Glyndebourne’s Billy Budd makes a welcome return, fresh and devastating as ever

The Glyndebourne Chorus in Billy Budd
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Nicholas Carter (Conductor)

Michael Grandage (Director)

Ian Rutherford (Revival Director)

Christopher Oram (Designer)

Paule Constable (Lighting Designer)

Mark Ruddick (Flight Director)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Pieter Schoeman (Leader)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)

Michael Wallace (First Mate)

John Mackenzie-Lavansch (Second Mate)

William Thomas (Mr Flint)

Michael Ronan (Bosun)

Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald)

Ru Charlesworth (Maintop)

Laurence Kilsby (Novice)

Daniel Norman (Squeak)

Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)

Daniel Okulitch (Lieutenant Ratcliffe)

Sam Carl (Claggart)

Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers)

Adam Marsden (Arthur Jones)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)

Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)

Clive Bayley (Dansker)

Gabriel Elliott Rous (Cabin Boy)

Sam Carl (Claggart) & Daniel Norman (Squeak)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

5pm, Thursday 2 July 2026

Glyndebourne, East Sussex

★★★★

Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Billy Budd, Op. 50

(libretto by Forster, E.M. (1879-1970) & Crozier, Eric (1914-1994))

'Thomas Mole's Billy, full of wide-eyed innocence, held onto his blind belief in Captain Vere right to the very end, despite evidence to the contrary, and was convincingly moving throughout'.

'Allan Clayton's steely tenor was impressive as ever as Vere, and the transition from the troubled and flawed captain to the haunted old man of the Prologue and Epilogue, reflecting on his failure to protect and save Billy, was powerfully moving'. 

William Thomas (Mr Flint), Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)
& Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

'Sam Carl (Claggart) had the vocal range and ... his baritone was penetratingly evil'.

'The chorus excelled at full-voice, as well as in their quiet chanting resignation, and their choreographed resistance and rapid movement around the levels of the set were solid and convincing'.

'Nicholas Carter conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra with precision and energy, bringing brilliance to Britten’s searing score, especially from the gleaming brass'. 

Clive Bayley (Dansker), Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers),
Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald) & Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Ticciati and the LPO deliver epic Sibelius with a lively Wennäkoski opener

Robin Ticciati
© Benjamin Ealavoga

Robin Ticciati (conductor)

Miina-Liisa Värelä (soprano)

Shenyang (bass-baritone)

YL Male Voice Choir

London Philharmonic Orchestra

7.30pm, Wednesday 25 March 2026

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

Wennäkoski, Lotta (b.1970): Zelo (world premiere)

Sibelius, Jean (1865-1957): Kullervo

Wennäkoski:

Lotta Wennäkoski, Robin Ticciati & the LPO
© Nick Boston

'Ticciati steered the LPO with energy and panache, with tight ensemble from the strings, deft woodwinds and brass warmth'.

Sibelius:

'Ticciati and the LPO were on fine form'.

'Shenyang’s rich and powerful voice delivered Kullervo’s lines with authority, whilst Värelä’s full-bodied tone gave suitable weight to the sister, and she delivered her more detailed and often rapid text with clarity'.

Shenyang, Miina-Liisa Värelä,
the YL Male Voice Choir & the LPO
© Nick Boston

'(The YL Male Voice Choir) produced a beautifully blended sound, and their pianissimo singing was impressive'. 

'Ticciati was at his most expressive for the big finish finale ... bringing a strong performance of Sibelius’ dramatic proto-symphony to an end'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Shenyang, Miina-Liisa Värelä, Robin Ticciati,
the YL Male Voice Choir & the LPO
© Nick Boston

Beth Taylor’s commanding Sea Pictures the highlight of the LPO’s all-Elgar evening

Beth Taylor, Edward Gardner & the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© Mark Allan Photography

Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano)

Edward Gardner (conductor)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Pieter Schoeman (leader)

7.30pm, Wednesday 26 November 2025

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★★

Elgar, Edward (1857-1934): In the South (Alassio), Concert overture for orchestra, Op. 50

                                             Sea Pictures, Op. 50

                                             Sospiri for string orchestra and harp, Op. 70

                                             Enigma Variations on an Original Theme for Orchestra, Op. 36

In the South (Alassio):

'They started as they meant to go on, with a joyous rendition of In The South (Alassio) full of lush energy from the off'.

Edward Gardner conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© Mark Allan Photography

Sea Pictures:

'... her rich dark mezzo tones captivating, with every word audible and expressively delivered, even at the lowest end of her range'.

'A superlative performance – surely a recording with this team should follow?'

Sospiri:

'Gardner and the LPO strings with harp kept things understated here ... as a result, it had all the more emotional impact'.

Edward Gardner & Beth Taylor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Enigma Variations:

'Gardner and the LPO gave us a reading full of energy and freshness. The big moments were there, but Gardner always kept things moving along, avoiding any wallowing'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Gardner and the LPO scale Alpine heights with majestic ease

Edward Gardner conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© Mark Allan

Steven Osborne (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Edward Gardner (conductor)

7.30pm, Friday 21 February, 2025

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

León, Tania (b.1943): Pasajes

Grieg, Edvard (1843-1907): Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

Encore:

arr. Osborne, Steven (b.1971): Londonderry Air

Strauss, Richard (1864-1949): Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64

León:

'Gardner and the LPO gave a precise and energetic performance, with convincing confidence in its challenging rhythms'.

Steven Osborne, Edward Gardner & the LPO
© Nick Boston

Grieg:

'...we were certainly in safe hands, with Osborne delivering an effortlessly commanding performance of the Grieg'.

Strauss:

'From the atmospheric opening, the falling minor string scale prefiguring the glorious major sunrise theme, Gardner had the LPO on a tight leash'.

'Gardner kept a steely control, within which the players could really let rip. And let rip they did'.

'This was a majestic performance, and a glorious conclusion to another fine outing from the LPO, Gardner continuing to impressively raise their game'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Edward Gardner & the LPO
© Nick Boston

Energetic Scottish Symphony lifts a weighty evening of the Schumanns and Mendelssohns

Natalia Ponomarchuk
© Alina Harmash

Alexander Melnikov (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Natalia Ponomarchuk (conductor)

 

7.30pm, Saturday 20 January 2024

Brighton Dome 

★★★

Fanny Hensel, née Mendelssohn (1805-1847): Overture in C major

Clara Schumann (1819-1896): Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7

Robert Schumann (1810-1856): Introduction and Allegro for piano and orchestra, Op. 134

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Symphonhy No. 3 in A minor (Scottish)

Fanny Hensel:

'The LPO's violins responded to the horn’s quiet opening with lyricism, although their pick-up following the introduction was a little imprecise'.

Clara Schumann:

'Melnikov was most at home in the lyrically rhapsodic slow movement, joined by guest principal cellist, Waynne Kwon, beautifully complementing Melnikov’s lyricism with warmth and depth'.

Robert Schumann:

'Melnikov’s chromatic scales swirled and the orchestra surged appropriately in response. He was assured in the delicate intricate passagework, but occasionally, in the more bombastic moments, attention to detail was surprisingly matter of fact, with more than a few imprecisions creeping in'.

Felix Mendelssohn:

'Here the LPO winds came into their own, with a flowing clarinet opening and fizzing articulation from them all, complemented well by the joyful string filigree passages'.

'Once at full pelt, Ponomarchuk elicited rich and expressive drama. The finale had immediate attack, and the fugal sections here were tight. Clarinet and bassoon gave a delightfully expressive duet, and then the transformed ‘Holyrood’ delivered stately grandeur, with glorious horns to finish'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Tchaikovsky's Fifth lifts Gergely Madaras' LPO debut

Gergely Madaras
© Marco Borggreve

Zlatomir Fung (cello)
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Gergely Madaras (conductor)

7.30pm, Saturday 11 February 2023

Brighton Dome

★★★

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893):

 Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture

 Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra, Op. 33

 Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

Romeo & Juliet:

'Madaras and the LPO gave a sound reading, with tight ensemble and precision throughout, as well as moments of delicacy from muted violins and smooth woodwind textures'.

'Greater edge and urgency was needed in the string accents and surges, and the passionate explosion of the consummating love theme lacked ecstasy, giving us a Romeo and Juliet within a somewhat narrowed bandwidth'.

Rococo Variations:

'Zlatomir Fung performed with an openness and delicate simplicity, whilst delivering the not inconsiderable virtuosic demands with a lightness of touch throughout'.

Symphony No. 5:

'From the start, Madaras exploited a much broader range of dynamics, with surging strings following on from the sombre woodwind opening, and a blistering climax before the movement gallops off into the dark, bass-register distance'.

'By the finale, it felt like Madaras and the LPO were fully settled in, with rushing string waves, fateful brass calls and the woodwind once again nimble and precise'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Gergely Madaras & the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© N Boston 

Dazzling Tippett from Steven Osborne and the London Philharmonic

Steven Osborne, Edward Gardner
& the London Philharmonic Orchestra
© London Philharmonic Orchestra

Steven Osborne (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Edward Gardner (conductor)

7.30pm, Wednesday 25 January 2023

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912): Solemn Prelude, Op. 40

Michael Tippett (1905-1998): Piano Concerto

Keith Jarrett (b.1945)/Steven Osborne (b.1971): Vienna Concert, opening (improvisation)

Edward Elgar (1857-1934): Symphony No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 55

Coleridge-Taylor:

'The LPO and Edward Gardner gave a lusciously rich performance, the orchestra's impressive string sound in particular setting out their stall well for the Elgar later in the evening'.

Tippett:

'Steven Osborne was on dazzling form technically, but also expertly managed the complicated interplay with the orchestra'.

'Gardner kept a tight rein on proceedings too, controlling the dynamics of the richly textured, often spikily polyphonic orchestration'. 

Elgar:

'Gardner took the scurrying second movement at a pace, and the LPO responded with energy and precision'.

'Gardner allowed the detail to emerge, holding onto the building tension, giving the final return of the noble theme added power, bringing a fine performance to a triumphant conclusion'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Collaboration not conflict: dazzlingly virtuosic Dean from Gerhardt and the LPO

Alban Gerhardt (© Kaupo Kikkas)

Alban Gerhardt (cello)

Edward Gardner (conductor)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

7.30pm, Wednesday 27 April 2022

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976): Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20

Brett Dean (b.1961): Cello Concerto (UK premiere)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): Symphony No. 5 in D major

Edward Gardner (© Mark Allan)

Britten:

'Gardner’s conducting was suitably controlled and precise, yet he also brought out the dark emotions beneath the surface'.

Dean:

'Gardner’s beat was incredibly precise throughout ... and the LPO players have also embraced the work, so that it never felt like an arduous exercise in counting and rhythm'.

'A highly engaging concerto, performed with incredible precision and commitment by soloist and orchestra alike'.

Vaughan Williams:

'Gardner and the LPO gave us reassuring warmth ... and assured solos from across the orchestra'.

'Gardner expertly built towards the radiant climax ... with a masterfully controlled slowing down to the peaceful close'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Lupo’s Ravel with Mena & the LPO steals the show from The Rite of Spring

Benedetto Lupo (© Carlo Cofano)

Juanjo Mena (conductor)

Benedetto Lupo (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Wednesday 21 February 2018

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

Debussy (orch. Büsser): Printemps: Symphonic Suite

Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand

Delius: Idylle de Printemps

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

Juanjo Mena

Debussy: 'The final 'burst of joy' ..., with Mena almost leaping off the podium, made for a great start to the evening'.

Ravel:  (Lupo) 'balanced the virtuosic challenges, covering the full extent of the keyboard with Ravel’s skilfully lyrical writing for the piano'.

'Effortlessly natural, making this the stand out performance of the evening'.

Stravinsky: 'Mena is a joy to watch, and the final abrupt ending was truly exciting'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

'All that is dark and oppressive will disappear': Deeply affecting performances from Jurowski and the LPO: BBC Prom 66

© Chris Christodoulou

BBC Prom 66

Mitsuko Uchida (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra 

Vladimir Jurowski (conductor)

Beethoven: Overture 'Fidelio', Op. 72

Schoenberg: Piano Concerto, Op. 42

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65

Royal Albert Hall, Friday 4 September 2015

'Uchida’s focus was total, communicating constantly with the orchestra and Jurowski'.

'A powerfully bleak reading of Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 8 in C minor'.

'A spellbinding performance of a deeply troubling symphony'.

'Sadly, such an expression of the consequences and aftermath of war felt disturbingly relevant and current'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Rory Macdonald's LPO debut: confident, intelligent and commanding

© Benjamin Ealovega

Rory Macdonald had his debut concert conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Brighton on Saturday.  They performed Humperdinck's Prelude to Hansel and Gretel, and were then joined by pianist Lambis Vassiliadis for Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21.  For an encore, Vassiliadis played Liszt's Réminiscences de Norma, S394.  The concert ended with Dvořák's Symphony no. 8 in G major, Op.88.

Brighton Dome, Saturday 17 January 2015.

'fine orchestral playing and an intelligent performance in particular of Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony'

'a strong and arresting performance, receiving a deservedly warm reception from the Brighton audience'.

Read my full review here.

Masterful Sibelius from Osmo Vänskä – and not a symphony in sight

© Greg Helgeson

Osmo Vänskä and the London Philharmonic Orchestra play Sibelius - The Bard, Op. 64, the Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22 and the Violin Concerto, Op. 47 with Alexandra Soumm.
Royal Festival Hall, 5 November 2014.

'Vänskä demonstrated his command in shaping the winding ... phrases'

'A full-blooded, impassioned performance' from Alexandra Soumm.

Read my full review here.

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Brighton Dome

Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Schumann, Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129

Elgar, Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma), Op. 36

David Parry (conductor)

Narek Hakhnazaryan (cello)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Brighton Dome, Saturday 13 March 2013

I was pleasantly surprised to see such a full audience on a cold, wet and windy night in Brighton to hear the London Philharmonic Orchestra perform, conducted by David Parry.  True, the programme was a crowd pleaser - Beethoven 5, Schumann's Cello Concerto and Elgar's Enigma Variations - 'nothing we can't hum there', to quote Victoria Wood.  But the performances this evening were anything but workaday, and all three pieces were extremely warmly received.

The Beethoven began slightly scrappily, with the ensemble not quite there for the iconic opening motif.  However, once the orchestra had settled into Parry's sprightly tempo, they warmed to the task, and this turned out to be a highly enjoyable performance, surprisingly fresh and full of life.  The wind playing was particularly strong - this proved to be the case throughout the evening in fact.  The brief oboe solo before the recapitulation in the first movement was sensitively played, and the whole wind section relished the beautiful chamber-like passages in the slow movement.  I thought Parry also brought out the dance in the lilting opening cello line rather nicely here.  Again, string ensemble was not 100% tight in the scherzo - this time the cellos were culprits.  I wonder if Parry's tempi were faster than the LPO are used to - although I'm sure they were capable of the challenge he set, and the pace certainly give the necessary energy and spirit to what could have otherwise been just another Beethoven 5.  However, they all took flight in the lively finale, bringing the symphony to its emphatic and triumphant close.

The Schumann Cello Concerto followed, with the 25-year-old Armenian cellist, Narek Hakhnazaryan.  This is an interesting work, the three movements running with no breaks between, and with a surprising lack of virtuosity in the solo part.  For most of the time, it is the lyricism of the cello that is emphasised, and the orchestra takes a back seat, allowing the cello lines to sing.  However, for me, I'm never quite sure where this piece is going, with the result that when they arrive in the lively finale, and the pace picks up, it almost comes as a bit of a surprise.  Hakhnazaryan exploited the romantic lyricism to the full, producing a beautiful tone, and managing the balance issues well, ably assisted by Parry keeping the orchestral dynamics in check.  So, some beautiful playing here, but a performance somehow slightly lacking in life.  Interestingly, however, we were then treated to an encore from Hakhnazaryan, and here one felt he finally was able to let loose.  The piece was not announced, so I'm not sure what it was, but I'm assuming it is Armenian, and may well have been written or improvised by Hakhnazaryan.  (Update:  Apparently, it was Lamentatio by Italian cellist and composer Giovanni Sollima - thanks, LPO!  He's also a member of the Silk Road Ensemble).  Here his virtuosity was allowed to show in all its glory - the piece open with him vocalising over the top of double-stopping, and he then managed to include virtually every cello technique in the few minutes that followed.  Here was the energy and life that I would have liked to have seen in the Schumann, and the audience certainly loved this too.

After the interval, the orchestra returned for Elgar's Enigma Variations.  Once again, there was lots here that took this beyond a standard rendition of a popular classic, and again, this was largely due to the energetic tempi set by Parry.  Sadly, he was forced to wait at the start as some particularly persistent coughers prevented him from creating the silence he wanted for the opening.  However, with this put behind them, this settled into a very enjoyable performance.  Some of the same features from the Beethoven were present here, and again, it was the wind playing that stood out for me, with some particularly tight ensemble playing in Variation III (R.B.T.).  Once again the sprightly tempi resulted in a few moments of scrappy string ensemble, notably in the violins at the start of Variation II (H.D.S-P.).  However, this was a small detail, and elsewhere the strings produced warm Elgarian tones, and certainly enjoyed themselves in the famous 'Nimrod', Variation IX, with David Parry controlling this well, avoiding over-indulgence yet allowing for the undeniable emotion to be released.  The principal Viola (Gilliane Haddow) and Cello (Francis Bucknall) are both worthy of mention for their solos, the viola in Variation VI (Isobel) and again briefly in Variation XII (B.G.N.), and the cello in Variation X (Intermezzo: Dorabella).  Parry then brought the evening to a rousing close, with a rip-roaring finale.