Just a list so I don’t forget.
1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – English National Opera – 4th March
Not quite a war-horse of a production but Robert Carsen’s version of Britten’s Shakespearean opera looks, sounds and, well, is just wonderful.
2. Ligeti in Wonderland – South Bank – 11th, 12th and 13th May
Gyorgy Ligeti. Now bitten and no longer shy. If there is one second half of the C20 “modernist” composer every classical music buff should embrace Ligeti is that man.
3. Beethoven Cycle and Gerard Barry – Britten Sinfonia, Thomas Ades – Barbican – 22nd and 24th May
This is how Beethoven should sound. Do not miss the last instalments in the cycle this May.
4. Isabelle Faust, Kristian Bezuidenhout (harpsichord) – JS Bach
Sonatas and Partitas – Wigmore Hall and LSO St Luke’s – 9th April and 16th June
And this is how JSB should sound.
5. Opera – The Turn of the Screw – ENO – Open Air Theatre Regents Park – 29th June
Even the parakeets came in on cue in this magical, and disturbing, evening.
6. Greek – Grimeborn – The Kantanti Ensemble – Arcola Theatre – 13th August
Mark-Anthony Turnage’s breakthrough opera is still a thrill.
7. The Silver Tassie – BBCSO – Barbican Hall – 10th November
And this was a graphic reminder of why his mature masterpiece must be revived on an opera house stage.
8. BBC Prom 68 – Berlin Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko – Beethoven Symphony No 7 – Royal Albert Hall – 2nd September
Crikey. I only went for this. If Mr Petrenko keeps going on like this he might just become the greatest ever.
9. Brodsky Quartet – In Time of War – Kings Place – 18th November
A stunning Shostakovich 8th Quartet and then George Crumb’s jaw-dropping Black Angels.
10. Venice Baroque Orchestra, Avi Avital (mandolin) – Vivaldi (mostly) – Wigmore Hall – 22nd December
As rock’n’roll as the Wigmore is ever going to get.
At Home He Feels Like A Tourist 