Photo: Johannes Abeling

Hartmut Haenchen was recently awarded the Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music and the arts. The award was presented at a ceremony in Berlin by the German President Horst Köhler.  In other news, Hartmut conducts the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and Christian Tetzlaff on 19, 20 and 21 November – repertoire for the concerts includes violin concertos by Brahms and Widmann as well as Brahms’ Symphony No 1 in C Minor.

Photo: Toomas Volkmann

After conducting the premiere at Opéra de Rennes on Halloween, Olari Elts takes Zoltàn Balàzs’ new production of Marschner’s Der Vampyr to Szeged for performances on 16 and 17 November – the opera’s first visit to Hungary.  The production comprises part of a wider opera competition and festival organised by French broadcaster Mezzo Television - each participating opera includes a number of ‘competition roles’ to be judged by the audience and a jury panel with Szeged to host the finals.  Looking further ahead, after accepting City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s re-invitation, Olari conducts two Viennese themed concerts at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 19 and 23 November.

Following performances of Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No 3 with Gidon Kremer and the Munich Philharmonic conducted by Christian Thielemann, Marie Elizabeth Hecker is joined by Katia Skanavi for a recital at Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional de Musica on 20 November.  Repertoire for the occasion includes Poulenc’s Cello Sonata, Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata in C Major and Franck’s Sonata for Cello and Piano in A Major.

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium Japan travel west for a major European tour.  With debut performances in Berlin, Brussels, Luxembourg and Paris, the programmes include Bach's Cantatas BWV 102 & 140 and the Mass in B minor, a work recently recorded and released on BIS to critical acclaim ‘Suzuki: committed, life-affirming and generous’ (Gramophone Magazine).

Alexander Prior’s choral cycle Sounds of the Homeland and extracts from his All Night Vigil have recently been performed as part of the St Petersburg Rossica Choir’s tour of English churches and cathedrals.  And with the world premiere of his piano trio Svyatogor’s Quest at Wigmore Hall on 17 November (performed by the Sitkovetsky Piano Trio), his compositions continue to receive widespread recognition.

Photo: Kirill Bachkirov

Nikolai Demidenko releases his debut CD for Onyx Classics; this features his first recording of Chopin’s 24 Preludes and also includes Sonata No 3 in B minor.  The CD has been eagerly awaited since his previous Chopin disc received generous plaudits including Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik.

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Rory Macdonald makes his BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra debut at Glasgow’s City Halls on 6 and 7 November.  The diverse programme includes the second suite from Sibelius’ Historic Scenes, Grondahl’s Trombone Concerto (with Simon Johnson) and Thea Musgrave’s Aurora alongside Beethoven ’s Symphony No 4.

Photo: Mats Bäcker

Stefan Solyom conducts Kasper Wilton’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Danish National Opera.  On 30 September the production began a nationwide tour which includes four performances at Copenhagen’s Musikhuset Aarhus from 13 to 16 November.  Following this, Stefan joins the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow to perform two concerts of Rachmaninov and Stravinsky on 27 November and 4 December as part of the orchestra’s Russian Winter series.

Photo: Nicolas Ruel

Kent Nagano conducts a new production of Berg’s Wozzeck at the Bayerische Staatsoper.  With Michael Volle in the title role, the opera directed by Andreas Kriegenburg opens on 10 November at the Nationaltheater.

Photo: Delahaye Photographie

‘Laurent Pelly's poetic, witty and imaginative modernising of Hänsel und Gretel gives fresh vitality to Humperdinck's adorable masterpiece’ (The Telegraph).  Following a successful run at Glyndebourne this summer, this witty and highly-relevant production is now in performance by Glyndebourne on Tour in Woking, Stoke-on-Trent, Milton Keynes, Norwich and Plymouth.

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