Rian Evans, The Guardian, 24th September 2014
★★★★
“Works by Janáček and his Czech compatriot Bohuslav Martinů framed this concert given by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Janáček’s programmatic symphony poem Taras Bulba tells the grisly tale of the eponymous leader of the Zaporozhye Cossacks, and under the baton of Michael Francis, the picture of […]
Carol Main, The Scotsman, 2nd August 2014
★★★★★
“With considerable stamina required all round to sustain the continuous 50 minutes of lavish scoring – Wagner tubas, two sets of timpani, cowbells and all – conductor Michael Francis placed and paced his huge orchestral forces to ascend and descend in dramatic reflection of the Bavarian mountain views […]
Rodger Jones, Seen and Heard International, 2nd August 2014
“For some reason I have missed out on live performances of Richard Strauss in this his 150th anniversary year. I have not undertaken any mountaineering expeditions either, but that is beside the point. But I have now made up for these omissions thanks to the NYOS’s magnificent […]
James Chute, U-T San Diego, 14th June 2014
“…Francis knew every nuance of this difficult score and he and the orchestra offered a compelling, convincing interpretation. He found exactly the right tone for both the satire, even sarcasm, inherent in the score, and the work’s seriousness of purpose as he and the orchestra sounded as […]
Daniel J. Kushner, Democrat & Chronicle, 1st June 2014
“Guest conductor Michael Francis’ blend of control and effusiveness sustained the magisterial momentum of the prologue…
Under Francis’ direction, “Venus, The Bringer of Peace” was strikingly lyrical. The string section added elegiac beauty to its honeyed melodies, implying that the peace that was won had come at […]
David Raymond, Rochester City Newspaper, 30th May 2014
“But the most memorable portions of [Walton’s ‘Suite from Henry V’]…were delicately paced by Michael Francis and exquisitely played by the RPO strings, but the full orchestra also gave Walton’s festive moments the snazziness they require — the “Agincourt Song” pealing out in the brass near the […]
Pat O’Kelly, Irish Independent, 7th April 2014
“Following several weeks’ lull, the latest in the RTÉ NSO’s ‘Subscription Season’ finds the ensemble in top form under re-visiting English conductor Michael Francis.
Increasingly well respected on both sides of the Atlantic, his programme spotlights Dvořák’s 7th Symphony. The Brahms-like majesty of its opening Allegro is lightened by […]
Derek Ho, ResMusica, 20th March 2014
“…From the opening timpani strikes it was immediately clear that this music is Francis’ passion. There were many highlights, from the clumsy woodwinds in the Britten to the hushed strings and ominous trumpets in the Vaughan Williams. This concert was a model of intelligent programming, although some might find […]
Hannu-Ilari Lamila, Helsingin Sanomat, 16th March 2014
“Young, skilled and sympathetic British conductor Michael Francis ensured that the atmosphere was authentically English. It is often down to small detail whether, for example, Walton and Vaughan Williams’ works reveal their best qualities…
Britten composed his work Sinfonia da Requiem in 1940 in memory of his parents. It […]
Geoffrey Newman, Seen and Heard International, 14th March 2014
“…Janacek’s six Lachian Dances (1890) are in many ways just a Moravian variant of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, balancing brisk, rustic rhythms with quieter, more pastoral moods. Michael Francis immediately showed a strong feel for the structural lines of these pieces, often coaxing the violins into an […]
