Britten, Bridge and a co-commission: Britten Sinfonia at Wigmore Hall

By Julia Savage, 08 April 2013

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 3 April 2013

Britten, 6 Metamorphoses after Ovid for oboe, Op.49

Britten, Tema Sacher

Bridge, 2 Old English Songs for quartet

Latimer, Divertimento (world première tour)

Britten, Suite for harp, Op.83

Bridge, Sir Roger de Coverley

Britten Sinfonia

Nicholas Daniel, Oboe

Jacqueline Shave, Violin

Miranda Dale, Violin

Clare Finnimore, Viola

Caroline Dearnley, Cello

Lucy Wakeford, Harp

At Aldeburgh Festival, Nicholas Daniel plays the Pied Piper of Cool

Christopher Woodley, 13th June

For the Aldeburgh Festival's 75th anniversary celebrations, Daniel delivered a great performance of Vaughan Williams's Oboe Concerto, in the company of Gustav and Imogen Holst.

****1

Britten Sinfonia ablaze on the BBC Proms’ hottest night

Nick Boston, 6th September

Inventiveness, joyful performance and intuitive communication from Thomas Gould and the Britten Sinfonia in recompositions from Richter, Auerbach and Tippett.

*****

Donizetti's L’esule di Roma: a Roman triumph for Opera Rara

Dominic Lowe, 11th May

This is the 27th Donizetti opera given the Opera Rara treatment and their ability to spot a hidden gem remains as adroit as ever.

****1

Love and death in Scotland: Mercadante’s Il proscritto

David Karlin, 28th June

A great orchestral performance of an exciting score don't quite mask the dramatic weaknesses of Opera Rara's latest.

***11

Holst's Sāvitri: near-death experience in the Barbican

Roy Westbrook, 4th May

A game of three halves from the Britten Sinfonia, with a late appearance by three star soloists.

****1

Colin Currie conducts Reich/Richter at the Barbican

Benjamin Poore, 23rd October

A new collaboration from Gerhard Richter and Steve Reich tantalises and enthralls in London.

****1

More reviews...

Julia Savage

Julia works behind the scenes at Westminster Abbey as a PA. Outside of her job, she sings with a variety of ensembles in London and further afield, and undertakes freelance editorial and writing projects – from concert programmes to tasting notes.