thu 15/05/2025

David Nice

David Nice's picture
Bio
The classical music and opera editor of theartsdesk, David writes, lectures and broadcasts on music. A former music critic for The Guardian and The Sunday Correspondent, he has made regular appearances on BBC Radio 3, not least in the long-running series Building a Library. He has written short studies on Elgar, Richard Strauss, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and the history of opera, and is currently working on the second volume of his Prokofiev biography for Yale University Press. He runs two Zoom lecture series, Opera in Depth on Mondays and a symphonies course on Thursdays.

Articles By David Nice

The Queen of Spades, Royal Opera review - uneven cast prey to overthought concept

Read more...

Best of 2018: Classical concerts

Read more...

Best of 2018: Opera

Read more...

Ed Vulliamy: When Words Fail review - the band plays on

Read more...

L'enfance du Christ, BBCSO, Gardner, Barbican review - Berlioz's kindest wonder

Read more...

Hänsel und Gretel, Royal Opera review - not quite hungry enough

Read more...

theartsdesk in Brno: Czech 100th feted through Janáček and Smetana

Read more...

Sophie Bevan, Philharmonia, Rouvali, RFH review - an Alpine blaze

Read more...

The Nutcracker, Royal Ballet review - a still-magical tale of two couples

Read more...

CBSO, Kremerata Baltica, Gražinytė-Tyla, Symphony Hall, Birmingham review - numb laments and life after death

Read more...

Māris Briežkalns Quintet, EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 review - a Rothko symphony

Read more...

Dietrich: Natural Duty, Wilton's Music Hall review - elegy for one

Read more...

Kolesnikov, BBCSO, Brabbins, Barbican review - rethought masterpiece, stolid rarity

Read more...

Borodin Quartet, LPO, Jurowski, RFH review - mixed results in oddball Czechfest

Read more...

The Rake's Progress, LPO, Jurowski, RFH review - supreme fluency from Eden to Bedlam

Read more...

Car, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Tognetti, Milton Court review - a rattlebag of happy collaborations

Read more...

Pages

latest in today

Help to give theartsdesk a future!

It all started on 09/09/09. That memorable date, September 9 2009, marked the debut of theartsdesk.com.

It followed some...

Album: Billy Nomates – Metalhorse

Metalhorse is a concept album that uses visions of a dilapidated funfair as a metaphor for life’s various ups and downs. It especially...

The Comedy About Spies, Noel Coward Theatre review - 'G...

From the creative team that brought you The Play That Goes Wrong in 2012 (and assorted sequels) comes this spy caper. As ever...

House of Games, Hampstead Theatre review - adapted Mamet scr...

There is so much that is right about Jonathan Kent’s new production of House of Games – the casting, the staging, the...

Karim Said, Leighton House review - adventures from Byrd to...

William Byrd, Arnold Schoenberg and their respective acolytes go cheek by jowl, crash into one another, soothe, infuriate and shine in their very...

Album: MØ - Plæygirl

Danish singer MØ is a paradox. Initially she appeared to be another Scandi electro-pop princess of the bangers. The monster 2015 hit “Lean On”...

Stile Antico, Wigmore Hall review - a glorious birthday cele...

There was a wonderful festal spirit at the Wigmore Hall last night, as the vocal ensemble Stile Antico ran through a Greatest Hits selection in...

PUP, SWG3, Glasgow review - controlled chaos from Canadian p...

According to PUP lead singer Stefan Babcock, the Toronto foursome practiced together a grand total of twice before embarking on their current UK...

Zoe Lyons, Touring - midlife, without the crisis

Zoe Lyons knows her audience; as a few shoutouts confirmed, many of them are long-time fans, and have had lives with similar highs and...

The Last Musician of Auschwitz review - a haunting testament...

“It is so disgraceful, what happened there,” says Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, in a comment that is the understatement of the century. She is referring...