Berlioz L'enfance du Christ The Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya's Christmas concert, live on medici.tv
Good Xmas listening : not as vibrant and original as François-Xavier Roth with the LSO at the Barbican last week, but still worth listening to because it's done honestly. The tenor, Agustin Prunell-Friend isn't in the league of Yann Beuron (for Roth) but he's convincing. Listen again to Roth, Beuron and the LSO HERE for a few hours and read my review HERE.
No Kulchur on British radio or TV this Xmas, apart from rebroadcasts of Barenboim's Wagner Ring from the Proms,. But tonight, three things were on at the same time, the Berlioz which repeats, and Britten Midsummers Nights Dream from the Met with three good singers in the key parts (Kim, Davies, Rose) but they could not rescue a performance that felt more like Angela Lansbury or Mary Poppins than Britten. How can anyone blame those who don't "get" Britten if that's ersatz ? It self consciously played up the superficial, "Britishness" and missed the fundamental lyricism and quirkiness. Disneyworld Britten, and not vintage Disney at that. It plodded, in concrete boots. Perhaps that's why I was so moved in comparison by the Barcelona Berlioz, which isn't a big deal but is genuine and sincere, which is far more important. Alas, I missed what sounds like an exceptional Poulenc Les Dialogues des Carmélites live from the Champs-Elyseés Paris with an almost ideal cast. Fortunately it's being rebroadcast, so I'll write about it later.
Good Xmas listening : not as vibrant and original as François-Xavier Roth with the LSO at the Barbican last week, but still worth listening to because it's done honestly. The tenor, Agustin Prunell-Friend isn't in the league of Yann Beuron (for Roth) but he's convincing. Listen again to Roth, Beuron and the LSO HERE for a few hours and read my review HERE.
No Kulchur on British radio or TV this Xmas, apart from rebroadcasts of Barenboim's Wagner Ring from the Proms,. But tonight, three things were on at the same time, the Berlioz which repeats, and Britten Midsummers Nights Dream from the Met with three good singers in the key parts (Kim, Davies, Rose) but they could not rescue a performance that felt more like Angela Lansbury or Mary Poppins than Britten. How can anyone blame those who don't "get" Britten if that's ersatz ? It self consciously played up the superficial, "Britishness" and missed the fundamental lyricism and quirkiness. Disneyworld Britten, and not vintage Disney at that. It plodded, in concrete boots. Perhaps that's why I was so moved in comparison by the Barcelona Berlioz, which isn't a big deal but is genuine and sincere, which is far more important. Alas, I missed what sounds like an exceptional Poulenc Les Dialogues des Carmélites live from the Champs-Elyseés Paris with an almost ideal cast. Fortunately it's being rebroadcast, so I'll write about it later.
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