(Photo credit: Monika Rittershaus) As the first new production of the new season, the Royal Swedish Opera offered up “Der ferne Klang” from Franz Schreker, a work not seen on this stage since 1927. Created in Frankfurt in 1912, “Der ferne Klang” is a complex work composed over almost the entire first decade of the 20th century. The success at its {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) The Teatro Real opened its season on the Sept. 18, 2019 with Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” an opera inspired in the old monarchy of Spain. Present at the big event were the King and Queen of Spain, as well as famous figures from the world of politics and arts. “Don Carlo” is a massive endeavor for any {…}
After 57 years, the Vienna State Opera brought Benjamin Britten’s masterwork “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” back into its repertoire. The opera had its world premiere at the Aldeburgh Festival on June 11, 1960, with the Vienna State Opera showcasing the work for the first time in 1962. This chronology implies that the opera house was quick to stage Britten’s masterwork {…}
(Credit: Bernd Uhlig) The Deutsche Oper Berlin’s current “Nabucco” is a production by Keith Warner, first presented in 2013. It’s not an unconventional production, at least by Berlin standards. Where Berlin opera is often characterized by the most provocative nontraditional productions—Frank Castorf’s recent “Forza” premiere, for instance, provoked a near-riot among its Deutsche Oper audiences—Warner’s “Nabucco,” by contrast, feels tame. {…}
(Credit: Mikel Ponce) The Teatre de Les Arts opened his season on the 27th of September with “Le Nozze di Figaro” by Mozart. The famed composer’s music is performed quite often at all levels of the opera world, but it does not by any means make it easy to sing. The Mozartian style demands purity of the line, clean attack {…}
Shining Brow tells of events in the life of Frank Lloyd Wright.
(Credit: Chris Lee) September 27, 2019, saw the second performance of the New York Philharmonic’s cerebral double bill, comprised of Bartok’s “Bluebeard’s Castle,” and Schoenberg’s “Erwartung.” Both works delve deeply into the psyche to explore themes of love, loss, trust, betrayal, and more. Joined by some truly magnetic soloists, Jaap van Zweden and the Philharmonic succeeded in bringing the music, {…}
(Photo: Barbara Aumueller) “They have been crucifying our Othello into an opera,” was Lord Byron’s reaction on seeing a production of Rossini’s “Otello,” continuing “Music good, but as for the words… …and the greatest nonsense instead.” Even Stendhal, a keen supporter of the composer, was angered by the work, suggesting that his music should be reset to Shakespeare’s text. The {…}
On Sept. 20, 2019, Talents of the World returned to Carnegie Hall for an exciting concert, titled “David Gvinianidze and Friends.” Featuring a lineup of not just established artists, but winners of Talents of World’s “International Youth Music Competition” in Georgia, what ensued was a breathtaking showcase celebrating cherished works while introducing fresh and highly talented new artists. The night’s {…}