Simon Thompson

Rafael R. Villalobos tries to turn Un Ballo in Maschera into something it isn't, and has Anna Netrebko passed her peak? Here's my review of Berlin's new Ballo on @SeenandHeardInt seenandheard-international.com/2026/04/berlin…

Here's my review @SeenandHeardInt of Berlin Staatsoper's Festtage Rosenkavalier. Let's just say I was in pieces by the end of Act 1. 🌹 seenandheard-international.com/2026/03/a-fest…

@RichardBratby Ha! You're very kind (and, of course, entirely correct).

Very sorry that despite my best efforts I cannot now go to this but you can generally take Simon's thoughts as gospel!

Here’s my review of @ScottishOpera’s brave foray back into Wagner, their concert staging of Tristan und Isolde. Variable singing, but powerful, stripped-back drama. See it on Wednesday @theusherhall. @thetimes @timesculture thetimes.com/culture/classi…

Here's my review of Donald Runnicles conducting @BBCSSO last weekend in Mahler 2. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @theartsdesk theartsdesk.com/classical-musi…

Here's my review on @SeenandHeardInt of @RSNO's concert last weekend. Jörg Widmann conducts his own music with vim, but his Beethoven is more patchy (or was that down to where I was sitting?). seenandheard-international.com/2026/02/jorg-w…

Here's my review of a bleak but beautiful Waiting for Godot from @citizenstheatre Glasgow. Two star central performances that work as a team. Also going to @LivEveryPlay & @octagontheatre. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 @WhatsOnStage

Here's my review of @lyceumedinburgh's Cinderella: A Fairytale, an encouraging return to form for the Lyceum's Christmas shows. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @WhatsOnStage. whatsonstage.com/news/cinderell…

Here's my review of what happened when @NickyBenedetti's UK tour arrived @GCHalls: a new line-up with some new arrangements for a new album. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ In today's @thetimes @timesculture thetimes.com/article/0773e4…

Here’s my review of Paul Philbert’s farewell to ⁦@RSNO⁩, a timpani concerto written for him by Matthew Rooke. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ in today’s ⁦@thetimes⁩, ⁦@timesculture⁩ thetimes.com/article/a6abd6…

I went to Antwerp to see @operaballetvl's psychedelic Parsifal. There wasn't much dramatic bite, but the musical side of things was great. Here's my ⭐⭐⭐ review @bachtrack.

Here's my review of The Seagull @lyceumedinburgh, with a captivating star turn from Caroline Quentin. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ @WhatsOnStage .

Here’s my review of the season openers from both @SCOmusic & @RSNO, with a little unscheduled help from the Edinburgh Cocktail Village. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ in today’s @thetimes @timesculture thetimes.com/article/a5259c…

Here's my review of Black Hole Sign @TronTheatre. It can't quite choose between symbolism and naturalism, but it's a cracking script nonetheless. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @WhatsOnStage . Also Playing @traversetheatre next month.

Here’s my review of the first night of Rufus Wainwright’s Want Symphonic tour: great songs and a fantastic voice, but this @usherhall evening felt a bit slapdash. ⭐️⭐️⭐️in today's @thetimes @timesculture thetimes.com/culture/music/…

Here's my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review @WhatsOnStage of Small Acts of Love, the production that reopens a triumphantly refurbished (and much missed) @citizenstheatre.

Amazingly, @LammermuirFest got @philharmonia to play in Haddington this year. Less amazingly, they sounded great. Here's my review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ @bachtrack bachtrack.com/22/296/view/29…

Here's my review @thetimes of @ScottishOpera's "comic" double bill of Ravel and Walton for @LammermuirFest. You can see the operas @KingsandRoyal & @captheatres this autumn. Just don't expect to roll in the aisles. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️@timesculture thetimes.com/culture/classi…

Here's my review @thetimes of the closing concert of @edintfest, coupled with an overview of how 2025's festival went. In short, we're going to have to ask the rich folks to dig deeper if we want the big events. @timesculture thetimes.com/uk/scotland/ar…

Here’s my review of @auroraorchestra playing Shostakovich from memory @edintfest while the audience, including me, were wedged between them on beanbags. 4 stars @bachtrack