Mercury Musical Developments at 20
Presenting the Sydney Brown Memorial Award 2012 to Denise Wright and Chris Burgess for a show called Emerald (which I hope is a better whole than the two numbers representing it here) Michael Ball recalled the original…
The Promotional EPK (Electronic Press Kit) Interview
I’m often asked to drive video interviews for promotional purposes – and tomorrow I’ll be doing just that for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with a young Russian born but now naturalised American pianist, Natasha Peremski, whose parents…
A Conversation With The ELIAS STRING QUARTET
The vibrant ELIAS STRING QUARTET are 14 years young, well established, and well respected on the international scene. Former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists and recipients of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2010, they are at…
Idina Menzel, Apollo Theatre *** (Review)
Even if you were the star of The Wizard of Oz prequel it takes chutzpah to sing that song before making your entrance. But then Idina Menzel was never one for subtlety or understatement. She emerged from…
London Philharmonic/ Russian National Orchestras, Jurowski, Royal Festival Hall **** (Review)
The heady symbolism of the London Philharmonic and Russian National orchestras sitting cheek by jowl for the climax of Vladimir Jurowski’s War and Peace series was a powerful one and if, on occasions, the melding of these…
A Conversation With JULIAN OVENDEN
Two days after the world premiere of Finding Neverland at Leicester’s Curve Theatre I am backstage with its star Julian Ovenden for the story so far on this musical adaptation – Allan Knee (Book), Scott Frankel (Music),…
“Finding Neverland”, Curve Theatre, Leicester (Review)
Finding Neverland – the new musical adaptation of the much-admired Miramax movie – is already an affecting show; it could yet be a really special one. Allan Knee’s book (after David Magee’s screenplay) is the key, the…
A Conversation With LEIF OVE ANDSNES
Over the next four seasons the Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes will be embarking upon a “Beethoven Journey” that will clock up 150 performances in 55 cities all over the world. At the heart of this expedition…
London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choruses, Jurowski, Royal Festival Hall **** (Review)
Working backwards from Rachmaninov’s Choral Symphony “The Bells” Vladimir Jurowski’s latest confection in the new London Philharmonic season was an extraordinary resourceful and cleverly juxtaposed sequence of tintinnabulations, real and imagined, actual and suggested, celebratory and mournful…
CD Review – the live experience
It was good being back in Radio 3’s busy continuity suite this morning. It’s been a while. My CD Review contributions are more often than not scripted and pre-recorded these days and there really isn’t anything quite…
