Critics at the ENO • Shostakovich and football • Marsalis and Benedetti

In our November 2019 podcast, we discuss the news that the English National Opera has stopped offering established critics a second free ticket to opening nights, and instead gives those free tickets to 10 novice bloggers. It's a story which has received a huge amount of debate on Twitter, so we dive in and give our opinions. We also celebrate the appointment of the new BBC National Orchestra of Wales principal conductor, 29-year-old Californian Ryan Bancroft. Plus, we introduce our November issue, in which we talk to the formidable pianist Igor Levit about the challenges of recording all Beethoven's 32 sonatas. To mark St Andrew's Day, we look back on all the great works that have celebrated the rugged Scottish landscape. In light of the release of a new book on Shostakovich and football, we explore how his love of the beautiful game found its way into his music. As usual, we all bring along a recording we've been enjoying this month, including new works by Wynton Marsalis and Stephen Hough. Recordings: Veprik: Orchestral Works BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Christoph-Mathias Mueller MDG MDG9012133 Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas Igor Levit (piano) Sony 90175843182 Olly's choice: Bizet: Te Deum Angela Maria Blasi (soprano), Christian Elsner (tenor), Münchner MottenChor, Munich Symphony Orchestra/Hans Rudolf Zöbeley Hänssler HC19046 Jeremy's choice: A Love Letter to Liverpool Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Alisdair Hogarth (piano) Rubicon RCD1044 Freya's choice: Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto Nicola Benedetti (violin), Philadelphia Orchestra/Critistan Macelaru Decca 485013 Stories: Chorus of rage as ENO gives critics' coveted extra tickets to young bloggers: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/07/chorus-of-disapproval-eno-gives-critics-coveted-tickets-to-young-bloggers BBC National Orchestra of Wales chooses Ryan Bancroft as next principal conductor: http://www.classical-music.com/news/bbc-national-orchestra-wales-chooses-ryan-bancroft-next-principal-conductor Our November issue: http://www.classical-music.com/issue/november-2019-0 Subscribe to BBC Music Magazine: https://www.buysubscriptions.com/print/bbc-music-magazine-subscription Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: http://www.classical-music.com/user/register For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy