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Ivor’s blog

Wednesday 10th February, 2010

Tamerlano Blog 1 (10 Feb 2010)

Today I start rehearsals for Tamerlano, one of the greatest operas Handel ever wrote. Its premiere was in 1724 and took place less than a mile away from today’s Royal Opera House. It was preceded and followed by two masterworks, in the first case Giulio Cesare and the latter Rodelinda, both operas now well known to British audiences. This trilogy was written within twelve months and constitutes an achievement described ‘as without parallel in operatic history’!  Quite a claim. One which I happily go along with, being crazy about Handel and having conducted all three of these operas in recent years. The ROH production...

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Ivor’s blog

Monday 18th January, 2010

Welcome!

Welcome to my brand new website! Here you will find all relevant information regarding upcoming concerts, press, biography and repertoire, along with my personal blog and Twitter feeds. Thanks to all those who appreciated my blog for the Salzburger Nachrichten during last summer's Salzburg Festival. I cannot promise to be as expansive all the time, especially with the haphazard nature of winter travel, but I'll try and communicate something of my conductor's life around Europe. 2010 promises to be an exciting year. A...

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Ivor’s blog

Saturday 29th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 35 (29 Aug)

There had been plans to make a sailing trip on one of the lakes today, however this is shelved due to the distinctly autumnal weather. Instead a gentle start is followed by a trip to the music shop to buy some scores. I bump into some of my orchestra who have just finished their Matinee with the controversial Jean-Christophe Spinosi. For some of them it is the end... of their Festival. For others, there is still tomorrow's final performance of 'Armida'. I have a last Triangel lunch, today with Petra Richter (over from Munich) and we are joined by Thomas Hengelbrock...

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Ivor’s blog

Friday 28th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 34 (28 Aug)

More last-minute organisation. I have been in Salzburg for nearly eleven weeks and there are literally hundreds of scores lying around the Aigen house. Also several CD edits of our Mozarteum Orchestra's latest recordings to be listened to. Bruckner's 8th Symphony, and his 4th as well as all the Mozart Flute Concertos are the most urgent. I then listen to several young members of the Bach Choir who have solo aspirations. The level is high and I am struck by the amazing male-soprano of Turkish-born Onur Abaci whose sound is reminiscent of the French virtuoso Philippe Jaroussky. Afterwards lunch with Annette Dasch...

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Ivor’s blog

Thursday 27th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 33 (27 Aug)

Last minute errands: pharmacy, dry cleaners, scores and my office in the Mozarteum Orchesterhaus all demand my attention before my holiday begins on Monday. Last visit to Schloss Aigen this Festival time for lunch with Harold Clarkson. Harold is Anglo-Austrian, and the heavy-hitting head of IMG Artists International Touring. He is ebullient and constantly entertaining and we have business to discuss regarding our Mozarteum Orchestra tours. The evening performance of 'Armida' is rapturously received. Brenda Hurley (with new boyfriend Eddie, from her native Dublin) and I eat afterwards in Triangel. We are joined by Alain Perroux (Eva Wagner's successor as...

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Ivor’s blog

Wednesday 26th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 32 (26 Aug)

Feeling tired after the exertions of last night and the weakness resulting from the stomach bug, I get up late, around 9am and take breakfast in the garden in Aigen. On such a day, the view of the nearby Gaisberg is uplifting. It's always inspiring even in torrential rain or swirling fog. Salzburg awakes all the emotions. I cycle to the local supermarket and bump into Clemens Hagen (cellist of the superlative Hagen Quartet) who is in fact a neighbour in Aigen. (As indeed are many musicians). His playing of the Schumann Concerto earlier in this Festival was by all accounts...

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Ivor’s blog

Tuesday 25th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 31 (25 Aug)

I have slept a long time and feel well enough to take the general rehearsal for the Young Singers Concert in the Mozarteum. The music business is already in attendance, Matthew Epstein Head of CAMI International Artists is present and loudly appreciative of these young talents! As is Pal Moe-Casting Director of the mighty Bayerische Staatsoper and also Glyndebourne Festival. Pal knows all sides of this business. He has worked for Deutsche Grammophon, been Opera Director of the Paris Opera for the Hugues Gall buy ambien pills regime and advised opera houses in several continents! We finish...

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Ivor’s blog

Monday 24th August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 30 (24 Aug)

Rehearsals for the Young Singers project with orchestra. We work through the programme in a sort of order and the orchestra is impressed by the quality of the singers. We have made great progress but in the pause before the evening rehearsal it is clear that something I have eaten does not agree with me and Martin Hinterholzer-designated spokesman for the orchestra (and a member of our famous bass-section!) drives me home and I retire. Frank Stadler manfully takes my place for the remaining arias until the pause and Leo Hussain (incoming Music Director of the Landesteater-another Cambridge Music...

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Ivor’s blog

Sunday 23rd August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 29 (23 Aug)

Free day! I listen to a little of Robin Ticciati's superb matinee with my Mozarteum live on the Austrian 1st programme. Like myself (and Sir Roger Norrington before me) Robin is a graduate of Clare College Cambridge. We are all proud of the musical output of this small Cambridge College, in which all subjects are studied, not just music. The college has Nobel Prize-winning scientists amongst its Fellowship and other musicians emanating from its doors in recent years include harpsichordist Richard Egarr, director Andrew Manze and OAE concert master Margaret Faultless. There is of course the world-famous Clare College Choir,...

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Ivor’s blog

Saturday 22nd August, 2009

Salzburg Festival Blog 28 (22 Aug)

I hear the eight gifted singers who constitute the Young Singers project of the Salzburg Festival. They sing through the programme we will present in a public concert next week. They have been here all summer and been coached brilliantly by Rachel Andrist, who is a stalwart of the Salzburg Festival since 2000, when she worked with me on 'Iphigenie en Tauride'. Until very recently she was chief coach at La Monnaie Opera House Brussels which is where I first met her (and incidentally Christof Loy). Rachel is superbly suited to this project, instilling professional attitudes and discipline into some...

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