@georgehallmusic
Busy writer on classical music and opera for The Stage, BBC Music Magazine, Opera & many others: also a (very minor) composer and pianist (of the fourth rank). We need the arts more and more: in the words of Dostoyevsky, 'Beauty shall save the world'.
Wednesday's ‘An Evening with Liza Lehmann’ at 1901 Arts Club included the composer's 1896 song-cycle In a Persian Garden with singers Ellie Laugharne, Katie Bray, Nick Pritchard & Frederick Long. Michael Waldron presided at the pianoforte. An Orchid Classics recording follows.
Oh dear! I sympathise.
Music vanishing from UK schools: 42% offer no GCSE Music, A-Level entries fall, nearly 600 fewer music teachers than 2011. WeCompose is trying to change that; in 2024/25 we connected w/ 34 schools, 830 children & composed 377 new pieces of music. Please donate ❤️
bit.ly/3XPzf4F @biggive.bsky.social
Yes of course!
Hi Glen, feel free to connect at any time. George
Both of them absolute masterpieces too.
Surely his greatest achievement.
You are very patient.
Well isn’t this lovely.
Opera star sings Habanera (from Carmen) in the airport (?)
What a terrific voice.
#opera
I don’t care if they’re staged, we need more profl free public #music and #art.
I’m aware that filming is expensive, but it still puzzles me that we don’t put more studio/live performances from these astonishing ensembles in the main schedules….
A composer *So popular* that the Performing Rights Society was formed specifically to redress the issue of how little £ he received for performances.
Tonight @ the Pavilion Gardens Theatre @buxtonfestival.bsky.social will unveil 4 new operas by 4 different creative teams: Inevitable, Life Gets Stretched, Disorderly House & Tears Are Not Meant to Stay Inside. Reviewing for @thestage.co.uk
In delightful Buxton where last night the @buxtonfestival.bsky.social's opening show in the Buxton Opera House was Ambroise Thomas’ 1868 Hamlet -- an outstanding example of Shakespeare in French grand opéra mode: Adrian Kelly conducts, Jack Furness directs. Review to appear in @thestage.co.uk
To @sinfoniasmithsq.bsky.social this evening for Islington Choral Society’s concert performance of HMS Pinafore conducted by Michael Waldron. Simon Butteriss stars.
Indeed!
No question!
The world's on fire, and almost everything is awful.
But then there's the Pastoral Symphony.
All the very best for every new venture Hugh: meanwhile your always worthwhile writing will be much missed!!
To the Grange Festival today for Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus sung in a translation by John Mortimer in a production by Paul Curran. The @bournemouthso.bsky.social is conducted by Paul Daniel & the cast includes many good names. Writing for @thestage.co.uk.
To @cadoganhall.bsky.social this evening for a concert by the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Zvonimir Hačko. Lusine Khachatryan & Philip Cobb are soloists in Shostakovich’s Concerto for piano, trumpet & strings, plus his Chamber Symphony & Britten's Frank Bridge Variations.
To the Grange Festival today for La traviata in a production by Maxime Braham, designed by Jamie Vartan, lit by Johanna Town & with the @bournemouthso.bsky.social conducted by Richard Farnes. The cast includes Samantha Clarke, Nico Darmanin and Dario Solari.
. @garsingtonopera.bsky.social today for Handel’s Rodelinda, directed by Ruth Knight, designed by @leslietravers.bsky.social, lit by Ben Pickersgill and with Peter Whelan conducting The @englishconcert.bsky.social. The cast includes Lucy Crowe, Tim Mead, Ed Lyon, Marvic Monreal, Hugh Cutting.
Later to @southbankcentre.bsky.social to hear Nikolai Lugansky play Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto with the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social & Carlos Miguel Prieto. Programme also includes Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso & La Valse, Respighi’s Pines of Rome.
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/nik...
Handel’s Saul @ Glyndebourne for me today, in Barrie Kosky’s staging conducted by Jonathan Cohen & with two of the production’s original (2015) cast members – Christopher Purves & Iestyn Davies -- reappearing. Writing for @thestage.co.uk
To @cadoganhall.bsky.social today for Chelsea Opera Group’s concert performance of a Bellini rarity: La straniera. Stephen Barlow conducts and central casting consists of @helenadix.bsky.social,Thomas Elwin, Dan D'Souza & Georgia Mae Bishop. Reviewing for Opera Magazine.
Back @garsingtonopera.bsky.social tonight for Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, directed by Jack Furness. Aaron Cawley stars alongside Stephanie Wake-Edwards, Diana Montague, Robert Hayward & Roderick Williams: Douglas Boyd conducts the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk
Opening night @garsingtonopera.bsky.social is Christopher Luscombe's staging of Donizetti’s sentimental comedy L’elisir d’amore (The Love Potion), with Chloe Rooke conducting the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk.
Time to retire once and for all the myth that opera is the musical genre most linked with wealth
Ditto Gavin!
