It has been a few weeks since that unforgettable evening of 3 June 2025 when music met the divine at OVO Arena Wembley. For one magical night, the legendary Lara Fabian brought her Voices tour to London, but what truly made it historic was the special appearance of Dimash Qudaibergen, whose voice stopped time. Dimash … Continue reading “Dimash in London: A Night from Another World”
Bold, bleak, and unforgettable: Semele at the Royal Opera House
Oliver Mears’s staging of Handel’s dramma per musica offers a strikingly dark and provocative reinterpretation of Semele, now running at Covent Garden through July 18. Mears places the tale in a glitzy yet soulless the 1960s luxury hotel, where ambition and betrayal play out against sleek Art Deco backdrops and an ever-present furnace motif. This … Continue reading “Bold, bleak, and unforgettable: Semele at the Royal Opera House”
Istanbul Jazz Festival 2025: A Celebration of Sound, Soul, and the Spirit of the Times
Jazz first captivated European audiences in the early decades of the 20th century. A century later, its vibrant pulse still resonates across the continent — perhaps nowhere more powerfully than in Istanbul, where the 32nd International Jazz Festival is now in full swing. A city at the crossroads of East and West, Istanbul becomes a … Continue reading “Istanbul Jazz Festival 2025: A Celebration of Sound, Soul, and the Spirit of the Times”
Music from a time capsule: Respighi’s ‘Antique Arias and Dances’
Imagine that you have found an old, dusty music book with melodies written hundreds of years ago for a lute or harpsichord. They are beautiful, but their sounds seem distant and fragile. Now imagine that a genius artist took these melodies and coloured them with the richest and velvety tones of a modern string orchestra, … Continue reading “Music from a time capsule: Respighi’s ‘Antique Arias and Dances’”
William Lawes: A Seventeenth-Century Court Musician Reflected in English History
Among the paintings in the Oxford University collection, a ceremonial portrait of a young man by an unknown artist stands out. This portrait, known through several copies and the source of numerous unanswered questions, conveys the aristocratic image of an English cavalier. He is depicted full-length, leaning on a cane—a symbol of courtly etiquette—and … Continue reading “William Lawes: A Seventeenth-Century Court Musician Reflected in English History”
Tchaikovsky’s Italian Holidays
A glance over the vast creative legacy of Pyotr Tchaikovsky reveals a recurring fascination with Italy—evident in the titles, motifs, and moods of many of his works. From Romeo and Juliet and Francesca da Rimini to the Neapolitan Song from the Children’s Album, Italian references abound. Among these is the lesser-known chamber work Souvenir de … Continue reading “Tchaikovsky’s Italian Holidays”
Curious Passions of Musical Geniuses
When we think of the great composers, we often imagine them wholly absorbed in their art — tirelessly sketching melodies, chasing harmonies, and living entirely within the world of music. But even the most devoted musical minds had hobbies and passions outside their creative work — and some of them might surprise you. Let’s take … Continue reading “Curious Passions of Musical Geniuses”
Magic Out of Control: Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Paul Dukas was famously self-critical, leaving behind a relatively small body of work. Yet The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, composed in 1897, instantly became his signature piece — and remains one of the most beloved orchestral hits of all time. Some music tells a story so vividly it feels like you’re watching an animated film or reading … Continue reading “Magic Out of Control: Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
🎬 John Field: The Adventures of an Irishman in Russia
What happens when an Irish piano virtuoso becomes one of the most influential musical figures in Imperial Russia? That’s the story explored in my new short documentary, John Field: The Adventures of an Irishman in Russia. Often overshadowed by the fame of his musical ‘successor’ Frédéric Chopin, John Field was a pioneering composer of the … Continue reading “🎬 John Field: The Adventures of an Irishman in Russia”
Echoes in Silence: The Unheard Genius of Fanny Mendelssohn
‘The boy is gifted, the girl is a genius’. That’s what the music teachers of young Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn told their parents. Expectations for brilliance ran high—their grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn, was a leading philosopher of the Enlightenment. But the family’s musical talent came from another branch of the tree: their mother, Lea Mendelssohn, an … Continue reading “Echoes in Silence: The Unheard Genius of Fanny Mendelssohn”