Wexford Festival Opera

National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus's Mozart and Prokofiev programme

In its performance of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus, conducted by Daniele Callegari, sound quite unlike what we are accustomed to. This is not the Mozart of conventional elegance but of the down-to-earth letters; Prokofiev's classical models are less important than the barbaric force that motivates them. The aim of the playing is not so much perfection of detail as the transmission of the original inspiration. If, there are some rough edges, they are compensated for by the elemental rigour of the result. If one feels one has something important to say, elegance is not a primary consideration - so the Mozart was more challenging than usual and the Prokofiev was free of any feeling of pastiche. It is good to get a fresh view of these pieces, our appreciation of which can be dulled by overfamiliarity.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus's programme is repeated on Monday at Rowe Street Church at 11 a.m.

Bellini & Friends

The recital devoted to Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Malibran and Mercadante is a delight. Four singers, dressed in colourful 18th-century costumes, indulge in flirtatious byplay that enlivens the songs - sometimes appropriately, as in Rossini's La Danza and La Regata Veneziana, sometimes less so, as in the love songs of Bellini. It is a painless introduction to this unfamiliar repertoire, and the provision of complete texts and translations is very welcome. Unfortunately, they are best read in advance, as the lighting is dim during the performance - and, anyway, the action on stage is so beguiling that it demands attention. Ermonela Jaho (soprano), Elena Traversi (mezzo), Davide Cicchetti (tenor) and Massimiliano Gagliardo (baritone) behave with youthful insouciance - they do not take the words of the songs too seriously. These zephyrs, these nymphs and nightingales were modish conceits in the early 19th century, and perhaps it is right to treat them in a light-hearted way. Certainly, Donizetti's lament for Bellini by Ermonela Jaho, in which there was no byplay to distract, attained a greater depth of feeling than the other numbers.

In this recital, the accomplished Rosetta Cucchi is at the piano. Her playing and direction contribute largely to the success of the presentation, in which bel-canto arias are made accessible in a friendly fashion.

Bellini & Friends is repeated at White's Hotel on Sunday at 11 a.m.