Critics at the ENO • Shostakovich and football • Marsalis and Benedetti

In our November 2019 podcast, we discuss the news that the English National Opera has stopped offering established critics a second free ticket to opening nights, and instead gives those free tickets to 10 novice bloggers. It's a story which has received a huge amount of debate on Twitter, so we dive in and give our opinions. We also celebrate the appointment of the new BBC National Orchestra of Wales principal conductor, 29-year-old Californian Ryan Bancroft.

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Freya Parr

Published: October 3, 2019 at 11:20 am

PODCAST:

In our November 2019 podcast, we discuss the news that the English National Opera has stopped offering established critics a second free ticket to opening nights, and instead gives those free tickets to 10 novice bloggers. It's a story which has received a huge amount of debate on Twitter, so we dive in and give our opinions. We also celebrate the appointment of the new BBC National Orchestra of Wales principal conductor, 29-year-old Californian Ryan Bancroft. Plus, we introduce our November issue, in which we talk to the formidable pianist Igor Levit about the challenges of recording all Beethoven's 32 sonatas. To mark St Andrew's Day, we look back on all the great works that have celebrated the rugged Scottish landscape. In light of the release of a new book on Shostakovich and football, we explore how his love of the beautiful game found its way into his music. As usual, we all bring along a recording we've been enjoying this month, including new works by Wynton Marsalis and Stephen Hough.

Recordings:

Veprik: Orchestral Works BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Christoph-Mathias Mueller MDG MDG9012133

Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas Igor Levit (piano) Sony 90175843182

Olly's choice: Bizet: Te Deum Angela Maria Blasi (soprano), Christian Elsner (tenor), Münchner MottenChor, Munich Symphony Orchestra/Hans Rudolf Zöbeley Hänssler HC19046

Jeremy's choice: A Love Letter to Liverpool Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Alisdair Hogarth (piano) Rubicon RCD1044

Freya's choice: Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto Nicola Benedetti (violin), Philadelphia Orchestra/Critistan Macelaru Decca 485013

Stories:

Chorus of rage as ENO gives critics' coveted extra tickets to young bloggers: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/07/chorus-of-disapproval-eno-gives-critics-coveted-tickets-to-young-bloggers

BBC National Orchestra of Wales chooses Ryan Bancroft as next principal conductor: http://www.classical-music.com/news/bbc-national-orchestra-wales-chooses-ryan-bancroft-next-principal-conductor

Our November issue: http://www.classical-music.com/issue/november-2019-0

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Freya Parr

Digital Editor and Staff Writer, BBC Music Magazine

Freya Parr is BBC Music Magazine's digital editor and staff writer, editing and writing on all styles of music across both the website and print magazine. She has also written for titles including the Guardian, Circus Journal, Frankie and Suitcase Magazine, and runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture publication. Freya's main areas of interest and research lie in 20th-century and contemporary music. She's a regular sea shanty singer, folk obsessive and occasional flautist, pianist, organist and musical theatre director.
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