Showing 1 - 6 of 6
Harps and heavenly sounds
Life, James Keller, Published on 03/09/2024
» In celebration of the auspicious occasion of the birthday of HM Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother on Aug 12, and in collaboration with B.Grimm, the Department of Cultural Promotion and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra gave an appropriately magnificent performance recently at the Thailand Cultural Centre.
A harmonious blend
Life, James Keller, Published on 26/12/2023
» A highly energised Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra rounded off a hugely successful 2023 concert season mid-December with a cleverly conceived and designed programme titled "Orient Et Occident", with each performance alternating between compositions by Western and Eastern composers. By now, frequent visiting English conductor Douglas Bostock certainly knows how to inspire this orchestra to the very best of its abilities, and the opening La Princesse Jaune Overture by Camille Saint-Saëns was duly performed with a delightfully assured élan. The utterly charming faux-exoticism which the composer conjures was played with innocent, abundant joy, whilst a central lush string section showed off those particular ranks in an extremely positive light.
A grand celebration
Life, James Keller, Published on 02/02/2023
» A celebratory concert given by the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in honour of the 36th birthday of its beloved patron HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya began the 2023 season in splendid fashion.
No notes required
Life, James Keller, Published on 23/12/2022
» The huge audience at the Thailand Cultural Centre earlier this month certainly knew that they were in for the rarest of treats when the legendary Russian-born Israeli violinist Maxim Vengerov made his first ever appearance in the second half of an utterly unique concert, performing Prokofiev's ravishingly sublime Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major and Ravel's dazzling Tzigane, while his compatriot pianist colleague Roustem Saïtkoulov -- likewise a top-ranking soloist -- was also on the billing with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in the first half for another favourite Prokofiev work from his youth, the scintillating Piano Concerto No.3 In C Major. Meanwhile a delightful, unprogrammed surprise encore of sheer brilliance also awaited the capacity crowd at the end of what turned out to be a most generous musical feast par excellence.
RBSO concert tests the limits of sound
Life, James Keller, Published on 15/09/2022
» A programme of Borodin, Wagner, and Brahms/Schönberg in the Thailand Cultural Centre on Sept 2 afforded the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform at both the quietest and loudest of dynamics. Experienced Greek conductor Myron Michailidis and Italian mezzo-soprano Lucrezia Venturiello made their Thailand debuts, and certainly both made a very positive impression on the audience. The concert began with Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, continuing with Richard Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, and finishing with Schönberg's imaginative arrangement for orchestra of Brahms' Piano Quartet In G Minor.
A poignantly brave opening to 2021 concert season
Life, James Keller, Published on 21/01/2021
» The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra presented an extremely inspired evening of music earlier this month in the Main Hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre, a welcome relief for many who suspected that live performances might be put on hold indefinitely at the start of this new year.