Salzburg Festival 2026: celebrating Messiaen & Kurtág, a new Carmen, Ariadne auf Naxos on Mars, Henze, Dusapin & more. My article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/sazl...

A satisfying recital in so many ways: Katie Bray & William Vann explore the whole of Kurt Weill - In Search of Youkali on Chandos. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/a-sa...

ORA Singers opens applications for its 7th Young Composers' programme for students at non fee-paying schools across the UK. My article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/ora-...

The Benedetti Foundation on this week's BBC Radio 4 appeal. My article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/the-...

Así que pasen cinco años: Edward Lambert's Federico Garcia Lorca-based opera, In Five Years' Time debuts at The Space Theatre with The Music Troupe. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/asi-...

Celebrating 150 years of British women composers in song: SWAP'ra's Rebecca Clarke Song Competition at Royal Overseas League. My article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/cele...

Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius: Our East Anglian-based correspondent, Tony Cooper, reports on the Norwich Philharmonic Society returning to their roots at St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, after a two-year absence. Tony's article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/our-...

Le Piano Symphonique, Lucerne: from Martha Argerich & friends in Beethoven & Debussy to Jean Rondeau in self-indulgent form at KKL Luzern. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/le-p...

Le Piano Symphonique, Lucerne: pianist Alexandre Kantorow in a marathon from Prokofiev to Alkan & Medtner with an Anders Hillborg premiere with Robin Ticciati & Luzerner Sinfonieorchester at KKL Luzern. My review: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/le-p...

Le piano symphonique, Lucerne: Im Klaviergeiste Mozarts with Alexandra Dovgan, Robin Ticciati & Luzerner Sinfonieorchester in Mozart, Bach & Chopin at KKL Luzern. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/le-p...

December on Planet Hugill: Compelling Macbeth, disappointing Ariodante, and our review of 2025, via Mailchimp: mailchi.mp/planethugill...

Vivanco’s ‘lost’ Requiem: Conductor David Allinson on unearthing new treasures from the Spanish Golden Age with The Renaissance Singers on Toccata Classics. David's article: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/viva...

Connection beyond boundaries: a symphonic work inspired by Esoteric Buddhism, Symphony Kukai to be performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall with conductor Takuo Yuasa. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/conn...

Opera comes to Clapham Grand: The Merry Opera Company in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2026/01/oper...

2025 in Opera Reviews: rare Rameau, rarer Handel, the Barber in Benidorm, Iphigenia in Blackheath, Wagner at Holland Park, Mary Queen of Scots returns, & Maria Stuarda in Salzburg as kinetic music theatre. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/2025...

2025 in Concert Reviews: women's voices, Barenboim defying age, rare melodrama, Ukraine at war, Big Baroque, and much-delayed Bliss. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/2025...

The unexaminable nature of how music touches the human experience: Manfred Honeck conducts Mahler’s 4th with New World Symphony in Miami. Robert J Carreras' Letter From Florida: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/lett...

Carrying the narrative strongly & directly: Solomon's Knot in Handel's Israel in Egypt at Wigmore Hall. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/carr...

Well-upholstered & rather different: On Christmas Night from London Choral Sinfonia & Michael Waldron on Orchid Classics with a new carol from Iain Farrington & orchestrations by Owain Park. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/well...

Christmas Megamix: Matthew O'Keeffe & Brixton Chamber Orchestra's final gig in its Christmas Estates Tour 2025 at Stockwell Park Estate Community Trust. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/chri...

Opera Up-Close: Unveiling the Dramatic Process with Paul Curran coaching young singers in scenes from Mozart, Mascagni, Donizetti & Jake Heggie at Palm Beach Opera. Robert J Carreras's latest Letter from Florida. www.planethugill.com/2025/12/lett...

The extreme psychological approach weakened the dramaturgy: Handel's Ariodante returns to Covent Garden in new production by Jetske Mijnssen with Jacquelyn Stucker, Emily D'Angelo, Elena Villalon, Christophe Dumaux, Ed Lyon, cond: Stefano Montanari. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

Enjoying it for its own sake: there is much we don't know about 17th-century Exeter organist John Lugge but on this new disc Forbidden Fruit from Editions Hortus, William Whitehead leaves us engaged & intrigued. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/enjo...

Aldeburgh Festival 2026: our East Anglia-based correspondent Tony Cooper takes a deep dive into the delights on offer at next year's festival. Tony's article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/alde...

Beyond St Cecilia: Purcell's large-scale ode alongside superb anthems by his contemporaries Humfrey & Blow from The English Concert & Harry Bicket at Wigmore Hall with Amy Carson, Alexander Chance, Anthony Gregory, Nicolas Brooymans. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/beyo...

'The Lord gave the word': communicability to the fore in Handel's Messiah from Academy of Ancient Music & Laurence Cummings with Nardus Williams, Reginald Mobley, Thomas Walker, Ashley Riches at the Barbican. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

Pianist Alessio Bax leads the inaugural London Festival of Chamber Music at Smith Square Hall as its Doors Open project gathers momentum. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/pian...

Powerful & intense: the music of Elena Firsova & Dmitri Smirnov reflects their friendship with Rudersdal Chamber Players but also links back to Schnittke & Gubaidulina. Love and Loss on OUR Recordings. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/powe...

A piece close to his heart: pianist Julian Chan on recording Leopold Godowsky's Java Suite for the Royal Academy of Music’s Bicentenary Series on Linn Record. My interview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-pi...

Challenges & rewards: Tredegar Town Band & Ian Porthouse celebrate the brass music of Robin Stevens with Brass Odyssey on World of Sound. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/chal...

The human voice as a powerful vehicle for storytelling: Music in the Round's Sheffield Chamber Music Festival 2026 guest curated by soprano Claire Booth. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

The Unspoken: Robert Gromotka & Jonas Hain on the Neue Meister label and on tour. My spotlight: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/robe...

Back to the Baroque master: Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival returns to Handel for 2026 with a new production of Handel's Floridante directed Max Emanuel Cencic, conducted by Markellos Chryssicos with Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/back...

Seele, vergiß sie nicht: poet Friedrich Hebbel, composer Peter Cornelius and his Requiem, with links to Liszt, Wagner and the 'New German School'. Photo shows Hebbel's death mask. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/seel...

"Virtuosic, full of drama and contrasts and, I hope - good tunes" - Richard Blackford's first piece for brass band, Orbital, an innovative co-commission to be premiered by Cory Band at RNCM's International Brass Band Festival. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/virt...

Sixteen premieres, celebrating Britten, Feldman, Henze & Kurtág and Ryan Wigglesworth as featured artist: Britten Pears Arts' 77th Aldeburgh Festival. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/sixt...

In case you missed it: November on Planet Hugill - more Wexford, Opera North on tour, frustrating Janáček, stylish Handel, youthful Monteverdi. Our monthly newsletter: mailchi.mp/planethugill...

Dog days: Opera Rara & The Hallé to collaborate on the UK premiere of Offenbach's political satire, Barkouf in new critical edition by Jean-Christophe Keck, conducted by Paul Daniel. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/dog-...

The Seal Man: Rebecca Clarke's song reinvented with shadow-puppet animation by Jeremy Hamway-Bidgood from Positive Note, with mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately, violist Max Baillie and pianist Anna Tilbrook. My spotlight: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

From Eisenach to Venice to London to Scotland: Rachel Podger & Friends in an engagingly eclectic programme at Highgate International Chamber Music Festival. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/from...

Christina Rossetti: Nigel Foster's London Song Festival turns its focus on the poet with soprano Susan Bullock and speaker Janine Roebuck. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/chri...

Il pomo d'oro: the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik celebrates its 50th anniversary with Cesti's extravagant opera. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/il-p...

Fatto per la Notte di Natale: the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin in festive Baroque mood at Wigmore Hall with Georg Kallweit and Mayumi Hirasaki. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/fatt...

A journey through music shaped by migration: Roman Mints' Another Music Festival at St John's Waterloo - Stephania Turkevych, Leonid Desyatnikov, Alexey Kurbatov, Boris Filanovsky, Theodore Akimenko. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-jo...

Judith Weir, Imogen Holst, Nicola Lefanu, Emily Josephine Troup, Harriet Kendall, Eliza Flower: Electric Voice Theatre's Winter Carols by Candlelight at Conway Hall. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/elec...

Stories of incredible women from Iranian history and literature: Daughters of Persia created by pianist Margaret Fingerhut and composer Farhad Poupel at Kings Place. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/stor...

The internationally-renowned German-Colombian conductor Anna Handler to become new Chief Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

A thrilling Lady, compelling Macbeth & powerful last-minute stand-in: Chelsea Opera Group celebrates its 75th anniversary with Verdi's Macbeth in the full Paris version with Alexey Gusev, Mari Wyn Williams, Grant Llewellyn. My opera review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-th...

A new Elixir & first-time Bohemians: John Savournin announces his first season at Waterperry Opera Festival. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-ne...

Faster, higher, stronger: composer Andrea Farri on Orchestrating Harmony for the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. Our interview with Andrea: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/fast...