As Jonathan Bloxham becomes principal conductor, London Mozart Players announces its 2025/26 season
Updated: 2025-07-15 09:29:00
: , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Tuesday , 15 July 2025 As Jonathan Bloxham becomes principal conductor , London Mozart Players announces its 2025 26 season Labels : LMP preview For the 2025 26 season , Jonathan Bloxham steps into a new role as principal conductor and artistic advisor with London Mozart Players LMP building on his three-year tenure as conductor in residence and artistic advisor . LMP s flagship season opens at St Martin in the Fields with Bloxham conducting an all-Mozart concert featuring soprano Danielle de Niese in arias from Don Giovanni Il re pastore and La Clemenza di Tito alongside Mozart's Symphony No . 40 The season also includes Bach's Brandenburg Concertos directed
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Tuesday , 15 July 2025 The Barber in Benidorm : Louise Bakker's 1970s sitcom take on Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia with a terrific cast at Longborough Festival Opera Labels : LFO opera review Rossini : Il barbiere di Siviglia finale of Act One Longborough Festival Opera , 2025 Photo : Clive Barda Rossini : Il barbiere di Siviglia Joseph Doody , Lauren Young , Benjamin Bevan , Henry Neill , director : Louise Bakker , conductor Elaine Kelly Longborough Festival Opera Reviewed 13 July 2025 It might be described as the British Bayreuth' but Longborough's stylishly engaging 1970s take on Rossini's comic masterpiece radiated both musical style and sheer enjoyment
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 14 July 2025 New music to the fore : Gergely Madaras BBC NOW celebrate Cheltenham Music Festival's 80th birthday in rousing style with music from the first festival alongside music for today Labels : Cheltenham concert review BBC National Orchestra of Wales Gergely Madaras at Cheltenham Town Hall Cheltenham Music Festival 2025 Britten : Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes' Arnold : Symphony No . 5 Anna Semple : Fanfare for Cheltenham Elgar : Enigma Variations BBC National Orchestra of Wales , Gergely Madaras Cheltenham Music Festival at Cheltenham Town Hall Reviewed 12 July 2025 A celebration of the festival's 80th birthday by reflecting its support
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Saturday , 12 July 2025 Spurred on by the story-telling : conductor Peter Whelan on bringing the Dublin version of Handel's Alexander's Feast to life with the Irish Baroque Orchestra Labels : Ireland preview Proms Peter Whelan conducting Mozart's Symphony No.41 Jupiter image taken from video filmed at the Whyte Recital Hall at the Royal Irish Academy of Music , 9 9 2023. Produced by November Seven . Films Conductor Peter Whelan is bringing the Irish Baroque Orchestra IBO of which he is artistic director , to the BBC Proms this Summer with a performance of Handel's Alexander's Feast As with their performance of Handel's Messiah at Wigmore Hall in 2023 see my
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Friday , 11 July 2025 From Hervé Folies parisiennes to Louise Farrenc more : Palazzetto Bru Zane's 2025 26 season Labels : preview 2025 is the bicentenary of the birth of the singer , librettist and composer Hervé Louis-Auguste Florimond Ronger 1825-1892 a man responsible for a wide selection of opérette and opéra-bouffe that have rather dropped out of the repertoire . Now , Palazzetto Bru Zane has its eye on them . nbsp His opéra-bouffe , Le petit Faust originally written in 1869 will receive a new production conducted by Sammy El Ghadab and directed by Sol Espeche with performances the Autumn at Opéra de Tours , Opéra de Reims and in . Paris The work
: : , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Thursday , 10 July 2025 Music Moves : John Savournin to Waterperry , Seb Lovell-Huckle to Birmingham Labels : music news John Savournin The intriguing game of musical dominos in arts administration continues . Earlier this year it was announced the Guy Verrall-Withers , co-founder and artistic director of Waterperry Opera Festival , was becoming director of audiences impact at The Grange Festival . Guy takes up the post full-time in . September It has now been announced that John Savournin will be taking up the role of CEO and artistic director of Waterperry Opera Festival from September , joining the festival's co-founders Rebecca Meltzer and Bertie Baigent 
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Wednesday , 9 July 2025 A child called Brock who is displaced from her home and wonders if life might be better among the badgers underground : Garsington Opera Youth Company in Hannah Conway's Uprooted Labels : Garsington preview Rehearsal for Uprooted Garsington Opera Youth Company On 29 July 2025, Garsington Opera Youth Company joins forces with Sinfonia Smith Square to present Uprooted a new opera by composer Hannah Conway and librettist Hazel Gould , with 80 9-19 year olds performing alongside a professional soloist and musicians at Garsington Opera’s Opera . Pavilion The opera deals with one of the most troubling UK social issues of our generation , the
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Tuesday , 8 July 2025 From Jamaica to Llareggub : 2025 Presteigne Festival Labels : preview Wales George Vass the Presteigne Festival Orchestra Photo : Presteigne Festival This year's Presteigne Festival , which runs from 21 to 25 August 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Dmitri Shostakovich 1906–1975 among the most influential musical voices of the 20th century , with a retrospective celebrating his powerfully profound chamber works . Alongside these will be an array of works by contemporary composers . The closing concert of the festival features the festival's artistic director , George Vass conducting the festival orchestra in the Shostakovich
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 7 July 2025 Beyond a hundred : Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra Joanna MacGregor launch 2025 26 season Labels : Brighton preview Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra Joanna MacGregor , June 2025 Photo : Fernando Manoso Having celebrated its centenary in May 2025, Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its lively 2025 26 season under music director Joanna MacGregor , only the fourth Music Director in the history of the . orchestra Things kick off in September with MacGregor conducting Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No . 3 with soloist Junyan Chen , winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin Suite and
: : , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 7 July 2025 Some Enchanted Evening : fresh from her cycling concert tour of Britain , viola da gamba player Sarah Small in recital on the lawn of the Chelsea Physick Garden Labels : preview On Sunday 13 July 2025, Live on the Lawn : nbsp Twilight Classical presents viola da gamba player Sarah Small in recital on the lawn of the Chelsea Physick Garden in what promises to be an enchanting evening in one of London's most beautiful and historic . gardens Founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London , nbsp plant collection remains the only botanic garden collection focused entirely on medicinal , herbal and useful . plants
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 7 July 2025 We were transported : local history and engaging performances in L'elisir at St Paul's Opera Labels : opera review Donizetti : L'elisir d'amore Martins Smaukstelis chorus St Paul's Opera Photo : Julian Guidera Donizetti : L'Elisir d'Amore Fiona Hymns , Martins Smaukstelis , Theodore Day , Ashley Mercer , Isabella Roberts , director : Eloise Lally , music director : Adrian Salinero , St Paul's Opera St Paul's Church , Clapham Reviewed 5 July 2025 A strong cast make this a warmly engaging evening in the theatre with stylish musical performances from the soloists and a feeling of enjoyment from . all St Paul's Opera in Clapham leaned into a
: : , , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Saturday , 5 July 2025 A game changer : as RPS Conductors programme enters a new phase , I chat to founder Alice Farnham an early participant , Charlotte Corderoy Labels : interview RPS Alice Farnham with members of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and members of the RPS Women Conductors programme at the Glasshouse including Charlotte Corderoy In 2014, conductor Alice Farnham formed the Women Conductors programme , initially at Morley College she joined forces with the Royal Philharmonic Society RPS to create RPS Women Conductors in 2016, then in 2022, in partnership with the Royal Northern Sinfonia RNS a new high-level course was established in Gateshead at The
: , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Friday , 4 July 2025 New kid on the block , New London Harmonia brings two premiered by Welsh composer Charlie Barber to its final concert of the season Labels : preview Charlie Barber at the premiere of his The Fall of the House of Usher with the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales in 2012 Welsh composer Charlie Barber who celebrated his 75th birthday last year see Ty Cerdd's birthday profile is something of a musical chameleon , working in film , dance , the stage and concert platform . Recent work has included the 2013 music-theatre piece Michelangelo Drawing Blood whilst his film projects include music for Jean Cocteau’s Blood of a Poet 2006 a surrealist%20Britten%20Pears%20Arts%20(1%20of%2014).jpg)
: , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Thursday , 3 July 2025 A quartet of concerts ended a marvellous , fulfilling and enjoyable Aldeburgh Festival Labels : Aldeburgh by Tony Cooper concert review Daniel Kidane : Aloud Nathan Amaral , Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra , Kirill Karabits Aldeburgh Festival Photo : Britten Pears Arts Thea Musgrave : Rorate coeli Britten : A.M.D.G . Palestrina : Rorate coeli Daniel Kidane : The Song Thrush and the Mountain Ash Schoenberg : Friede auf Erden Poulenc : Figure humaine BBC Singers , Owain Park Snape Maltings Britten : Winter Words Imogen Holst : Weathers Little think’st at thou , poore flower Four Songs Daniel Kidane : Songs of Illumination Britten 
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Tuesday , 1 July 2025 Challenging conventional ideas of vocal performance : Contemporary Vocal Sünds from Eleanor Westbrook Oskar McCarthy Labels : preview Two contemporary singers are joining forces to present a recital of experimental vocal music . Eleanor Westbrook and Oskar McCarthy , along with pianist Ben Smith are presenting Contemporary Vocal Sünds at The Uplands , St Leonards-on-Sea 20 July and Lauderdale House , Highgate 22 July with playful and radical approach to voice in works from the 20th and 21st century , challenging conventional ideas of vocal . performance The recital features composers such as John Cage , Iannis Xenakis and Georges Aperghis 
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Tuesday , 1 July 2025 Robert Clara : Stephan Loges Jocelyn Freeman at SongEasel Labels : concert review Stephan Loges at a SongEasel recital on 22 June 2025 Photo : Kate Kantur Robert Clara : songs by Clara Schumann Robert Schumann including Liederkreis , Op . 39 Stephan Loges , Jocelyn Freeman SongEasel at St Matthew's Church Reviewed 27 June 2025 An evening of intimate lieder in Elephant Castle , intertwining songs by Robert Clara Schumann including his complete Eichendorff Liederkreis For its latest season , Jocelyn Freeman s SongEasel has been filling South East London with song , bringing distinguished artists such as Helen Charlston , Sholto Kynoch ,
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 30 June 2025 450 children celebrate take part in a wide variety of music : Richard Shephard Music Foundation's annual Make Music Day in York Labels : music education music news York Richard Shephard Music Foundation's annual Make Music Day in York Over 450 school children gathered last week 25 June at York St John University for a day of inspiring music as the Richard Shephard Music Foundation hosted its annual Make Music Day The event brought together over 450 primary school children from across the region to celebrate and take part in a wide variety of . music There were hands-on workshops ranging from Beatboxing to Trinidadian Percussion , nbsp%20Anthony%20Robling.jpg)
: , , : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 30 June 2025 New concertos , more Mozart Made in Manchester , expanding Music in Mind : Manchester Camerata's new season Labels : Manchester preview Gábor Takács-Nagy conducts Manchester Camerata Photo : Anthony Robling Music director Gábor Takács-Nagy conducts Mozart’s Violin Concerto No . 3 with Caroline Pether plus music by Fanny Mendelssohn and Beethoven , and returns with Mozart , Made in Manchester with soprano Ying Fang in arias by . Mozart Daniel Pioro , one of Manchester Camerata’s artistic partners , will premiere a new violin concerto by Nick Martin . Inspired by the sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth , the piece will receive premier
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Monday , 30 June 2025 A vivid sense of style stagecraft with some of the best Handel singers around : Rodelinda at Garsington Opera Labels : Garsington opera review Handel : Rodelinda Lucy Crowe Garsington Opera Photo : courtesy Garsington Opera Handel : Rodelinda Lucy Crowe , Tim Mead , Ed Lyon , Brandon Cedel , Marvic Monreal , Hugh Cutting , director : Ruth Knight , the English Concert , conductor : Peter Whelan Garsington Opera Reviewed 29 June 2025 With a title role performed with real style and agency by Lucy Crowe partnered by Tim Mead singing with luminous tone there is plenty to enjoy , complemented by an intelligent and imaginative presentation of
: : Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Saturday , 28 June 2025 A different focus : Timothy Ridout in Mozart Hummel with Academy of St Martin in the Fields plus Rossini a Weber symphony Labels : ASMF concert review Hummel , portrait by Joseph Willibrord Mähler , c . 1814 Rossini : String Sonata No . 1 Mozart : Sinfonia Concertante in E flat Hummel : Potpourri Op . 94 Weber : Symphony No . 1 Timothy Ridout , Tomo Keller , Academy of St Martin in the Fields Church of St Martin in the Fields Reviewed 26 June 2026 Mozart's violin and viola concertante work in context of music written within the following 40 years including Hummel's wonderfully engaging concertante work for viola Johann Nepomuk Hummel was
: : , Pages Robert's Link Tree About Us Contact Us Twitter : RobertHugill Live reviews archive CD reviews archive Interviews archive Saturday , 28 June 2025 From Handel to Verdi beyond : I chat to soprano Soraya Mafi about singing in Handel's Saul at Glyndebourne , expanding into bel canto Bernstein Labels : Glyndebourne interview Handel : Saul Soraya Mafi Glyndebourne Opera Photo : Glyndebourne ASH Soprano Soraya Mafi is currently singing the role of Michal in Handel's Saul at Glyndebourne in the 2025 revival of the 2015 production by Barrie Kosky which can rightly be called iconic see my review Soraya returns to Handel next year when she makes her debut at the Komische Oper Berlin in Belshazzar Before then she will be performing the role of Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide with Welsh