David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.
Sir Stephen Hough produces a memorable piece of pianism in Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto and Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Metacosmos will have converted some contemporary music sceptics.
John Adams’ opera about Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Mao Tse-Tung is performed with all round excellence, with a real find on the podium in the shape of Olivia Lee-Gunderman.
The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and National Philharmonic Choir give us a Requiem replete with fervent passion; Beethoven’s Violin Concerto is elegant but lacks the wow factor.
We compare six audio streaming services you might choose for classical music: Idagio, Presto Music, Apple Music Classical, Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited.
In the cathedral-like surroundings of Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, a superb first movement of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony eclipses Kabalevsky’s First Cello Concerto.
Philippe Arlaud’s production for New National Theatre Tokyo may not be in its first youth, but it delivers on all counts. Leonardo Capalbo, Egils Siliņš and Yuka Kobayashi lead an excellent cast.
Hisako Kawamura shows excellence and stamina in tackling two huge concertos, while Kazuki Yamada and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony give compelling Brahms but are less convincing in Amy Beach.
Magdalena Kožená provides a compelling case for two little-heard Martinů song cycles; Rattle and the Czech Phil are competent but not altogether convincing in Schumann.
Martyn Brabbins conducts an excellent ENO orchestra and consistently good ensemble cast as Richard Jones delivers a wealth of narrative detail to introduce Wagner's Ring.
The latest instalment of Kings Place's “Sound Unwrapped” series delivers wonderful musicianship in both jazz and early music, but not the promised “continuous fusion of styles”.
Brian Irvine and Netia Jones pull no punches in telling the story of Rosemary Kennedy, sister of JFK and Bobby, left permanently disabled by a lobotomy at the age of 23
In the intimate setting of Lauenen Church, Agnew and Les Arts Florissants introduce us to the austere sound world of Marc-Antoine Charpentier and other French composers of 17th-century sacred music.
We imagine the teamsheets if England and France’s classical composers went head to head – via a sneak peak of Most Performed Composers from Bachtrack’s Annual Statistics 2022.
Ildar Abdrazakov and Ain Anger excel in the confrontation of tsar and historian; Kaspar Holten's safe but effective staging focuses on the relentless march of history.
