Hector Berlioz is one of the most influential French composers of all time. Born on Dec. 11, 1803, Berlioz was supposed to become a doctor like his father. But he opted for a career in music and soon found himself at odds with the musical establishment in Paris. However, he would win the Prix de Rome in 1830. His first {…}
Warner Classics is set to honor the 150th anniversary of Hector Berlioz’s death with the release of the first-ever complete recorded edition of the composer’s works. The new box set, entitled “Berlioz: The Complete Works,” will feature 27 discs with milestone recordings spanning over 60 years of the Warner Classics, Erato, and Universal. The collection will include a recording of “Les {…}
Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” is not only his greatest opera but arguably one of the greatest not only in the French repertoire but the entire canon at large. The work had its world premiere in three acts on Nov. 4, 1863, before surprisingly disappearing from the repertoire for decades. In fact, the first staged performance of the work didn’t even take {…}
On Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, the Vienna State Opera will showcase a live stream of its performance of Berlioz’s grand opera “Les Troyens.” The performance will be led by conductor French maestro Alain Altinoglu with Brandon Jovanovich as Enée, Adam Plachetka as Chorèbe, Joyce DiDonato as Didon, and Anna Caterina Antonacci as Cassandre. The performance will feature a production by {…}
The Gramophone Awards have been announced and the top Opera recording for 2018 goes to Erato’s release of Berlioz’s “Les Troyens.” The recording is led by John Nelson, one of the great Berlioz conductors of the 20th and 21st century. His cast includes Michael Spyres, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Joyce DiDonato. Contralto Delphine Galou’s album “Agitata” took home the best recital {…}
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, born on August 28, 1749, is one of the great German writers in history. Unsurprisingly, his literary prowess has inspired a wide range of operatic works, many of which are staples of the canon. Here is a survey of operas based on the works of Goethe. Faust Goethe’s masterwork is undeniably the source of many operas. {…}
Hector Berlioz has always stood as a controversial figure in the world of classical music. Born on Dec. 11, 1803, his legacy has been one of confusion for many artists. On one hand, he is seen as an incredible genius, whose music is among the richest ever written, his orchestration revolutionary. Others find his music ambiguous in quality, with only {…}
Though not necessarily an opera in the traditional sense, Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” is usually presented as such. The work, which features solo voices, full chorus, and orchestra is more appropriately described as a hybrid between an opera and a cantata, the dramatic freeness of the work making it rather challenging to stage as an opera. Berlioz himself called {…}
Back in 1973, 32-year-old conductor John Nelson took the stage at Carnegie Hall. He was leading his first-ever performance of Berlioz’s monumental opera “Les Troyens.” Little did he know at that moment that the piece could come to become one of the most important of his entire career. “I was a kid back then,” the conductor told OperaWire in a {…}
It’s Thanksgiving week and that means Black Friday is coming up. While we will have a list of must-buy recordings for the Holiday season later this week, let us focus on the one recording that will be released. Les Troyens Warner Classics releases one of the most anticipated recordings of the year as John Nelson conducts a star-studded cast. The {…}
Joyce DiDonato’s famed interpretation of Didon in Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” will get a CD release this fall. The new recording, which will be released by Erato features the full uncut score of the Berlioz masterwork, drawn from two concert performances that took place over the Easter weekend in April 2017 in the Strasbourg, France. The performance is led by conductor John Nelson {…}