

Birtwistle's early gems mesmerise

Katy Wright, 6th September

Lean yet nuanced performances from Oliver Knussen and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in commemoration of Harrison Birtwistle's 80th birthday

****1

Edinburgh International Festival: The Opening Concert

Alan Coady, 8th August

Oliver Knussen, the RSNO and Edinburgh Festival Chorus offer rarely heard titanic works in a packed Usher Hall.

****1

Barbican’s Birtwistle at 80 over-eggs the pudding during its exploration of the chamber works

Penny Homer, 25th May

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group are masterful, but chamber works lack context during the birthday celebrations at Milton Court.

***11

More reviews...

Renée Reitsma

Renée lives in Essex and is a PhD student in Philosophy. She loves all sorts of classical and non-classical music, but has a particular love for Dmitri Shostakovich. She is in charge of the Heavy Symphonic playlist at Dutch classical music site 24classics and blogs here.