Latest stories
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Michael Collins on his dual career
28th Sep 2020
In the wake of his new recording of Finzi and Vaughan Williams (launching a long-term relationship with BIS), the British clarinettist and conductor talks to Katherine about his 'gradual transition' into directing symphonic repertoire.
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Ermonela Jaho's Anima Rara
25th Sep 2020
The Albanian soprano's debut solo recording on Opera Rara pays tribute to Rosina Storchio, who created the role of Madama Butterfly and was also muse to Leoncavallo, Giordano and Mascagni.
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Jamie Barton and Jake Heggie on Unexpected Shadows
24th Sep 2020
The American mezzo and composer talk to Katherine about their new album on Pentatone (featuring Heggie's song-cycles The Work at Hand, Iconic Legacies and Statuesque), their long-standing friendship, and the women who've inspired them both.
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Robin Ticciati on Strauss
21st Sep 2020
The conductor talks to Katherine about his recording of Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, and the Brentano-Lieder with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and soprano Louise Alder, out now on Linn.
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New Release Round-Up - 18th September 2020
18th Sep 2020
Messiaen from Mannheim, Mozart from Mühlemann, and Jamie Barton in song-cycles by Jake Heggie, with the composer himself at the piano.
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Gramophone Awards 2020 - the top three in each category
14th Sep 2020
The final contenders in each of the ten genres were revealed on Friday…
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Jonas Kaufmann & Helmut Deutsch: Selige Stunde
11th Sep 2020
Recorded 'in private quarters' during lockdown, the German tenor and pianist's recital of songs by Schubert, Strauss, Grieg, Zemlinsky, Mahler and others is a 'blessed hour' indeed.
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Selige Stunde
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor), Helmut Deutsch (piano)
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Ermonela Jaho on Anima Rara
10th Sep 2020
The Albanian soprano talks to Katherine about her debut solo recording on Opera Rara, focusing on the short but remarkable career of Rosina Storchio, who created the role of Madama Butterfly.
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Presto Editor's Choices - August 2020
31st Aug 2020
Gothic operas from Missy Mazzoli and Saint-Saëns, Fazil Say's complete works for violin, and a startlingly atmospheric song-cycle for mezzo and orchestra by Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen.
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Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt and Thalberg
28th Aug 2020
The Canadian pianist is on jaw-dropping form in a programme inspired by the 1837 'duel' between the two composer-virtuosos, which also includes the mighty collaborative Hexaméron - a set of variations on Bellini by composers including Chopin, Czerny and Pixis.
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Nicholas Collon on Music of the Spheres
27th Aug 2020
Aurora Orchestra's Principal Conductor talks to Katherine about their debut recording on Deutsche Grammophon, featuring music by Mozart, Thomas Adès, Max Richter, Dowland/Nico Muhly and David Bowie.
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Anna Patalong and Benedict Nelson on Miss Julie
20th Aug 2020
The British soprano and baritone (and real-life couple) discuss bringing William Alwyn's unjustly neglected opera to life last year for a concert-performance at the Barbican followed by a studio recording, released on Chandos last month.
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Nicola Benedetti plays Elgar
7th Aug 2020
The Scottish-Italian violinist embraces the heart-on-sleeve qualities of a work which the composer ruefully described as 'awfully emotional', her passion and responsiveness matched by Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Robert Trevino on Beethoven
4th Aug 2020
The American conductor talks to Katherine about his recording of the complete symphonies with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, released in June on Ondine.
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Presto Editor's Choices - July 2020
30th Jul 2020
A terrific debut solo recording featuring Britten and Liszt confirms the young British tenor Stuart Jackson as a major talent, whilst Chandos release two twentieth-century masterpieces centring on incarceration.
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Beethoven songs and folksongs from Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano
24th Jul 2020
The tenor and pianist are joined by violinist Vilde Frang and cellist Nicolas Altstaedt for selections from the Scottish and Irish folk-songs, following an exquisitely tender account of An die ferne Geliebte.
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Ermonela Jaho's debut solo recording and other forthcoming highlights
22nd Jul 2020
The Albanian soprano celebrates the legacy of Rosina Storchio on Opera Rara, plus new albums from Diana Damrau, Alexandre Kantorow, Jonas Kaufmann and others.
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Sir Mark Elder on Debussy
16th Jul 2020
In the wake of his recording of Images and Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune with the Hallé, the conductor talks to Katherine about his relationship with Debussy's music, and Colin Matthews's evocative orchestrations of the piano Préludes.
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Paul Lewis plays Beethoven's Bagatelles
10th Jul 2020
The British pianist's survey of Beethoven's complete output in the genre (plus the Fantasia Op. 77 and three opus-less Klavierstücke) radiates wit, warmth and wisdom.
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Paul Lewis on Beethoven
10th Jul 2020
The British pianist talks to Katherine about his recording of the Bagatelles (out today on Harmonia Mundi), and about the composer's often 'uncompromisingly uncomfortable' writing for the piano.
