Igor Levit—House Concerts
At 33, pianist Igor Levit has won almost every award going, praised for his probing but powerfully physical performances from across the repertoire. He’s also become a hero of the lockdown, regularly broadcasting live “house concerts” on Twitter. So far we’ve had Bach, Beethoven and Rzewski, but you can expect almost anything from this versatile pianist, who also introduces the pieces (in German and English). This is intensely intimate music-making. Watching it live there is a curious kinship to the experience in a moment while we’re all alone.
OperaVision
Lots of opera companies are streaming productions on their websites, including the Metropolitan Opera and the Bavarian State Opera, but for a free, one-stop-shop of world opera, your best bet is OperaVision. There are live streams but most interesting is the library of performances. Top picks include Alessandro Talevi’s chilling new Turn of the Screw for Opera North, Weimar rarity Spring Storms from Barrie Kosky’s Komische Oper and Martin Glaser’s evocative Jenufa from Janácek’s home town of Brno. All come with English subtitles.
Berlin Philharmonic: Digital Concert Hall
For a while now, the Berlin Philharmonic have opened up their concerts to international listeners via a digital subscription. Each season they live stream around 40 concerts, and they’ve also built up a rich archive. Find whatever you’re in the mood for, whether it’s Simon Rattle giving the premiere of a new work by Hans Abrahamsen or Herbert von Karajan conducting the 1978 New Year’s Day Concert.
At 33, pianist Igor Levit has won almost every award going, praised for his probing but powerfully physical performances from across the repertoire. He’s also become a hero of the lockdown, regularly broadcasting live “house concerts” on Twitter. So far we’ve had Bach, Beethoven and Rzewski, but you can expect almost anything from this versatile pianist, who also introduces the pieces (in German and English). This is intensely intimate music-making. Watching it live there is a curious kinship to the experience in a moment while we’re all alone.
OperaVision
Lots of opera companies are streaming productions on their websites, including the Metropolitan Opera and the Bavarian State Opera, but for a free, one-stop-shop of world opera, your best bet is OperaVision. There are live streams but most interesting is the library of performances. Top picks include Alessandro Talevi’s chilling new Turn of the Screw for Opera North, Weimar rarity Spring Storms from Barrie Kosky’s Komische Oper and Martin Glaser’s evocative Jenufa from Janácek’s home town of Brno. All come with English subtitles.
Berlin Philharmonic: Digital Concert Hall
For a while now, the Berlin Philharmonic have opened up their concerts to international listeners via a digital subscription. Each season they live stream around 40 concerts, and they’ve also built up a rich archive. Find whatever you’re in the mood for, whether it’s Simon Rattle giving the premiere of a new work by Hans Abrahamsen or Herbert von Karajan conducting the 1978 New Year’s Day Concert.
