Although the premiere of the new production of Purcell’s “Fairy Queen” at Staatsoper Berlin (with Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and re-orchestrated by Helmut Oehring) will take place in June next year, Ben has already been re-invited for the revival in April-May 2014, with three further performances.

Ben has been invited to conduct a series of concerts with The Hanover Band as part of their new residency in Arundel. He will direct three classical-period programmes in 2013, including Mozart’s Requiem with The Hanover Band Chorus in February. Further details on the diary page.

Benjamin will be working on Cavalli’s Giasone at the beautiful 18th century Drottningholms Slottsteater in Stockholm during April and May, and will direct the Royal Concert there on June 11th. In Summer 2013, he will conduct Cavalli’s Gli amori d’Apollo e di Dafne in Copenhagen.

Ben spent most of December on the road. First stop was conducting Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the orchestra and chorus of Norrlandsoperan (review here), who immediately invited him back for two projects in the next two seasons: a baroque/classical programme in the 2012/2013 season and the St.Matthew Passion for Easter 2014. He then made his debut with Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester, conducting a programme of Handel, Bach and Vivaldi with great success — future projects are in the pipeline.

Critical success for this week’s concerts with Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias; read the latest here and here.