On March 24, “Le Nozze di Figaro” was offered at the Philharmonie Luxembourg in a concert version with the Basel Chamber Orchestra conducted by Giovanni Antonini. A chamber orchestra is not only well-suited to the Grand Auditorium of the Philharmonie Luxembourg, but also allows us to better appreciate Mozart’s orchestral structure than with a symphony orchestra, thanks to a {…}
(Photo: ROF/Amati Bacciardi) Pesaro’s Rossini Opera Festival kicked off its 43rd season in splendid style with a presentation of the composer’s “Le Comte Ory” conducted by Diego Matheuz and directed by Hugo De Ana, with a stellar cast which included Juan Diego Flórez, Julie Fuchs and Maria Kataeva. Not only did it prove to be a magical musical experience, but {…}
Opera aficionados d’un certain âge remember Leyla Gencer with almost idolatrous admiration and no small degree of reverence. With the passing of time, most younger devotees of the lyric theatre have about as much knowledge of “La Diva Turca” as they do Maria Reining or Toti dal Monte. Born Ayshe Leyla Ceyrekgil in Istanbul sometime between 1918-1928, Gencer enjoyed a {…}