Have just spotted that Karajan's Dresden Meistersinger is now on streaming services. If you don't know it, check it out. You're in for a treat.

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Stuttgart State Opera | Live Review - Opera Now Meister is a dynamic Wagnerian, propelling the drama, but also has an ideal sense of poise

My review of Die Meistersinger in Stuttgart: www.opera-now.com/content/revi...

Grüße aus Bayern

My debut on the Gramophone podcast www.gramophone.co.uk/podcasts/art...

Just had a bash through these two chaconnes on the piano. Don't sound much like Bach to me.

Sikora: Dorian Gray at Teatr Wielki | Live Review A major success for all involved, and a clear demonstration of how modern opera can speak to our times

My review of Dorian Gray, by Elżbieta Sikora and David Pountney, at Teatr Wielki, Poznań
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
www.gramophone.co.uk/opera-now/re...

With David Pountney and Aleksander Laskowski in Poznań for the premiere of Elżbieta Sikora's opera Dorian Gray, for which Pountney is librettist and director. A powerful evening of opera and lots to write about. So review to follow.

The November issue of Gramophone, in which I try to convince Hugo Shirley that Bernstein's recording of Der Rosenkavalier is a classic (spoiler: I fail).

Janáček: The Makropulos Case at the Royal Opera | Live Review Mitchell’s production raises the dramatic intensity, and the narrative complexity, the results continuously provocative and confrontational

My review of The Makropulos Case at the Royal Opera House: www.gramophone.co.uk/opera-now/re...

Richard Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier - Opernhaus Zürich - Programm in voller Länge | ARTE Concert Mit dem "Rosenkavalier", angesiedelt in einem imaginierten Wien des Rokoko, schufen Strauss und Hofmannsthal eine tiefsinnige Gesellschaftskomödie. Nicht ohne Wehmut lässt die Marschallin ihren jungen...

The striking new Rosenkavalier production that opened the Zurich Opera season is available on Arte w/o VPN. www.arte.tv/de/videos/12...

Contemporary composer: Elena Firsova Gavin Dixon explores the powerful music of this poetic modernist

My profile of composer Elena Firsova in the October issue of Gramophone: www.gramophone.co.uk/features/art...

Richard Tice hits back at C of E criticism of Reform immigration policy Deputy leader says archbishop should stay out of matter after Stephen Cottrell calls policy isolationist and kneejerk

Richard Tice says Archbishop Stephen Cottrell should stick to presenting Match of the Day www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Rodion Shchedrin, Russian composer of 'Carmen Suite' and leading voice of the late Soviet era, dies at 92 Shchedrin was one of the most high-profile Russian composers of the late Soviet era and continued to lead the Russian new music scene in the following decades

My obituary of Rodion Shchedrin, who died today: www.gramophone.co.uk/classical%20...

Purbeck Valley Folk Festival

Bayreuther Festspiele: Die Spiele auf dem Grünen Hügel | BR-Klassik Mit der Neuproduktion

The Bayreuth Festival opens on Friday with a new production of Die Meistersinger. All of the first week performances will be broadcast on Bavarian radio, and there is also a video livestream of the Meistersinger (VPN possibly required). www.br-klassik.de/themen/bayre...

Great to meet up with Elena Firsova today - preparing a composer profile for Gramophone in the Autumn.

Manoury: Die Letzten Tage der Menschheit at Cologne Opera | Live Review The music fully justifies the scale of these resources: modern, emotive and immersive

My review of Philippe Manoury's Die Letzten Tage der Menschheit at Cologne Opera www.gramophone.co.uk/opera-now/re...

At Oper Köln for the premiere of Philippe Manoury's Die letzten Tage der Menschheit.

In Dresden for Kent Nagano's period-instrument Siegfried.

Yep, very interesting.

In Frankfurt for (another) Parsifal

Wagner: Parsifal at Glyndebourne | Live Review Everything about this production is clearly inspired by the venue, its traditions and especially its size

My review of Parsifal at Glyndebourne www.gramophone.co.uk/opera-now/re...

At Glyndebourne for Parsifal

Klar, Unsuk Chin findete die Inszenierung schlecht auch. Für mich, es war interessant, aber hässlich, natürlich.

Unsuk Chin - "Die dunkle Seite des Mondes" Unsuk Chin bringt ihre zweite Oper "Die dunkle Seite des Mondes" auf die Bühne, ein Kompositionsauftrag der Hamburgischen Staatsoper.

A new opera by Unsuk Chin, 'Die dunkle Seite des Mondes', premieres in Hamburg on Sunday. A recording of the premiere will be broadcast on NDR Kultur on Saturday 24 May: www.ndr.de/kultur/sendu...

Памяти Валентины Холоповой - Музыкальное обозрение 12 мая 2025 на 90-м году жизни скончалась Валентина Николаевна Холопова —ученый-музыковед, доктор искусствоведения, профессор

RIP Valentina Kholopova, Professor at the Moscow Conservatory and leading authority on Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Shchedrin, and much other recent Russian music. She died today aged 90. muzobozrenie.ru/pamjati-vale...

Proms listings from @bachtrack.com, the most easily browsable, as ever.

Some Bruckner landmarks in Linz. The first plaque and the organ, which was built to Bruckner's specification, are at the old cathedral. The E-Minor Mass plaque and the window are at the new cathedral.

Am currently walking in the Vienna Woods. Yesterday I passed through Pressbaum. Its great claim is that Brahms completed his 2nd Piano Concerto there. I'm guessing he was on his way to somewhere else, Bad Ischl maybe, it's not the sort of place you'd hang around in.

The music section of a tourist guide to Vienna. An embarrassment of riches.