LSO/Pappano at the Barbican review: the Covent Garden maestro steps into Simon Rattle’s shoes This marked Sir Antonio Papano’s first concert as chief conductor designate of the London Symphony Orchestra Evening Standard · Oct 5, 2023
The week in classical: Das Rheingold; Lucerne festival review – all about oil From an all-consuming performance of Barrie Kosky’s fierce new Rheingold to a stage invasion in Lucerne, musical excellence and the climate emergency went hand in hand The Guardian - UK · Sep 16, 2023
Das Rheingold at the Royal Opera review: this could be a Ring to savour as it unfolds in the coming years Christopher Maltman is well on the way to becoming a truly great Wotan Evening Standard · Sep 12, 2023
‘The most dangerous stage I’ve ever been on’: the wildest performances of Wagner’s Ring Gods! Dragons! Horned helmets! Swords! Valkyries! The 15-hour apocalyptic epic is about to explode onto the Royal Opera stage. But what’s the best way to tackle ‘the ultimate opera’? The Guardian - UK · Sep 6, 2023
The week in classical: 74th Aldeburgh Festival; Werther – review From thundering Thorvaldsdóttir to late-night Bach, it’s a standout year for Britten’s music festival, while at the ROH Jonas Kaufmann made a subdued Werther The Guardian - UK · Jun 24, 2023
Werther review – Kaufmann heads strong cast in stylishly sung and fabulously played revival This revival of Benoît Jacquot’s 2004 staging of Massenet’s tragedy sees Antonio Pappano and his orchestra on top form. Kaufmann was not at full strength but Aigul Akhmetshina’s Charlotte shone The Guardian - UK · Jun 21, 2023
Il trovatore; The Planets; Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed at the Orchestra review – from Bosch to Bash Street Spellbinding Jamie Barton and company excel in Adele Thomas’s clear-sighted take on volatile Verdi; to the final frontier via Peckham; and kazoos at the ready for a Beano Concerto The Guardian - UK · Jun 10, 2023
Il trovatore review – cruelty played out with anarchic imagination Adele Thomas’s visually arresting production mixes levity with tragedy, as fervent orchestral play is matched by expressive singing from a fine cast The Guardian - UK · Jun 4, 2023
Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne and Wozzeck at the Royal Opera House mark a glorious start to the season A pair of nuanced and contemporary reimaginings Evening Standard · May 22, 2023
Wozzeck review – Gerhaher’s victim shuffles towards disaster in nuanced staging Deborah Warner’s focused and vivid new production avoids caricature, and, with superb singing and Antonio Pappano’s conducting, drama and music dovetail perfectly The Guardian - UK · May 21, 2023
Turbocharge philanthropy, conga to Beethoven, ditch the ukuleles: 10 ways to save classical music After cuts by Arts Council England and the BBC, Simon Rattle says UK opera houses and orchestras have never faced greater peril. How can they fight back? Top musicians outline their battle plans The Guardian - UK · May 16, 2023
Coronation composer Iain Farrington on making music fit for a king – and what the cameras didn’t show One of 12 coronation composers, Farrington’s brief was to reflect the music of the Commonwealth. On the organ. In five minutes. He tells us about a day of the sublime and the ridiculous The Guardian - UK · May 9, 2023
The King has chosen music to ‘stir the soul’ for Coronation, says conductor Pappano The King has chosen music for his Coronation to “stir the soul”, according to the man who will conduct the orchestra on the historic day. Evening Standard · Apr 26, 2023
The week in classical: Siemens Hallé international conductors competition; LSO/ Hannigan; Turandot – review A trio of young conductors vie for a job with the Hallé; Barbara Hannigan takes Mahler at his word; and Antonio Pappano makes a thriller of Puccini’s final opera The Guardian - UK · Mar 18, 2023
The Guardian - UK · Mar 9, 2023 Puccini: Turandot review – rare bonus material and vibrant playing make Pappano’s version stand out Puccini’s original score was ‘finished’ by Franco Alfano, whose additions are heard uncut on this dramatic all-star recording
The Guardian - UK · Feb 13, 2023 LSO/Pappano review – a serving of big-boned late-romantic symphonism Barbican, London Pappano leads the LSO with terrifying finesse for Coleridge-Taylor, Strauss and Liszt works, in anticipation of his new role as chief conductor in 2024
The Guardian - UK · Oct 18, 2022 Royal Opera House announces Jakub Hrůša as its new music director The Czech-born conductor will take over from Antonio Pappano in 2025. He talks exclusively to the Guardian about what shape the opera house will take under his musical leadership
The Guardian - UK · Oct 1, 2022 The week in classical: Aida; Candide; Manchester Collective: Weather – review Verdi’s music reigns supreme in the Royal Opera’s austere new staging of Aida; a community Bernstein production raises the roof; and a cult 90s work has never felt more timely
Evening Standard · Jul 13, 2022 Otello at Royal Opera House: Russell Thomas is Covent Garden’s first black singer in the role Russell Thomas had striking stage presence in this revival of Keith Warner’s production
The Guardian - UK · Jun 4, 2022 The week in classical: Samson et Dalila; Lise Davidsen & Freddie De Tommaso with James Baillieu Strength comes in many forms in the Royal Opera’s revelatory new Samson et Dalila; and two star singers in the ascendant hit all the high notes
The Guardian - UK · May 27, 2022 Samson et Dalila review – Saint-Saëns’ opera has style and a new star in SeokJong Baek Richard Jones’ vibrant new production can’t compensate for the work’s dramatic weaknesses, but soloists and chorus alike are on top form, and conductor Antonio Pappano relishes the score’s melodiousness