Mark has been Bachtrack’s English editor since 2014. He is an experienced critic, writing over 500 reviews for the site, as well as contributing to Gramophone and Opera magazines. He is a member of the Music and Dance Sections of The Critics’ Circle. He also writes programme notes and is an occasional blogger at Beckmesser's Quill. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie.
The punishing role of Medea is forever associated with Maria Callas. To celebrate the diva’s centenary, Greek National Opera presents a new production by Sir David McVicar, starring Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi.
“I detest imitation, I detest hackneyed devices.” Prokofiev was one of the most important Russian composers, writing in a variety of forms and happy to challenge conventions.
The Royal Opera presents another Handel rarity for its Jette Parker Artists in the Linbury Theatre, the but action thriller approach is ill-suited to the ancient tale.
The Flying Dutchman – or Le Vaisseau fantôme as it is known in French – makes a fleeting appearance at the Grand Théâtre de Provence in a rousing concert performance conducted by the dapper François-Xavier Roth.
Possibly the greatest pianist of the 20th century and one of its greatest composers too, Sergei Rachmaninov left a relatively small catalogue – only 45 published works – yet many of them appear frequently in concert programmes.
Schubert's Unfinished Symphony proves a memorable climax to the young Norwegian conductor's matinee at Bridgewater Hall, after a lacklustre Beethoven piano concerto.
As Matthias Naske prepares to celebrate a decade in charge at the Wiener Konzerthaus, he reflects on the challenges presented by the pandemic and on curating diverse programming for the city.
“I've written only one masterpiece. Unfortunately it has no music in it.” To which work was the self-critical Maurice Ravel referring and where does it come in our playlist of the dapper Frenchman’s top ten?
“Give me a laundry bill and I will set it to music.” Composition seemed to come easily to Rossini. He wrote around 40 operas in only 17 years... but then he suddenly stopped. Enjoy our top ten selection.
“Abandon hope all ye who enter here” could have been the strapline for this brilliantly constructed, brilliantly played concert featuring music by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Thomas Adès himself.
Ann Yee and Natalie Abrahami give Rusalka an ecological reading, but it's the musical side of things that really takes flight in The Royal Opera's new production.
