Reviews
Bach St John Passion, Academy of Ancient Music, Cummings, Barbican review - conscience against conformism
Monday, 21 April 2025
In a programme note for the St John Passion at the Barbican, the Academy of Ancient Music’s chief executive called their Easter performances of Bach’s compressed gospel tragedy a “ritual”. You understand why that word claims its place. However, there’s not much consciously liturgical about the AAM’s musical approach.
Music Reissues Weekly: 1001 Est Crémazie
Sunday, 20 April 2025
It would have been hard to pick up a copy of the album credited to and titled 1001 Est Crémazie in 1975. Just 500 copies were pressed. It didn’t reach shops but was circulated amongst the musicians playing on it, their friends, families and fellow students at Montréal’s Collège André-Grasset, the school at which those on the album were pupils.
MacMillan St John Passion, Boylan, National...
Saturday, 19 April 2025
Never make your mind up too soon about any large-scale work by a genius. Back in 2010, I had my doubts about James MacMillan’s first Passion, hearing...
Neil Young: Coastal review - the old campaigner...
Saturday, 19 April 2025
As well as generating a ceaseless stream of albums, whether live, studio or culled from his copious archives, Neil Young has also amassed a fairly...
Album: Maria Somerville - Luster
Saturday, 19 April 2025
Luster’s fifth track “Halo” has the lyric “mystical creatures… of Éirne,” referencing the Irish river and lough of the same name – both of which are...
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The Penguin Lessons review - Steve Coogan and his flippered friend
P-p-p-pick up a penguin... few surprises in this boarding school comedy set in Argentina during the coup |
Ghosts, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre - turns out, they do fuck you up
Ten years on, Gary Owen and Rachel O'Riordan top their triumphant Iphigenia in Splott |
Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story - compelling portrait of the ground-breaking Irish writer
Glitz and hard graft: Sinéad O'Shea writes and directs this excellent documentary |
Donohoe, RPO, Brabbins, Cadogan Hall review - rarely heard British piano concerto
Welcome chance to hear a Bliss rarity alongside better-known British classics |
All the Happy Things, Soho Theatre review - deep feelings, but little drama
New play about a sibling’s death is well imagined and deeply felt, but a bit slender |
London Choral Sinfonia, Waldron, Smith Square Hall review - contemporary choral classics alongside an ambitious premiere
An impassioned response to the climate crisis was slightly hamstrung by its text |
The Forsythe Programme, English National Ballet review - brains, beauty and bravura
Once again the veteran choreographer and maverick William Forsythe raises ENB's game |
Manic Street Preachers, Barrowland, Glasgow review - elder statesmen deliver melody and sing-a-longs
The trio ran through new songs, obscure oldies and big hits in a career spanning set |
Your Friends & Neighbors, Apple TV+ review - in every dream home a heartache
Jon Hamm finds his best role since 'Mad Men' |
Goldberg Variations, Ólafsson, Wigmore Hall review - Bach in the shadow of Beethoven
Late changes, and new dramas, from the Icelandic superstar |
Shanghai Dolls, Kiln Theatre review - fascinating slice of history inadequately told
Amy Ng's take on two Chinese titans needs more dramatic ballast |
Mahler's Ninth, BBC Philharmonic, Gamzou, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester review - vision and intensity
A composer-conductor interprets the last completed symphony in breathtaking style |
Manhunt, Royal Court review - terrifyingly toxic masculinity
After his Olivier Award win for Oedipus, Robert Icke turns to a modern “monster” |
St Matthew Passion, Dunedin Consort, Butt, Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh review - life, meaning and depth
Annual Scottish airing is crowned by grounded conducting and Ashley Riches’ Christ |
Midnight Cowboy, Southwark Playhouse - new musical cannot escape the movie's long shadow
Two misfits misfire in misconceived show |
Music Reissues Weekly: Motor City Is Burning - A Michigan Anthology 1965-1972
Wide-ranging overview of the US state accommodating Detroit, the ‘rock city’ |
St Matthew Passion, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Whelan, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin review - the heights rescaled
Helen Charlston and Nicholas Mulroy join the lineup in the best Bach anywhere |
Thanks for Having Me, Riverside Studios review - snappily performed comedy with a lightweight core
Writer-actor Keelan Kember floods the stage with a torrent of gags but few ideas |
Kraggerud, Irish Chamber Orchestra, RIAM Dublin review - stomping, dancing, magical Vivaldi plus
Norwegian violinist and composer gives a perfect programme with vivacious accomplices |
theartsdesk on Vinyl: Record Store Day Special 2025
What Record Store Day exclusives are available this year? |
Sad Book, Hackney Empire review - What we feel, what we show, and the many ways we deal with sadness
A book about navigating grief feeds into unusual and compelling dance theatre |
Small, Hallé, Wong, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester review - return to Shostakovich’s ambiguous triumphalism
Illumination from a conductor with his own signature |
The Amateur review - revenge of the nerd
Remi Malek's computer geek goes on a cerebral killing spree |
Holy Cow review - perfectly pitched coming-of-age tale in rural France
Debut feature of immense charm with an all-amateur cast |
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It all started on 09/09/09. That memorable date, September 9 2009, marked the debut of theartsdesk.com.
It followed some...
Bach St John Passion, Academy of Ancient Music, Cummings, Ba...
In a programme note for the St John Passion at the Barbican, the Academy of Ancient Music’s chief executive called their Easter performances of...
Album: Viagra Boys - Viagr Aboys
Sweden’s most gloriously unhinged export is back, and Viagr Aboys might just be Viagra Boys at their most fun, feral and fully realised....
Music Reissues Weekly: 1001 Est Crémazie
It would have been hard to pick up a copy of the album credited to and titled 1001 Est Crémazie in...
MacMillan St John Passion, Boylan, National Symphony Orchest...
Never make your mind up too soon about any large-scale work by a genius. Back in 2010, I had my doubts about James MacMillan’s first Passion,...
Neil Young: Coastal review - the old campaigner gets back on...
As well as generating a ceaseless stream of albums, whether live, studio or culled from his copious archives, Neil Young has also amassed a fairly...
First Person: St John's College choral conductor Christ...
When I arrived at St John’s College, Cambridge, in April 2023, it was a daunting prospect to be taking over the reins of a choir with such a...
Album: Maria Somerville - Luster
Luster’s fifth track “Halo” has the lyric “mystical creatures… of Éirne,” referencing the Irish river and lough of the same name – both...
The Penguin Lessons review - Steve Coogan and his flippered...
As if penguins didn’t have enough to fret about with impending tariffs on exporting guano to America, here comes Steve Coogan to ruffle their...