WORD SEARCH: Can you solve Allan Rae's classical music word search puzzles? We're currently publishing one per month.
CD Spotlight. A Trailblazer of Classical Expression - Anett Fodor encourages music enthusiasts to experience 'Il Boemo – The Czech'. '... a gateway, unveiling hidden treasures from a bygone era.'
Profile. Big Roles - Ron Bierman talks to American soprano Michelle Bradley
Ensemble. 'Doktor Faust' returns to Florence - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Ferruccio Busoni's opera
CD Spotlight. Challenges Aplenty - Music by Francesco Veracini, strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... Federico Guglielmo rises to the occasion with an awareness that is enthusiastically sensitive ...'
Ensemble. Don Carlo in the Mists - Giuseppe Pennisi visits Florence for a performance of Verdi's most complex and monumental opera
CD Spotlight. Rarities and Discoveries - Gerald Fenech listens to some unusual Verdi. 'A memorable programme, passionately performed and splendidly recorded ...'
CD Spotlight. Irish Coffee - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Puccini's 'La bohème' from Irish National Opera. 'The excellent Italian diction of all the singers, both the protagonists and those in secondary roles, is remarkable.'
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Seven Tuscan Nights
CD Spotlight. Passion, Intensity and Verve - Gerald Fenech listens to Giordano's 'Siberia'. '... full of emotional warmth and heartfelt fidelity.'
CD Spotlight. A Verdi Avenue - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Francesco Meli. '... a demonstration of Meli's ability but also of his genuine love for Verdi ...'
Ensemble. Gardiner's Falstaff - Giuseppe Pennisi visits Florence for a new production of Verdi's comic opera
Classical music news. Obituary - Sylvano Bussotti (1931-2021)
CD Spotlight. A Masterpiece Re-discovered in Wexford - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the opera 'Risurrezione' by Franco Alfano. 'Francesco Lanzillotta conducts the orchestra of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino skilfully.'
Ensemble. Star Wars - Giuseppe Pennisi recommends listening to but not watching Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's production of Verdi's 'La forza del destino'
Ensemble. Zubin's Otello - Giuseppe Pennisi watches a new Florence production of Verdi's 'Otello' on Italian TV
Ensemble. It Pays to be Brave - George Frideric Handel's 'Rinaldo' in Florence, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Full-blooded Italianate Roots - Stephen Francis Vasta listens to Donizetti's 'La favorite'. '... Fabio Luisi projects the score with refinement and character.'
Ensemble. Gruesome and Engrossing - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Franco Alfano's rarely performed opera 'Risurrezione' in Florence
Ensemble. Economical but Effective - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews the new production of Puccini's 'Trittico' in Florence
Ensemble. Florence Rediscovers a Masterpiece - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Gaspare Spontini's 'Fernand Cortez ou La Conquête du Mexique'
Classical music news. Obituary - Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019)
Ensemble. In Full Swing - Bellini's 'La Straniera' at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. The Tragedy of Not Dying - A new Florence production of Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. The Endless Darkness of Light - Adriano Guarnieri's new opera at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Born Again - Hindemith's 'Cardillac' at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Carnal Passion and Religion - Giuseppe Pennisi is more impressed by the musical than the visual aspects of Donizetti's 'La favorite' in Florence
Ensemble. Vocally Splendid - Giuseppe Pennisi visits Florence, where the audience is enthralled by the first performance there of Puccini's 'La Rondine'
Ensemble. Visions of Human Suffering - Lyric Verdi, and a great success, but in some ways a 'Don Carlo' of losers at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Musical Extremities - Works by Schoenberg and Portera, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances are satisfyingly macabre in Schoenberg's work, while Portera's piece is given a well-rounded and detailed interpretation.'
Ensemble. A Great Revival - Leonardo Vinci and Pietro Metastasio's 'Didone Abbandonata', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Delight - 'Albert Herring' in Florence impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Precursor to Decadentism - Tchaikovsky's 'Iolanta' in Florence, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Troubles in Florence - Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's 'Fidelio' is performed under difficult conditions, described by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Romantic Premonitions - Bellini's 'I Puritani', enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Orpheus versus Orpheus - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys 'Orfeo e Euridice' at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and surveys the different versions of Gluck's opera
Ensemble. Champagne not Orange Juice - Prokofiev's 'The Love of Three Oranges', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Metaphysical Realm - Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Rather Classical - Silvia Colasanti's 'La Metamorfosi', experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
DVD Spotlight. Panache and Style - Janácek's 'The Cunning Little Vixen', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... much bewitching music ...'
CD Spotlight. Extremely Well-crafted - British music for oboe and strings, heard by Patric Standford. '... a particularly valuable contribution to the catalogue.'
Ensemble. Troubles in Florence - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening night of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Ensemble. Important Debuts - 'Der Rosenkavalier' at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, a festival with a rich programme but a dire financial situation, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Nearly Late Romantic - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening night of the new production in Florence of Janácek's 'The Makropoulos Case'
Ensemble. Achingly Beautiful - Vivaldi's 'La verità in cimento' at Garsington Opera, reviewed by Roderic Dunnett
Ensemble. Too Clever by Half - A very British version of Mozart's 'Die Entführung aus dem Serail' returns to Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Real Triumph - The first Milan performance of Britten's 'Death in Venice' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Full of Irony - Shostakovich's 'The Nose', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Mediterranean Splendour - Dancing to Bizet's 'L'Arlésienne' and 'Carmen', by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Growing Up - Hans Werner Henze's 'Pollicino' thrills children and adults in Florence, by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. High Expectations - Barenboim's 'Das Rheingold' at La Scala, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Difficult to Forget - Richard Strauss' 'Die Frau ohne Schatten', enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Top-notch Formation - Operas by Zemlinsky and Puccini, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Nearly Unknown - Bologna's Renaissance music, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... an efficient and effective local ensemble ...'
CD Spotlight. Mozart across Niagara - Peter Hatch's 'Wiki Mozart' delights Jennifer Paull. '... an intoxicating cocktail.'
Ensemble. True Artistry - Howard Smith attends New Zealand's Music Fair of Japan 2009
CD Spotlight. Consistently Refined - Debussy transcriptions, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... these alternatives are never less than striking ...'
CD Spotlight. A Definitive View - Imbi Tarum plays French Baroque harpsichord music, recommended by Peter G Howell. 'The playing is superb ...'
Ensemble. A Very Unusual Evening - Monteverdi's 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', reviewed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. Lively Pacing - Verdi's 'Macbeth' in Arizona, reviewed by Maria Nockin