A selection of 'ballet music' articles

Classical music news. Christopher Wheeldon's new ballet - A new ballet inspired by life and work of Oscar Wilde is to receive its first performances by the Australian Ballet and will be streamed worldwide

Classical music news - July 2024 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. A Very Satisfying Evening - Keith Bramich enjoys a charity concert in London

Spotlight. Mysteriously Fascinating - Gerald Fenech wholeheartedly recommends orchestral music by Béla Bartók. 'The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra plays flawlessly throughout.'

Ensemble. Radically New for Western Audiences - Adam J Sacks reports from the Hong Kong Arts Festival

Spotlight. Highly Imaginative - Gerald Fenech warmly recommends music by Manuel de Falla and Igor Stravinsky. '... an absolute joy.'

Ensemble. A Terrific Concert - Ron Bierman listens to Gill Shaham and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rafael Payare

Spotlight. Fire and Brimstone - Gerald Fenech marvels at Alpesh Chauhan's new Tchaikovsky recording with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for Chandos. '... Chauhan's passionate approach is consistently vibrant, sensitive and fastidiously attentive to orchestral details.'

Spotlight. Charmfully Invigorating - Gerald Fenech listens to eighteenth century composer Boismortier's 'Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse'. 'Matthias Maute and his Ensemble Caprice deliver performances of the utmost clarity ...'

Profile. It's Art - Ron Bierman talks to Amerian opera director Kyle Lang

Spotlight. One of the Happiest French Symphonies - Gerald Fenech is impressed by Édouard Lalo's orchestral music. '... consistently transparent and intensely alive.'

Learning How to Play Again with 'The Nutcracker' - Jeffrey Neil shares some thoughts about Tchaikovsky's ballet, following a visit to Oakland Ballet's production in California, USA

Spotlight. A Sparkling New Edition - Ravel's complete ballet 'Daphnis et Chloé', strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... a thrilling and vibrant journey of melodic invention.'

CD Spotlight. A More Advanced Creed - Adolphe Adam's ballet 'Orfa', passionately recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... really arresting playing full of joy and rhythmic beauty.'

Ensemble. An Elegy for Mother Earth - Adam J Sacks listens to John Luther Adams' 'Vespers of the Blessed Earth'

Classical music news - April 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

CD Spotlight. Lush Orchestrations - Gerald Fenech listens to orchestral music by British composer Philip Lane. '... so much to enjoy.'

CD Spotlight. A Compelling Account - Stravinsky for orchestra, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'Mäkelä and the Orchestre de Paris share a compelling vision in both works, and are on their very best form.'

Ensemble. A Christmas 'Don Quixote' - Giuseppe Pennisi recommends a visit to the ballet

CD Spotlight. Colourful Scoring - Dances and Ballet Music by Camille Saint-Saëns impress Gerald Fenech. '... a highly attractive choral disc, refreshingly performed and sumptuously recorded ...'

Classical music news - November 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. In Honour of Carla Fracci - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. A Worthy Venture - Adam J Sacks reports on two Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra concerts

Ensemble. Preljocaj is Back in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on two contemporary ballets at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Changing Tastes - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for Leonard Bernstein's 'Mass'

CD Spotlight. The Magic of Ballets Russes - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Warner Classics' box set. '... a gem which should be on the shelves of all those interested in the music of the early decades of the twentieth century ...'

Ensemble. Merging Scores with Care - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys the ballet 'Il Corsaro'

CD Spotlight. Magical Brilliance - Gerald Fenech listens to orchestral music by Ravel. '... wonderfully detailed accounts that reveal all of Ravel's orchestral finesse and deft harmonic touches.'

Classical music news - March 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Three Contemporary Ballets in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for 'Herman Schmerman', 'Walking Mad' and 'From Afar', to music by Thom Willems, Maurice Ravel, Arvo Pärt and Ezio Bosso

CD Spotlight. A Magical Touch with Orchestral Colours - Music by Ravel, heard by Natalie Artemas-Polak. 'John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London's superb disc is a joy to listen to, and the sound quality is crisp and clear.'

Ensemble. Musical Fairy Tales - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to ballet music in Rome

Ensemble. A Different 'Nutcracker' - Giuliano Peparini's staging of Tchaikovsky ballet, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi and his grandson

CD Spotlight. Dash and Swagger - Gerald Fenech listens to Arthur Sullivan's 'Victoria and Merrie England'. '... playing of the highest order ...'

CD Spotlight. Dance Music - Lowell Liebermann's ballet 'Frankenstein', heard by Gerald Fenech. '... an electrifying aura ...'

CD Spotlight. Welcome back Lord Berners - Gerald Fenech listens to two stage works by an enigmatic English composer. 'Soloists and chorus deliver some flawless singing, and their great attention to the text creates a sense of reverential homage to the sacred.'

Ensemble. Elegance and Drama - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by Roland Petit's two act ballet 'Notre Dame de Paris'

CD Spotlight. A Wayward Artist with Many Talents - Gerald Fenech listens to music by Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson. 'David Lloyd-Jones has this music under his skin ...'

Ensemble. A Long Love Affair - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the Stravinsky anniversary celebrations in Rome

CD Spotlight. Stravinsky's Breakthrough - Gerald Fenech listens to Diaghilev's commissions. '... absolutely enthralling, revelatory and consistently vibrant.'

Ensemble. Three Days in Ravenna - Giuseppe Pennisi samples Northern Italy's high profile and wide-ranging arts festival

CD Spotlight. Truly Exciting - Music by Alexander von Zemlinsky and Franz Schreker, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Petrenko has this music in his blood, and the performances have a sweep and power that keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.'

Classical music news - May 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

CD Spotlight. A True Rarity - Adolphe Adam's ballet 'La filleule des fées', heard by Gerald Fenech. '... brilliant orchestration, some knock-out tunes and an abundance of rhythmic energy.'

Ensemble. Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Re-opens - Giuseppe Pennisi was in a box for the opening night

Ensemble. In the Easter Egg - Giuseppe Pennisi takes a critical look at two April 2021 performances of Verdi's 'La Traviata'

Classical music news - March 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

CD Spotlight. In Grand Style - Ballet music by Tcherepnin, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Henry Shek, performs this music ... with all the passion and commitment such a score requires.'

Classical music news. Hans van Manen Variations - Dutch National Ballet livestreams six ballets from the Dutch master of dance, with musical accompaniment by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Ensemble. The Greatest La Scala Extravaganza - An unusual opening to La Scala's season in Milan, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Great Emphasis on Detail - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys streamed performances of a Carmen double bill in Rome

Ensemble. True Balletic Virtuosity - Adam J Sacks reports from the first performance of HK Ballet's new season

Ensemble. Dancing Vivaldi during Social Distancing - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's Circus Maximus

Classical music news - May 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Intimate Suffering - Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Light and Shade - George Colerick writes about idealised beauty alongside the grotesque in the 1951 film 'The Tales of Hoffmann'

The Ballets Russes - George Colerick tells the story of the early twentieth century ballet company

Ensemble. 'Don Quixote' Returns - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome's Opera House on the Ludwig Minkus ballet

Classical music news. Obituary - Alicia Alonso (1920-2019)

Ensemble. Mastery and Versatility - Giuseppe Pennisi attends three Tokyo Ballet performances in Rome

Ensemble. Ballet of Sheep - Opera Della Luna's 'Orpheus in the Underworld' at the Buxton Festival, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Classical music news. Obituary - Arif Melikov (1933-2019)

Ensemble. A Superb Mix of Music and Visuals - 'Snow White' danced to music by Gustav Mahler, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Book review. A Multi-art Extravaganza - Ron Bierman reads Gillian Moore's 'The Rite of Spring, the Music of Modernity'

Ensemble. Satisfyingly Mysterious - Mike Wheeler listens to Lyadov, Stravinsky and Rachmaninov from Derby Concert Orchestra

Ensemble. A Brand New 'Carmen' Ballet - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the opening night at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Skills and Elegance - Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new production of 'Swan Lake' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Not Quite Christmas - Mike Wheeler listens to the Derby Concert Orchestra

Ensemble. Something Really Special - Bliss, Elgar and Vaughan Williams from Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Elizabeth Watts, Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. No Sex Please, We're Romeo and Juliet - Giuseppe Pennisi was at Rome's Terme di Caracalla for a new production of Prokofiev's ballet

CD Spotlight. Unforced Musicality - The three big Tchaikovsky ballets, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. 'Järvi always maintains the right lightness ...'

Ensemble. Romanticism and Rock - Lalo and Pink Floyd ballets in Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A New Don Quixote - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new ballet season, with a new version of Ludwig Minkus' work, creating a stylised and colorful fairytale world

Ensemble. Very Moving - A Roland Petit soirée at Opera di Roma, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Sparkling Brilliance - Gergiev conducts Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker', enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... he delivers the big moments with overwhelming power.'

Ensemble. A New Year's Eve with 'Die Fledermaus' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome

Ensemble. A Great Success - Eleonora Abbagnato's 'Four Great Choreographers' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

For the New Year - Unusual ballet productions in Italy, seen by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Two Ballets - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a new dance in Rome

Ensemble. Open-air Performance - A triptych of ballet on tour, with dancing in the monumental Roman ruins, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Live Music for Ballet - Geoff Fallon discusses its importance

Ensemble. Stylized and Abstract - Bartók and Cambodian music in Monte Carlo, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Elegant - Minkus' 'Don Quixote' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Nothing to Say - Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker', reviewed by Suzanne Torrey

Ensemble. An Erotic Flavour - Rome's new production of Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

DVD Spotlight. An Inspiring Tribute - New dance to Tchaikovsky, reviewed by Gerald Fenech. 'Sound and visuals are first-rate.'

CD Spotlight. Delectable Music - Neglected scores by Saint-Saëns, recommended by Howard Smith. 'Not to be missed.'

Ensemble. A Delicate Balance - Giuseppe Pennisi has mixed feelings about 'Aida' at the Baths of Caracalla

Ensemble. A Deep Impression - Rory Macdonald conducts the Hallé Orchestra, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Original but Controversial - 'Sicilian Vespers' as conceived by Verdi, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Orchestral Story-telling - Mike Wheeler listens to Strauss, Rimsky-Korsakov and Khachaturian from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Ensemble. Riveting Characterization - Verdi's 'Otello' at Arizona Opera impresses Maria Nockin

Ensemble. An Impressive Achievement - Berlioz's 'The Trojans' at Berlin's Deutsche Oper, assessed by Robert Hugill

Emphasis on Personalities - John Adams' 'Nixon in China', reviewed by Maria Nockin

CD Spotlight. Delicate Mastery - Orchestral music by Glazunov, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... dashingly done ...'

Ensemble. Mediterranean Splendour - Dancing to Bizet's 'L'Arlésienne' and 'Carmen', by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Consummate Virtuosity - Bryn Terfel, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Hindemith and Wagner, appreciated by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Brisk and Powerful - 'Carmen' in Tucson, enjoyed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Great Vitality - Verdi's 'Don Carlo', heard by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. Growing Up - Hans Werner Henze's 'Pollicino' thrills children and adults in Florence, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Electronics Prevails - 'Orphée' at the Roma-Europa Festival, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Hugely Satisfying - As New Zealand arts funding strikes a sour note, Howard Smith listens to the Vector Wellington Orchestra

Ensemble. Splendid Ideas - Stravinsky's 'Le Rossignol' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Serious Fun - Lynn Norris looks back at the life of composer, conductor and pianist Aubrey Bowman

CD Spotlight. An Exceptional Recording - Mozart's 'Idomeneo', treasured by Patric Standford. '... beautifully paced and crafted ...'

Ensemble. Lyrical Athleticism - The Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra celebrate Paul Taylor's eightieth birthday, reviewed by Rebecca Schmid

Ensemble. Brisk Ebullience - Lawrence Budmen sends a second report from this summer's Tanglewood Festival

CD Spotlight. Exquisitely Nuanced - Steve Davislim sings Vierne and Chausson, recommended by Howard Smith. 'I cannot think of higher praise.'

CD Spotlight. Chameleon Virtues - Barenboim conducts Gershwin, Bernstein, Ravel and Wagner, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... the oddest assortment of music.'

Ardent Charms - Bill Newman reviews two recitals by pianist Igor Tchetuev

Ensemble. Elemental Music - Malcolm Miller listens to music-theatre works by Harrison Birtwistle

CD Spotlight. Sensuality and Freedom - Stokowski conducts Schubert and Dvorák, heard by Béla Hartmann. '... one is never left in any doubt as to the force of the conductor ...'

Ensemble. Terrifying Vitality - Khachaturian's 'Spartacus' at the Cairo Opera House impresses Robert Anderson

DVD Spotlight. Perfectly Cast - The Sleeping Beauty, recommended by Howard Smith. '... utterly enchanting ...'

Ensemble. Passionately Breathtaking - The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

Record Box. Great Entertainment - Stokowski conducts ballet music, heard by Patric Standford

DVD Spotlight. Enchanting - Hérold's 'La fille mal gardée', enjoyed by Robert Anderson. '... Covent Garden at its best.'

DVD Spotlight. Sensual Drama - West Australian Ballet in Shchedrin's 'Carmen', reviewed by Malcolm Tattersall. '... colourful and energetic ...'

Ensemble. Lively Pacing - Verdi's 'Macbeth' in Arizona, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Record Box. Pleasant Sounds - Music by Karen Amrhein, reviewed by Patric Standford

Joining threads - Monica McCabe tells the story of the collaboration between David Bintley and John McCabe (concluded from last week)

Joining threads - Monica McCabe tells the story of the collaboration between David Bintley and John McCabe