Top 10 Shakespeare-inspired works

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Shakespeare has probably inspired more music than any other author; here are 10 of the best works

No 1

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet

Santa Cecilia Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano

'He builds the big melodies into richly emotional climaxes without...' Review

No 2

Verdi Falstaff

Soloists; Philharmonia and Chorus / Herbert von Karajan

'After one has grown up with a much-loved...' Review


No 3

Elgar Falstaff

BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sir Andrew Davis

'As digital Falstaffs go, Sir Andrew Davis’s all-too-swiftly deleted...' Review


No 4

Berlioz Romeo and Juliet

Soloists; London Symphony Orchestra / Colin Davis

'It is encouraging to find the LSO Live series of super-budget discs...' Review

No 5

Berlioz Béatrice et Bénédict

Chorus and Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon / John Nelson

'this new set is a genuine competitor; rather to my own surprise...' Review

No 6

Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet

LSO / Valery Gergiev

'Although Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet is not through-composed in the...' Review


No 7

Tchaikovsky Hamlet

Russian National Orchestra / Vladimir Jurowski

'At first glance this might look like the traditional pairing of...' Review


No 8

Verdi Otello

Soloists; Chorus and Orchestra of the Opéra Bastille / Myung Whun Chung

'Just as Othello is a difficult play to bring off in the theatre...' Review


No 9

Rossini Otello

Soloists; Ambrosian Opera Chorus; Philharmonia Orchestra / Jesús López-Cobos

'The Desdemona is Frederica...' Review


No 10

Adès The Tempest

Soloists; Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Thomas Adès

'Thomas Adès’s “ism”-defying...' Review

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