Classical Notes: June 2026

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Piano Sonata no. 11 in A major, K331: Rondo alla Turca (arr. Volodos, Arcadi (b.1972)/Say, Fazil (b.1970)/Wang, Ryan?)

Bernstein, Leonard (1918-1990): Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story': 'Mambo'

Ives, Charles (1874-1954): Central Park in the Dark

Bernstein, Leondard: Suite from 'Fancy Free'

'Rhythms were tight, intonation solid and ensemble strong, and they were at the programme’s centre, rather than tucked away in pre-concert event'.

'The trumpet carries the questioning solo line, with the cor anglais a kind of echoing reminder, and this came across well in Walker’s assured yet nervy entries, and Millar’s mournful, mellow tones'.

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen conducts Chromatica Orchestra
© Monika Jakubowska

'The spirit of the performance and the clear enjoyment of the Chromatica players held it all together, with sprightly tempi set by Wang and Korsgård Hagen...Wang returned for a bravura jazzed-up encore of Mozart’s Rondo alla turca.'.

'With drunken waltzes, jazzy piano moments and cheeky swagger (with sailor hats) from the drummer and pianist, they had great fun, whilst negotiating those complex rhythms with ease'.

'They all had a ball, and that communicated to the audience, bringing their programme full of energetic rhythm and bombast but also atmospheric nuance to a joyful close'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen conducts Chromatica Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Ryan Wang and Chromatica Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Saturday, 6 June 2026

Tavener's Krishna fails to convince in world premiere at Grange Park Opera

Brett Polegato (Krishna)
© Marc Brenner

Mark Shanahan (Conductor)

David Pountney (Director)

Rachana Jadhav (Designer)

Shobana Jeyasingh (Choreographer)

Catarina Carvalho (Dancer Rehearsal Director)

Tim Mitchell (Lighting Designer)

Ross Ramgobin (Celestial Narrator)

Rosa Sparks (Krishna - child)

Eliran Kadussi (Krishna - adolescent)

Elgan Llŷr Thomas (Krishna - young man)

Brett Polegato (Krishna - man)

Sara Fulgoni (Yashoda, Bhumi)

Nazan Fikret (Rukmini)

Julia Sitkovetsky (Radha - woman)

Jennifer Statham (Radha - child)

Nao Masuda (Drummer)

Tabitha O'Sullivan, Mirabel Huang-Smith, Chia-Yu Hsu, Kynda Ng, Ella Pileggi, Yanki Yau (Dancers)

The Gascoigne Orchestra

Robert Salter (Leader)

5pm, Thursday 4 June 2026

World premiere

Grange Park Opera, Surrey

★★★

Tavener, John (1944-2013): Krishna: A Mystical Pantomime

(libretto by Tavener, John, with inspiration and some text by Prime, Ranchor (b.c.1950))

'Tavener’s music is ... relatively successful in places, with a kind of meditative build in tension, although we are kept waiting for a fair while before any sense of climax'.

'Rachana Jadhav’s design of the temple staging, combines with effective lighting from Tim Mitchell do create a colourful and pleasing backdrop to the ‘action’, as do the vibrant costumes'.

'Sopranos Julia Sitkovetsky (Radha) and Nazan Fikret (Rukmini) stood out as the most impressive voices of the evening, their ‘uniting’ duet almost eclipsing the love duet between Radha and Krishna'.

'Mark Shanahan conducted the Gascoigne Orchestra with controlled precision, and moments of glistening brass and bells brought the score to life, as did the ‘aerial’ flutes up in the high balcony'.

'An unpublished work of a deceased composer must always be a great temptation, but on this occasion, sadly, it might have been best left alone'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Classical Notes

Friday, 19 June 2026

Improvisatory Gershwin from Ryan Wang in a boldly energetic Chromatica programme

Saturday, 6 June 2026

Tavener's Krishna fails to convince in world premiere at Grange Park Opera

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