Category: Music

REVIEW: Interstellar

Published on by mollypavordLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“The Royal Albert Hall Transforms Interstellar Into a Transcendental Symphony”

Watching a cinematic masterpiece like Interstellar on the big screen is always a treat, but experiencing it at the Royal Albert Hall elevates the film into an entirely different league of entertainment. The venue’s recent film-to-live-score event offered what can only be described as one of the most profound sensory experiences available to modern audiences. This presentation of Christopher Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi epic proved that when world-class musicianship meets high-concept filmmaking, the result is nothing short of transformative, turning a standard movie night into a monumental cultural event that resonates long after the final credits roll.

For those needing a refresher on the narrative, the story follows Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former NASA pilot who has traded the cockpit for a struggling family farm on a dying Earth. In a desperate bid to save humanity from a global blight, Cooper is recruited for a clandestine mission to lead an expedition beyond our galaxy through a newly discovered wormhole. The film’s immense emotional weight is anchored by a powerhouse ensemble including Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Sir Michael Caine, yet the true star of this particular evening was the live accompaniment.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted with immense precision by Ben Palmer, performed Hans Zimmer’s legendary score in real-time. A standout element was the inclusion of acclaimed organist Roger Sayer, who commanded the hall’s iconic Grand Organ – the very instrument used in the original soundtrack recording. Seeing that massive instrument illuminated beneath the screen was an awe-inspiring sight that only deepened the immersion. The impact of the live music was sensational, capturing the cold, vast atmosphere of deep space while intensifying the high-stakes tension of the film’s most dramatic sequences. Perhaps most striking was the use of contrast; during scenes where the spacecraft floats in the silent void, the orchestra fell into a sharp, heavy stillness that made the vacuum of the cosmos feel terrifyingly real.

This production is part of the Royal Albert Hall’s prestigious “Films in Concert” series, a programme that has revolutionised how audiences interact with cinema since its inception. By stripping away the pre-recorded audio track and replacing it with a full symphony orchestra, the series highlights the technical brilliance of film scoring that often goes unnoticed in a traditional theatre. Over the years, the series has celebrated everything from the swashbuckling fanfares of Jurassic Park and Star Wars to the sweeping romanticism of Titanic, proving that the score is the true heartbeat of any great film. These events have become a staple of the Hall’s calendar, drawing in diverse crowds who might not otherwise visit a classical concert hall, thereby bridging the gap between pop culture and high art.

To appreciate the scale of this performance, one must consider the venue itself. Opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria, the Royal Albert Hall is one of the United Kingdom’s most treasured and distinctive buildings. Its world-famous stage has hosted everything from the BBC Proms to legendary rock concerts, and its unique acoustics – once a point of architectural contention – provide a literal “surround sound” experience that no modern cinema can replicate. The Grade I listed building provides a sense of occasion that makes every screening feel like a historic premiere, with its red velvet tiers and Italianate architecture providing a stark, beautiful contrast to the futuristic visuals of Nolan’s space odyssey.

The sheer scale of the sound vibrating through the historic auditorium is nothing short of breathtaking. The venue appeared to be a total full house, a fact made undeniable during the credits when the orchestra received a thunderous, well-deserved standing ovation. These performances offer a completely fresh perspective on the art of filmmaking, revealing layers of the score that are often compressed in a standard cinema setting. It is a rare treat to witness such world-class musicians in such an iconic setting.

While this specific run of Interstellar was a limited engagement held for only two nights, the Royal Albert Hall continues to host a variety of other spectacular “Films in Concert” throughout the year, including upcoming screenings of Harry Potter, Gladiator, and Avatar. Information on upcoming screenings and tickets can be found here.

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Eliane Correa

Published on by Tabitha JamesLeave a comment

We sat down for an exclusive interview with Eliane Correa. Acclaimed Cuban-British pianist, composer and cultural ambassador. Eliane recently toured with Hans Zimmer, and will be curating a special show celebrating the centenary of Celia Cruz with an all-female salsa band. Elaine performs at the Jazz Cafe on 25th April. Tickets are available here.

La Linea, London’s biggest and longest running Latin music festival, runs from 20th April – 6th May. Tickets here

What does celebrating Celia Cruz’s centenary with an all-female salsa band mean to you personally as a Cuban artist working across cultures?

I’m very grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to put together such a stellar lineup of fantastic musicians who also happen to be women. We lack visibility, so I decided to prioritise doing this with just women as a public statement. I hope this is the first of many shows we do as Las Salseras. I would love to keep this project going.

I’m as much Cuban as I am Argentinian, European, and now also a Londoner. My entire life has been about working across cultures and looking to create space for multicultural exchange. Celia Cruz herself moved to the USA from Cuba at 35 years old and met salseros from other Latin American and Latin diasporic cultures and communities, which contributed to her unique sound without making her expression any less Cuban.

Having toured with Hans Zimmer, how has moving between cinematic worlds and salsa stages reshaped your understanding of musical storytelling?

This is a great question. I think it’s made me think about cultural decoding a lot: for example, the way a Cuban audience receives and reacts to a Cuban “salsa” orchestra is quite different from the way it’s received by a London audience, and then if you put this same band in Kinshasa, Calcutta, or Miami, the audience reactions will be different.

Whether we like it or not, musics that aren’t “mainstream” (which is quite a Western-centric concept in itself, by the way!) can be interpreted in wildly different ways depending on what the listener’s “cultural decoding tools” are saying. I think cinematic music and pop music are genres that unite us all across cultures: the way we understand them around the world is relatively similar.

I think I’ve started keeping this in mind more when I compose music, arrange, or select and shape a repertoire. In some of my projects, I keep this idea of who am I putting this together for at the forefront. In my personal original projects, though, I just write from my heart, and it’ll be what it’ll be—I relinquish control over how it will be received.

A project such as this homage to the Queen of Salsa at the Jazz Café has me asking myself: how do I best do justice to her rich, amazing legacy for the audience—not for me with my Cuban-Argentinian-European ear, but for the people who will be at this show to have an amazing experience where they leave sweaty, happy, with their hearts full of music and a renewed love for Celia.

Salsa has historically been male-dominated—what barriers still exist for women, and how are projects like Las Salseras actively dismantling them?

We have to keep in mind that the struggle for equality is a recent occurrence within the wider frame of history. It’s normal that salsa, having grown in the mid-to-late twentieth century, has been male-dominated throughout most of its history and still is today.

We’re just part of a process that is still a work in progress, which is why it’s important to create spaces for women to thrive in, just as is happening in STEM and other male-dominated fields. Of course there is a barrier, because this is all still quite new, and everything new requires a reconfiguring of public perception.

Las Salseras is just a small part of a bigger push to normalise our presence in all spaces and level out the historical imbalance.

How do platforms like La Línea change the visibility and career trajectories of female Latin musicians in the UK and Europe?

This year La Línea has an unprecedented number of female artists in its lineup. Again, all this does is counterbalance the normalised standard of male-dominated line-ups—without compromising on quality (this is very important!). We are not tokens—we turn up and we deliver.

The volume of high-quality female and female-led acts in La Línea this year makes the statement that we belong, and that there is room for us to simply exist and do our thing in spaces that have historically been populated by a majority of men.

Every time there’s a group of women making music on a stage, it’s a small grain of sand of visibility added to the process of normalising our presence. It’s great, and I love that I’ve been given a chance to be a small part of this process.

When curating an all-female ensemble, what values or energies are you prioritising beyond technical excellence?

Actually, it’s just technical excellence, which in my opinion includes understanding the musical language we are operating in. I don’t really believe in “feminine energy,” etc. I just want to play with really, really good musicians who bring good vibes, and I put Las Salseras together to counterbalance the lack of female presence in our scene.

I dream of a world where women are no longer bearing the weight of the differential—where it’s completely normal to have a killer salsa band that just happens to be all women (and never, ever have to hear “you play like a man” again!).

What do you hope younger Latina musicians in London take away from seeing this tribute on a major festival stage?

Without visibility, it’s hard for younger generations of female Latin musicians to even internalise that this is something to aspire to. We’re hoping that this can be a small step in paving the path for younger Latin women musicians to take up space and see this as something realistic to achieve.

And also, for them to continue making more space for future generations beyond the reach that we have right now—the way Celia did for us back in the day.

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Emme Hensel

Published on by Tabitha JamesLeave a comment

We sat down for an exclusive interview with Emme Hensel, co-principal flautist for the National Youth Orchestra’s Spring tour ‘Collide’.

Dates and times for Collide are 9th April 2026 at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, and 11th April at Royal Festival Hall, London, both at 7:30pm – Tickets here

Collide explores huge themes like love, courage and conflict. As a musician, how does it feel to bring such powerful stories to life through your flute?

Being able to bring such powerful stories to life through my flute feels almost like I am becoming the characters in the pieces myself. Not only can I feel the emotions of my characters, but when playing with the rest of the orchestra, I can feel the whole story coming to life around me. Having such a variety of emotions to explore whilst I am playing also adds a lot of excitement, as well as opportunity for creativity and exploration of sound, which I love.

For many teenagers in the audience, this might be their first orchestral concert. What do you hope they feel when they hear the orchestra play?

I hope that the teenagers in the audience who haven’t been exposed to orchestral music before are captivated by the collective power of so many teenage musicians working together to produce something bigger than them. I think that one of the incredible things about orchestral music is the way in which we all have to work together and communicate with each other through our playing, in order to convey emotion to the audience.

NYO offers free tickets for teenagers to make orchestral music accessible. Why do you think it’s important that young people get the chance to experience music like this live?

I think that it is so important that young people get to experience orchestral music because it provides a way for them to connect with others and be a part of a new community. The experience of seeing the orchestra live (as opposed to streaming it at home) will allow them to be immersed in the atmosphere created by the music. This is really exciting as it means that the teenagers can experience the story within the music firsthand, and hopefully get even more enjoyment out of the overall experience!

When you’re performing something as dramatic as Romeo and Juliet, do you feel like you’re telling the story through the music rather than just playing the notes?

I believe that with something as dramatic as Romeo and Juliet, that already has such a well known storyline, we as performers are provided with a vessel to help us pass even more emotion to the audience. This makes it thrilling to play because of the creative element of telling the story as well as playing the notes. Due to the story being so well known, we also have room to provide the audience with our own interpretations of the feelings of characters in certain scenes, which is a lot of fun.

The National Youth Orchestra brings together 160 teenage musicians. What is the energy like when you all perform together on stage?

I think the energy of an orchestra of teenagers, especially when most of us are playing repertoire for the first time, is something incredibly unique and amazing. I hope that with both our playing, and the creative side of NYO with our encores, we can inspire this generation of young people to gain the same enjoyment of classical music that we get to experience through NYO. I love the buzz of making music with such close friends. It’s an amazing feeling to create something so spectacular, that means so much to so many people, with those who you care about a lot. I feel incredibly lucky to get to play with such brilliant musicians, and brilliant people.     

You’re performing music inspired by Howl’s Moving Castle, Tristan und Isolde and Romeo and Juliet. Which piece in the programme excites you the most to play and why?

I love that all of the music in the Collide tour tells such vivid stories. It makes the music thrilling to play because it makes you feel like you’re actually playing a part in the story itself. In Romeo and Juliet in particular, I can hear all of the characters, who I knew growing up, coming to life.

REVIEW: Her Ensemble

Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Joyful, powerful celebration of women composers by phenomenal musicians

Her Ensemble at Ronnie Scott’s was one of those rare evenings that felt both purposeful and genuinely joyful. Founded by Ellie Consta, the ensemble is built on the fact that just 3.6% of classical music performed worldwide in 2019 was written by women. Rather than treating this as a footnote, the programme placed it front and centre by celebrating the depth, range and brilliance of women composers in a way that felt both intentional and long overdue.

The evening was hosted by the trio Ellie Consta (violin), Laura van der Heijden (cello), and Junyan Chen (piano). All three are phenomenal musicians, and what elevated the performance even further was hearing their perspectives between pieces and their admiration for women composers.

What stood out most was the tone of the programme. There was a real sense of joy running through the setlist; each piece was vibrant, engaging, and rich on its own merits. One highlight was Saaans by Reena Esmail, a composer renowned for weaving Indian influences into her music. The piece brought a distinctive texture and emotional depth to the programme, blending traditions in a way that felt deeply expressive.

The standout moment of the evening, however, was Jazz Nocturne by Dana Suesse. Knowing that Suesse studied under Gershwin adds an extra layer of context, but what made it particularly special here was that the piece had been arranged collaboratively by Consta, van der Heijden and Chen themselves. It felt like a perfect convergence of past and present by honouring a composer who had been historically overlooked, while also showcasing the creativity and artistry of the performers on stage.

Overall, it was a very special evening with Her Ensemble, where the audience was able to enjoy excellent musicianship, thoughtful curation, and a clear sense of purpose.

REVIEW: Sunset

Published on by clemencxLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Grief, virtuosity, chaos, and sunlight — SUNSET had it all, and then some.

Titled Sunset, the programme itself traced a kind of emotional arc, from intimacy and loss to absurdity, virtuosity, and finally clarity. It opened with Ottorino Respighi’s Il Tramonto, a setting of Shelley’s The Sunset, and one of the most quietly devastating works of the evening. Scored for soprano and string quartet, it tells of love abruptly cut short: a young woman awakening beside her dead lover, and carrying that grief throughout her life. Sarah Aristidou embodied this world completely. Aristidou stood centre stage barefoot, draped in a flowing, pale gown with a muted green cape, evoking something between a Greek statue and a mythological figure, her stillness as expressive as her voice. The music’s chromatic richness was matched by her ability to move between fragile lyricism and something almost recitative-like. It felt less like a performance and more like witnessing a moment suspended in time.

From this introspection, the concert pivoted into dazzling theatricality with Antonio Pasculli’s Oboe Concerto on themes from Donizetti’s La Favorita. Pasculli, often dubbed the “Paganini of the oboe,” wrote music that pushes the instrument to its absolute limits, and François Leleux rose to that challenge with irrepressible verve. Leading from within the orchestra, he brought a sense of play that transformed the stage dynamic, weaving operatic lyricism with brilliance, the oboe almost becoming a singing voice and conductor in its own right. The northern French oboe player is exuberant, communicative, and endlessly engaging. The final flourish drew immediate emphatic applause, and his Bach encore was a nod to the approaching Easter season.

If the first half had already traversed grief and brilliance, György Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre detonated into something altogether more unhinged, in the best possible way. Drawn from Le Grand Macabre, the work is a tour de force for soprano, sung by the delirious character Gepopo, chief of the secret police, attempting to communicate an impending apocalypse. Aristidou seized this with astonishing commitment. Beginning unseen, her voice emerged from the balcony behind the audience, immediately destabilising the space. As she moved through the hall, the performance became theatrical, immersive, and gleefully disruptive. By the time she reached the stage, interrupting, provoking, and playing off the conductor, Paul Watkins, the piece’s manic energy, teetering between urgency and absurdity, was fully realised. A well-timed joke from the podium, likening her character’s frantic authority to that of a Reform Party figure, landed perfectly with the audience, sharpening the work’s satirical edge. The orchestra matched her every move with remarkable precision, echoing her cries, outbursts, and sudden shifts of character with almost comic exactness that heightened the sense of chaos. Her vocal agility was staggering, but it was her dramatic instinct that made the performance unforgettable. She didn’t simply navigate Ligeti’s chaos; she revelled in it.

After the interval, Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 offered something entirely different: lightness, clarity, and a kind of youthful optimism. Composed for a modest ensemble, its charm lies in its restraint. Under Leleux’s direction, Sinfonia Smith Square captured this spirit beautifully. After the intensity of the first half, it felt like stepping into an elegant and joyful sunlight.

What made Sunset so remarkable was not just the calibre of its performers, though that was undeniable, but the way the programme itself told a story. From the transience of life in Il Tramonto, through operatic passion and virtuosic display, to Ligeti’s surreal apocalypse and Schubert’s serene resolution, the evening traced something very human. It was, in every sense, a complete experience: thoughtful, theatrical, and performed with exceptional artistry. 

Sunset was a one-off performance on 29th March, presented as part of the London Chamber Music Festival. Tickets for other shows at the Sinfonia Smith Square Hall can be found here.

Photo Provided By Southbank Centre Website

REVIEW: St John Passion

Published on by Ke MengLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Finely sung with beautiful moments

One week before Easter, at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment presented St John Passion under the direction of Johanna Soller, which also marked her London debut. Alongside, there were James Way as the Evangelist and Peter Edge as Christus, soprano Hilary Cronin, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston and tenor Jonathan Hanley in the meditative arias, joined by the Choir of the Age of Enlightenment as the ensemble.

Many of the soloists showcased striking and promising talent. As the Evangelist, Way delivered a supple lyricism with refined nuance, helping to hold the ensemble together. As the primary storyteller, his voice carried a devoted piety but was tinged with subtle worry, worrying about Christus not as Lord but as human. This “humanisation of Christus” was further reflected in Edge’s portrayal, particularly in the recitative “Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern”, where a trace of disappointment and melancholy was undercurrent, especially in the line, “Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?”. Hilary Cronin, as the soprano, stole the evening with “Zerfließe, mein Herze, in Fluten der Zähren”. The aria was exquisite: her timbre was weightless, paired with a finely balanced light-mix that seamlessly dissolved into the instrumental texture.

However, despite these compelling solo moments, Soller appeared to struggle in articulating a coherent interpretive philosophy. What kind of St John Passion this was meant to be. Was it to be dramatic or intimate, historically informed or more modern? For instance, the opening chorus, “Herr, unser Herrscher”, can unfold as searing and overwhelming, full of dramatic tension. Bach’s modernity, in its harmonic clashes, is at once refreshing, unsettling, and even wild.

Here, the opening lacked both precision and intensity, as many notes came off as “oh, this is a bit hasty”, and the ensemble was not fully locked in, nor did the instruments properly engage. The dissonance struggled to accumulate the intensity through the violins’ and the basses’ quavers, which should have driven towards the three thunderous “Herr”.

Such interpretive vagueness lasted throughout the night, which made the whole performance feel like a missed opportunity. Much less performed by St Matthew Passion, St John Passion may demand a more sharply defined and affective direction.

This show finished its run on 29th March. Tickets for other shows at Queen Elizabeth Hall can be found here – https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/.

REVIEW: Elgar Serenade for Strings

Published on by georgiamcknightLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A hauntingly intimate evening that journeyed from Elgar’s gentle warmth, through the
séance‑like anguish of The Immortal, to the majestic sweep of Sibelius’s Second
Symphony

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert on Thursday 26 th March 2026 offered an evening of vivid contrasts, anchored by the presence of Artist in Residence Mark Simpson. Under the poised direction of conductor Daniela Candillari, the programme moved from Elgar’s evergreen Serenade for Strings through the supernatural world of Simpson’s The Immortal to the expansive sweep of Sibelius’s Second Symphony, all within the setting of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The hall itself felt both tall and close, with glowing backlights and a clear, unfussy stage that
drew focus entirely onto the performers. The audience was mostly older, with only a
scattering of empty seats, which contributed to a reflective, attentive atmosphere making the quieter moments feel almost private. Elgar’s Serenade for Strings opened the concert as a gentle prelude. The orchestra shaped the opening movement with a subtle, almost storybook sense of adventure, as if inviting listeners into a journey rather than announcing itself with grandeur. A particularly expressive cellist became a quiet focal point, her visible engagement clearly charmed the audience as her lines adding depth and humanity to Elgar’s flowing textures. The music’s warmth and ease set an affectionate tone, a clear contrast to what was to come.

The centrepiece of the first half, Simpson’s The Immortal, arrived with a spoken introduction from the composer that proved essential. He described the work as an exploration of a man tormented by the clash between religious faith, Darwinism, bereavement and an obsessive turn towards séances, and the performance bore that psychological burden in full. From the outset, intimate strings established an uneasy calm before panic crept in through tremulous violins and dark, heavy textures. The sound world felt immediately tense, more akin to a staged haunting than a traditional choral-orchestral work.

Candillari controlled the buildup of tension, allowing layers of sound- panicked violins,
spectral vocal lines, and dense harmonies to accumulate without ever tipping into
incoherence. The lead voice was powerful and focused, riding above the orchestral turmoil with remarkable control, while the backing ensemble added eerie, ritualistic colour. Subtitles were invaluable in following the text, revealing a narrative of anguish and spiritual fragmentation that might otherwise have been overwhelming.

Visually, the piece was underscored by shifting backlighting that moved from warm glows to stark, seance-like silhouettes, reinforcing the sense of being drawn into a world of old horror and swampy supernatural atmosphere. At times the music felt almost mad and chaotic- a deliberate expression of inner torment rather than mere noise- and some listeners found it unsettling, even unlikeable. Yet the work maintained a gripping, edge-of-the-seat energy throughout, and when the final note released the accumulated tension, the applause was long and heartfelt.

After the interval, Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 provided the evening’s final arc, swelling “like a mighty river” as promised in the programme, and crowned with its unforgettable closing theme. The opening had a pixie hollow-esq charm that was magical, exploratory, almost like stepping into an enchanted forest, before gradually broadening into something more monumental. Flutes and oboes played a prominent role in playful call-and-response figures with the rest of the orchestra, lending the early movements a light, airy character.

The warm, consistent lighting kept the visual world grounded and open, even as the music grew more turbulent. By the time the famous final theme arrived, the effect was undeniably majestic, reminiscent of a sweeping cinematic or even Disney-esque opening, but charged with Sibelius’s distinctive national and emotional weight.

Taken as a whole, the evening traced a compelling journey: from Elgar’s tender serenity,
through the haunted psychological landscape of The Immortal, to the confident, river-like surge of Sibelius’s Second Symphony. Candillari and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra demonstrated impressive versatility and emotional range, offering a night that moved from the intimate to the immense, and from anguish to something close to catharsis.

REVIEW: Fleetwood Unchained

Published on by Ross BevanLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Jaw-dropping instrumentals and amazing vocals, Fleetwood Unchained achieve impressive feats in this fitting tribute

As one of the most iconic bands of all time, paying tribute to Fleetwood Mac in any form is no easy task. However, Fleetwood Unchained have risen to this challenge with gusto and put on a sensational performance at The Beacon Arts Theatre. With each member mirroring a member of the original band, this group really went the extra mile to make the evening special.

There was unfortunately a single caveat within this otherwise excellent concert. To my deep dismay, there was one song throughout the night that unfortunately wasn’t up to scratch and that was sadly the opening number, The Chain. This is one of, if not the greatest hit Fleetwood Mac ever produced, so it was truly a shame that this wasn’t at 100% as this song in particular can never be played at anything less. However, to offer some grace, it sounded as if there were some technical issues with the sound, specifically with the lead guitarist’s instrument. It can be extremely off-putting being onstage when there are tech issues and there was a noticeable problem that made the whole thing sound off, so it’s completely understandable under the circumstances. That being said, that classic bass line was still perfect.

A fluke in an otherwise superb lineup, it’s not an exaggeration to say that every other song was incredible. With each Unchained member paying homage to the original lineup, the Stevie Nicks of the evening gave us some stunning renditions. It feels strange to call any song on one of the top 10 best-selling albums of all time underrated but Gold Dust Woman always seems to be less appreciated than the other hits on Rumour. This version could have been mistaken for the original as this performer channelled her inner Stevie, even donning her own golden shawl for the occasion. Later, she switched out the shawl for a top hat, wowing the Greenock audience with sensational vocals on Rhiannon alongside the band’s Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham. The singer honouring McVie blessed the crowd with a touching cover of Songbird. The emotion she sang with was so deep it could be felt throughout the theatre and her voice was simply beautiful. 

These songs mean a great deal to so many, with numbers such as Songbird getting very vocal approval from the crowd before they’ve even started. Therefore, finding people who can do the music justice is imperative. It’s how tribute acts rise or fall and the ability of Unchained to rise in almost every single scenario was impressive. The man honouring Buckingham did not disappoint in this regard, not in vocals or as a musician. Big Love was a display of exceptional talent from this performer, the guitar solo being an example of his particularly gorgeous work. 

As is the case with most artists, the band pulled the final song fakeout, exiting the stage claiming to be done only to return for more (following a superb drum solo). This was to great cheers from all as the night concluded with Don’t Stop and Go Your Own Way, two Titans from Rumours’ pantheon of classics. These were, without question, the perfect songs to end on. They’re absolute showstoppers and numbers that give every member of the group a chance to shine. Plus, as a general rule of thumb, it’s always good to pick something that everyone will know the words to.

Overall, Unchained succeeded in honouring Fleetwood Mac. Though they did not have the strongest of starts, it only got better from thereon in. Everything that followed was a roaring success and the passion of this group is what makes the act work. They gave their all and proved that a rocky beginning does not have to define an entire performance.

The Chain is the only thing that kept this from a perfect rating but everything else was near perfection. Brilliant vocalists and absurdly talented musicians across the board.

REVIEW: Mysteries: Beethoven and Mozart

Published on by Natalie BorensteinLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Sinfonia Smith Square discovered unity in mystery

Performed by the talented fellows of Sinfonia Smith Square, ‘Mysteries: Beethoven and Mozart’ was a dazzling contribution to the London Festival of Chamber Music. The programme opened with Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No.5 in D major, Op. 102 No. 2, an introspective and experimental work typical of his late style, followed by Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, a lively piece composed during the young Mozart’s tour of Europe (1778-1779). Juxtaposing Beethoven’s late style with Mozart’s youthful voice proved particularly compelling in performance. After the interval, the programme then returned to Beethoven, concluding with his Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C major, Op. 56, written in the early 1800s as the composer began to go deaf. 

In the capable hands of cellist Paul Watkins and pianist Alessio Bax, Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 5 was a captivating experience. The Allegro hinted at a delicate rapport  between the two performers, while the ensuing Adagio was soft, sensitive and positively dripping with dynamic contrast. In a venue like Smith Square Hall, with its  grand Corinthian columns, lofty ceilings and sweeping golden chandelier, the effect was enchanting. Every sustained legato filled the hall, commanding the space with a sombre grace. The Allegro, too, had real character, with the faster pace allowing for a  little extra flourish from the pianist.  

Moving into Mozart’s exuberant Sinfonia Concertante, the interplay between violinist Alena Baeva and violist Lawrence Power was just as impressive. The pair were remarkably responsive to one another throughout, creating an intimate dialogue that was fascinating both aurally and visually. Far too often, the poor viola is on the receiving end of a great many mean-spirited jokes while the violin steals the spotlight, but in Sinfonia Concertante, the viola and the violin share the spotlight as co-soloists in  conversation with the orchestra. Alena Baeva and Lawrence Power embraced this rare opportunity, offering up a feast of coy exchanges that felt deliciously flirtatious.  

It always makes such a difference when you can feel the performers enjoying  themselves on stage, completely engrossed in the music. Baeva and Power should be applauded for their presence. The orchestra, in turn, matched the soloists’ energy,  driven by the exacting baton of conductor Paul Watkins, who was practically jumping up and down in the final bars of the Presto. This momentum then carried seamlessly into Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, producing a unified sound that was fittingly majestic. Right up until the final Rondo all Polacca, every performer was beautifully in sync with one another, listening and responding as one; it was this unity between musicians that ultimately made for a very special concert. Brava, really.

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Matthew Ganley

Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

We sat down with Matthew Ganley for a quick chat about his latest performance in Good Golly Miss Molly. For ticketing and info, please find here.

How does it feel to be part of the 40th anniversary celebrations at the New Vic Theatre with the revival of Good Golly Miss Molly?

The New Vic means a lot to me and so many artists who are fortunate enough to work here. To be involved in such a significant milestone is a real privilege.

What has been the most exciting challenge in taking on the roles of Ronnie and Jack’s Father in this production?

Getting to grips with the Stoke accent has been a blast… me duck!

As an actor-musician, how do you approach balancing the musical and dramatic elements of a show like Good Golly Miss Molly?

The story and the music flow together nicely and so the interplay between them feels quite natural. The challenge is in figuring out how Ronnie would play a song. In that way it’s seeing the music as an expression of the character, not a separate element.

Having previously appeared in productions such as The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen at the New Vic, how does this show compare in style and energy?

The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen were classic New Vic-style Christmas shows. Both were action-packed, bold, ambitious, and full of festive storytelling. Good Golly Miss Molly is anchored in the real world of the local Stoke-on-Trent community. The dialogue is relatable and colloquial. It all has a familiar feel to it.

What do you think makes Good Golly Miss Molly still resonate with audiences more than 30 years after it was first staged?

We shall see! My guess would be the iconic, live music as well as it being a local story – it’s a reminder of the power of music, community and reconnecting to our roots.

What has it been like working with director Bob Eaton on this revival of his original production?

It’s been a lot of fun working with Bob again. I had the pleasure of working with him back in 2018 and he has such a strong eye for story, character and the audience’s experience.