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Reviews
Sakari Conducts Sibelius & Strauss, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 28 February 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A frustrating concert. Without a few gremlins, it could have been quite stunning.”
Photo Credit: Benjamin-Ealovega
Bhangra Nation – A New Musical. Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP. To 16 March 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: Joanna Jarvis.
“Joyful and exhilarating with emotional depth.”
Photo Credit: Craig Sugden
Marmen Quartet, Lakeside, Nottingham. 22 February 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“The Marmen Quartet: alive to every nuance of the music they perform.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lakeside Nottingham
The Sleeping Beauty, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Hippodrome, 21 February 2024. Runs until 02 March 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A must see for lovers of Classical Ballet.”
Kazuki Conducts Elgar & Beethoven Parts I & II, CBSO, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Wednesday 21 February & Thursday 22 February, 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An impressive preview of CBSO pieces to be played on CBSO’s forthcoming, ten-city tour of Europe.”
Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham 20 February 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“A concert which breathed new life into old favourites.”
Photo Credit: Photo of Julian Bliss, Courtesy of Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 15 February 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A much loved Russian masterpiece surrounded with wonderful French orchestral showpieces.”
Midsummer Night’s Dream: William Shakespeare RSC, RSC, RST. Stratford Upon AvonRuns: 2hrs 50mins till 30 March 2024; One interval. Review: 17 February 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Roderick Dungate.
“A boisterous Midsummer Night’s Dream, very good in part; Creative Audio Description an excellent initiative but a work in progress”
Zee Zee (piano)Lakeside, Nottingham. 15 February 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“Zee Zee explores the work of classical music’s most famous love triangle.”
Tchaikovsky & Beethoven, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Valentine’s Day 14/02/24. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“Lots of Passionate Romance, and then some delightful Beethoven.”
Photo Credit: https://visitbirmingham.com/whats-on/tchaikovsky-and-beethoven-with-the-cbso-p1538951
Armonico Consort with Rachel Podger et al, Town Hall, Birmingham, 12 February 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An impressive concert of some new old music.”
Elena Fischer-Dieskau (piano)Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 11 February 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“A pianist who brings vivid story-telling to some unusual repertoire.”
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 01 February 2024. 4****: William Ruff
“The CBSO’s presents a fairy tale programme with plenty of Technicolor spectacle.”
Beethoven 5, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 24 January 2024, also Thursday 25 January 2024. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An uneven evening with a Mozartian gem at its core.”
Photo: Courtesy of CBSO, Birmingham.
Ossian Huskinson (bass-baritone) with Matthew Fletcher (piano), Lakeside, Nottingham 25 January, 2024. 4****: William Ruff
“Vivid musical story-telling from a singer with a bright future.”
Photo: Courtesy of Lakeside, Nottingham.
Alexander Ullman (piano)Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 21 January 2024. 4****: William Ruff
“Fine pianism – and impressive stamina - from Alexander Ullman.”
Photo: Courtesy of Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham.
Fair Maid of the West Isobel McArthur, after Thomas Heywood, RSC, The Swan, Stratford Upon Avon, till 14 January 2024. 4****: Roderick Dungate.
“A Seasonal Rom Oozing with Good Will and Good Cheer.”
Photo: Courtesy of RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon.
The National Youth Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 05 January 2024. 5*****: William Ruff:
“The NYO’s spectacular playing bodes well for the future of classical music.”
Tenebrae, A Christmas Conversation, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 19 December 2023. 5*****: William Ruff.
“Tenebrae create an uplifting fusion of Christmas words and music.”
A Christmas Celebration, Southwell Music Festival 2023, Southwell Minster, 18 December 2023. 5*****: William Ruff.
“Music and words that probe deeply into the Christmas spirit.”
Photo Credit: ChrisMaguire.