Joyful energy from Rachel Podger and The Mozartists at Wigmore Hall

Rachel Podger, Ian Page & The Mozartists
© The Mozartists

Rachel Podger (violin)

The Mozartists

Ian Page (conductor)

7.30pm, Wednesday 18 June, 2025

Wigmore Hall, London

★★★★★

Haydn, Franz Joseph (1732-1809): Symphony No. 66 in B flat major

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): 

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major, K211

Symphony in D major, K196+121(207a)

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, 'Turkish', K219

Haydn:

'Racing violins and rasping horns, and a bounce in Page’s step showed they meant business'.

Rachel Podger
© Nick Boston

Mozart:

Violin Concerto No. 2:

'The Second Violin Concerto opened with a jolly Allegro, Podger’s face radiating pleasure, her solo line singing above the orchestral texture'.

Symphony:

'Delightful, with nimble violins and robust woodwinds, all over in a flash'.

Violin Concerto No. 5:

'When they reached the “alla turca” section, they were all having great fun. Podger enjoyed the surging waves, taking Page and the orchestra with her, whilst the cellos and double bass added percussive slaps'.

Rachel Podger, Ian Page & The Mozartists
© Nick Boston

'A joyous evening, with incisive and energetic playing throughout'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Iestyn Davies (David) and the Glyndebourne Chorus
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

Jonathan Cohen (Conductor)

Barrie Kosky (Director)

Donna Stirrup (Revival Director)

Katrin Lea Tag (Designer)

Otto Pichler (Choreographer)

Merry Holden (Revival Choreographer)

Joachim Klein (Lighting Designer)

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Matthew Truscott (Leader)

Matthew Fletcher (Solo organ)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Sarah Brady (Merab)

Soraya Mafi (Michal)

Christopher Purves (Saul, Apparition of Samuel)

Iestyn Davies (David)

Linard Vrielink (Jonathan)

Liam Bonthrone (Abner, High Priest, Doeg, Amalekite)

Ru Charlesworth (Witch of Endor)

Lucy Alderman, Robin Gladwin, Lukas Hunt, Dominic Rocca, Nathan Ryles, Daisy West (Dancers)

Christopher Purves (Saul) & Linard Vrielink (Jonathan)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

4pm, Sunday 8 June, 2025

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne 

★★★★★

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): Saul, HWV53

(Libretto by Charles Jennens (1700-1773)

'A decade on, it’s looking as fresh as a daisy'.

'Purves’ physical fitness is also impressive, managing to run in circles around the whole stage at one point, before delivering faultlessly controlled and effortless singing'.

Iestyn Davies:

'Right from his extended first entry on a gloriously blossoming "O", it was clear that his voice and presence matched that of Purves'.

Christopher Purves (Saul) & Ru Charlesworth (Witch of Endor)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

'The chorus were on tremendous form, and ... they clambered up and down from high tables, played dead on the battlefield, rising up briefly like zombies, and dramatically delivered choruses from the very front of the stage at full throttle'. 

'Jonathan Cohen conducted the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with tight energy throughout, and moments for harp, organ and carillon shone through (hats off to the spinning organist (Matthew Fletcher) at the opening of Part 2)'.

'A visual and musical delight, and it hasn’t lost its impact and energetic spark in the intervening ten years'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Iestyn Davies (David)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH