May 2009

After a most successful tour spanning 6 European countries and comprising 13 concerts, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Kent Nagano have returned to Canada. As the press from the tour is rolling in, it is clear to see that the tour was fantastically well-received by concert goers and critics alike. After an appearance in Barcelona, El Periodico wrote ‘Nagano evoked smiles of happiness from the public’ whilst in Paris, Resmusica commented ‘The few seconds of total silence which followed the last note and the thunderous applause speak for themselves on the exceptional quality of this concert’.

photo: Laszlo Emmer

‘Violin duo dazzles’ with a ‘sparkling array of works for two string players’ reported the Indianapolis Star after one of Barnabás Kelemen and Katalin Kokas’ recent USA performances. Barnabás now travels to Japan to perform Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No 2 with VWM artist Olari Elts and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra on 28 and 30 May. Taking place at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and the Metropolitan Art Space, repertoire for the occasions also includes Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and Sibelius’ Lemminkainen's return.

photo: Holger Schneider

Olari Elts conducts the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s season finale; a performance of Haydn’s great oratorio The Seasons. Joined by soloists Roderick Williams, John Mark Ainsley and Elizabeth Watts, the concert takes place on 15 May at City Halls, Glasgow.

photo: Guy Vivien

On 15 May François-Frédéric Guy continues his Beethoven Project with a performance of Concerto No 5 ‘Emperor´ at the Salle Pleyel with Philippe Jordan and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Following this, François-Frédéric travels to Taiwan to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 4 with the National Taiwanese Symphony Orchestra and Johannes Wildner. For more on the Beethoven Project you can either visit www.ffguy.com, or for his new French website, please visit www.ffguy.net.

photo: Jennifer Hui Bon Hoa

Benjamin Shwartz conducts Il viaggio a Reims with the Curtis Opera Theatre in Philadelphia. Rossini’s comic opera tells the story of a group of eccentric European aristocrats attempting to attend King Charles X’s coronation in Reims. Performances of the production directed by Chas Rader-Shieber take place on 6, 8 and 10 May at the Prince Music Theatre.

photo: Mats Backer

Stefan Solyom is at the Opéra national de Paris to conduct Puccini’s Tosca. Directed by Werner Schroeter and designed by Alberte Barsacq, the dual cast includes Tosca Adina Nitescu and Elena Zelenskaya (Floria), Aleksandrs Antonenko and Mikhail Agafonov (Mario Cavaradossi) and James Morris and Scott Hendricks (Scarpia). The production opens on 20 May with 10 performances running through till 5 June.

photo: Kirill Bachkirov

Nikolai Demidenko is on a tour of the British Isles with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and conductors Petr Altrichter and Libor Pesek, performing piano concertos by Chopin and Ravel. After the opening concert in London’s Cadogan Hall on 9 May and further performances in Llandudno, Derby, Newbury, Aberdeen and Dublin, the tour provides a rare chance to see these talented performers in some intimate venues.

photo: Marco Borggreve

Rory Macdonald makes his debut appearance conducting Opera North in a production of Mozart’s Il Seraglio. With the cast to include Kate Valentine, Allan Clayton and Elena Xanthoudakis, director Tim Hopkins gives a modern slant on the original story set in 18th century Turkey. After opening in Leeds on 20 May, the production goes on tour to Salford Quays, Newcastle and Nottingham before returning to Leeds on 23 June.

photo: Nicolas Ruel

After a most successful tour spanning 6 European countries and comprising 13 concerts, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Kent Nagano have returned to Canada. As the press from the tour is rolling in, it is clear to see that the tour was fantastically well-received by concert goers and critics alike. After an appearance in Barcelona, El Periodico wrote ‘Nagano evoked smiles of happiness from the public’ whilst in Paris, Resmusica commented ‘The few seconds of total silence which followed the last note and the thunderous applause speak for themselves on the exceptional quality of this concert’.