John Nelson: Major Works of Berlioz

Knight Classical conceived and delivered a series of large-scale concert projects dedicated to the works of Hector Berlioz, conducted by the late John Nelson, as part of a long-term artistic commitment to create definitive recordings of Berlioz’s major works.

Developed in close collaboration with Maestro Nelson and long-standing artistic partners, each project was designed to operate simultaneously as a major live event and as an enduring international release.

Les Troyens

The cycle began with Les Troyens, presented in Strasbourg with Joyce DiDonato, Michael Spyres, and Marie-Nicole Lemieux, in collaboration with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. Recorded for Warner Classics/Erato and streamed internationally on medici.tv, the release received widespread critical acclaim, including Recording of the Year (Gramophone), and Recording of the Decade (The Sunday Times).

La Damnation de Faust

The Strasbourg collaboration in Strasbourg continued with La Damnation de Faust, featuring Joyce DiDonato, Michael Spyres, and Nicolas Courjal. As with the wider initiative, recording and international streaming were embedded within the production strategy, culminating in release on Warner Classics/Erato and medici.tv.

Harold en Italie & Nuits d’Été

The cycle was further extended with performances of Harold en Italie and Les Nuits d’Été, featuring Timothy Ridout and Michael Spyres, again in collaboration with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. The recordings were released on Warner Classics/Erato, continuing the international dissemination of the project.

Requiem

In addition to the recordings made with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, John Nelson recorded Berlioz’s Requiem live in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. He was joined by some 300 performers, including the Philharmonia Orchestra, soloist Michael Spyres, and multiple choirs. The concert – which was fully produced by Knight Classical (read more) – was streamed live on medici.tv and recorded for CD and DVD release on the Warner Classics/Erato label.

Across the series, Knight Classical provided full artistic and production leadership – coordinating orchestras, soloists, recording strategy, broadcast partnerships, and label relationships to ensure that each performance served both its immediate audience and its long-term cultural legacy.

Integration with Artist Management

These recording projects were met with unanimous critical acclaim and are considered benchmark references for Berlioz’s large-scale orchestral and choral works. The process underpinning their creation – from concept to delivery – was fully integrated with our management of John Nelson, widely regarded as the leading interpreter of Berlioz. They exemplify our integrated approach to artist management: developing projects that showcase an artist’s strengths, with production handled fully in-house.

Knight Classical’s role