For this Edinburgh Festival presentation, the decision was taken to try out the rarely heard baritone version. This was made particularly awkward when both soloists had to be substituted at short notice. Not only did Robert Gambill have to come in to replace Roland Wagenführer, but Thomas Quasthoff was also unwell. Simon Keenlyside took over apparently without a hitch.
Having reunited Sir Charles Mackerras, a great authority on Czech music in general, and Janáček in particular, with the excellent Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, it would have been disappointing, to put it mildly, for the Festival to have ignored the output of great Czech music during their visit. Fortunately, wisdom prevailed, and this concert began with an idiomatic performance of Janáček's Rhapsody for Orchestra, Taras Bulba.
© Copyright Opera Scotland 2024
Site by SiteBuddha