Simon Leeson
@simonleeson
Pianist and teacher. Lots of opera, not necessarily Wagner.
Yunchan Lim at the Proms. It's like being able to watch Messi from the touchline.
Beautiful day at The Oval but I've had enough of the awful music. It doesn't seem to be helping Surrey batters...
I liked this more than most new versions, but once again I left thinking I'd rather have the classic author than the updating.
Five hours away from everything, where the only thing that mattered was Tristan und Isolde.
First day off in a while and it very happily coincided with the relay of Munich's Die Walküre.
Great performance from England Women, and I unexpectedly caught up with an old school friend.
Wimbledon is always part of my summer season - of exam accompanying.
Hockney memories from Glyndebourne, with Yuja Wang, and from Bradford.
No teaching this lunchtime because of school exams, so the Dante Sonata instead.
The last couple of Ibsen productions in London have been disappointing, but his apartment in Oslo was wonderful to visit.
“Did you ever go to a place . . . I think it was called Norway?” “No,” said Arthur, “no, I didn’t.” “Pity,” said Slartibartfast, “that was one of mine. Won an award, you know. Lovely crinkly edges.”
At 5pm I thought I was having a quiet night in, but then a friend called with a spare Peter Grimes ticket.
Video for Wozzeck felt too much like sitting behind someone flicking through their phone. It would have helped if the faces on the screen were those of the singers.
When I turned my phone off for this recital, Forest looked to be all at sea too. An hour later, after some terrific singing, Forest had been magic too!
Another "version" of Ibsen where everyone says fuck a lot and is on Instagram. I liked Romola Garai though.