They texted me literally as my work PC was shutting down for the evening. and because I needed to pick up a few bits and bobs en route home, I was in a state of suspenders for an hour and a half. Rather pointlessly, I feel.
There is nothing I would kill to get tickets for. Two concerts stand out. With the weathermen forecasting the hottest summer in the history of heat, the temptation is just to pick a couple and skip the rest, especially ones that will be on TV.
The full list starts here - Week One, with two of my favourite pieces. The Elgar Cello and Beethoven 9. I've never heard Rene Pape live, so I might seize that opportunity. although I expect it will be televised.
Week 2 is probably the best week, with the Seasons, although the soloists are nothing special, and I skipped it at the Barbican. Macbeth is possibly my least favourite Verdi, and I barely know the cast at all, except that the key role of MacDuff is sung by a tenor I do not rate. I think I might do the late night Schubert Mass.
In week 4 I might attend the Brahms St anthony chorale and Elgar Enigma Variations, but not if they're on TV, and almost certainly Carolyn Sampson sings Bach.
In week 5, the highlight of the season is Gotterdammerung. I might treat myself to a box seat and damn the expense.
The Handel, Purcell, Telemann in Week 6 looks attractive, but I won't go if it will be on the TV. Beethoven's 9th gets cranked out again in Week 7, perhaps to compensate for last year's cancellation. In Week 8, James Levine conducts The Damnation of Faust. Jose van Dam is the star name; the tenor is Marcello Giordani who doesn't make many appearances in London. The proposed appeared of Levine rather scotches the rumours that he's not actually allowed in to Britain...The last night doesn't look exciting, except for an appearance by Anna Netrebko.
But if I am going to be conspicuous by my absence from the cauldron/greenhouse that is the Albert Hall Iowe it the blog to some serious reviews from sofa.
There's also some non-vocal music. And I suppose I'm supposed to say positive things about contemporary music, especially the new commissions and those fusing with World Music. But I'm not particularly interested. So I won't.
