Dancer_not
pfm Member
Another wonderful Met relay - Gounod's Romeo et Juliette
Lavish sets & costumes, beautiful singing & playing.
Lavish sets & costumes, beautiful singing & playing.
Try their CD of the Ireland works, it works very well on there.John Ireland's A Forgotten Rite
It was splendid . I will certainly listen again on BBC Sounds.Just taken my seat in the Wigmore Hall for Alexandre Tharaud playing Couperin, Satie and Ravel.
That is one of the most magical opera stagings Ive ever seen.The final Met relay was Madama Butterfly with Asmik Grigorian in superlative voice! The Anthony Minghella production from 2006 still enthralls with the staging.
I heard the same concert the night before in Bristol. Terrific evening, as you say. The Elgar was fantastic, and it’s hard not to be persuaded by the Halle’s history with Elgar. I’d love to hear Sir Stephen’s new piece but the premiere broadcast (Ohio or Utah, can’t remember) was only for 30 days, so I’m hoping it pops up on YouTube soon.Basingstoke Anvil last night for the Halle and two knights - conductor Sir Mark Elder and pianist Sir Stephen Hough - performing Brahms' Piano Concerto no. 1, Butterworth's A Shropshire Lad, and Elgar's Enigma Variations. My wife loves the Enigma Variations and this concert was her choice, and lucky me because it was just terrific.
I’m not a fan of the Brahms. Heard it a few times and found it rather hard work. Here though the monumental first movement was played with such sharpness and precision that it began to make sense. No slurred notes from this large orchestra; all playing bang on time. Throughout this, Steven Hough played from memory, with real physical dynamism and utter conviction. What a performance! We even got an encore of a Chopin piano sonata from Sir Stephen.
After the interval, the Butterworth and Elgar were superbly played. Again, clear, precise and engaging playing that held my attention even though I’m not so familiar with these works. And for once the auditorium was pretty much full. Hooray for that!
I read that Sir Mark is stepping down from conducting the Halle sometime soon (his 27th June farewell concert at the Royal Concert Hall seems to be it). However there are some concerts next week at the Bridgewater Hall featuring the Butterworth and Elgar, and Sir Stephen playing his own composition in a European premier. Should be good.