The concert in Lisbon, at Gulbenkian, with Daniels and the Basileia's chamber Orquestra was superb. When a solo concert? We're wainting!

I saw the same programme in London. I agree your sentiments about the preferability of solo performances - 3 solos and a shared duet for each singer when they got top billing was too small a ration. They were rather smothered by too generous a helping of Teleman's orchestral music in my view.

Bryan,

I too was at the concert in London and was slightly dissapointed at the disproportionate amount of instrumental music in a programme that was supposedly highlighting two singers.

Having said that, their contributions, and especially Magdalena's, were of such high quality that it was difficult to remain dissapointed for long. We did also get three duets as encores: - Handel, Purcell and Monteverdi.

Unfortunately Magdalena, who was due to sing with Rattle and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment last week, was ill for this concert and was replaced by the young Swedish mezzo, Malena Ernman, who tried hard but was really no substitute for Magdalena.

Encore to John Hancocks comments - as he says Ernman was not in the same league. It was a bad week for Barbican. I went 3 times in 5 days and one of the principals withdrew on all 3 occasions. As for Magdalena, perhaps the Barbican and she could compensate with a solo recital....!!!

Bryan,

I assume one of the other no-shows was Ben Heppner in the Dream of Gerontius. I saw the second performance and, judging by the reviews, I think David Rendall (who replaced Heppner) was more secure then than on the first night. He was certainly very good on the night I saw him.

Who was the other absentee?

Jon.

PS Solo recital from Magdalena? Yes please.

John,
Somehow my first response got sent (or lost) before I had finished it. Assuming it was lost, the gist of my reply was that I agree that Rendall was an excellent replacement (better in my view than Sophie von Otter whose voice seemed a little characterless for the role).
Re my third "disappointment", there was a degree of poetic license in it! Emmanuelle Haim (heavily pregnant) had fallen and damaged her arm which meant that she was in pain when she conducted so the concert with Bonney and Coote was truncated - and it was some of the vocal items that got the chop.
Regards Bryan