Rossini’s operatic world is a crossroads of things: the formal conventions of arias, duets, cavatina, patter number, the stock characters of the Commedia dell’arte, a hotchpotch of contemporary patriarchal and orientalist stereotypes, and reheated scenarios from various librettists. How do modern audiences, relatively unmoored from this world, connect with these shows? A Brilliant Production In this new production of “Il {…}
It is an under-appreciated coincidence that Janacek’s searing opera of bourgeois repressiveness and psychological collapse appears in the same year as fellow Moravian Sigmund Freud’s “Beyond the Pleasure Principle” and his study of “Mass Psychology” (they were, in fact, born mere miles apart). “Kat’a Kabanova” is a psychic drama of shame and self-hatred. As in Freud’s work, Janacek creates a {…}
(Credit: James Hole) Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen will release a new album on March 26, 2021. The album, which will be released by Decca Classics, will spotlight works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Luigi Cherubini, Pietro Mascagni, and Giuseppe Verdi, including the arias “Pace Pace” from “La Forza del destino,” “Ave Maria, piena di grazia” from “Otello,” “Dei tuoi {…}
The London Philharmonic Orchestra has canceled its upcoming Ring Cycle. The orchestra announced that “Götterdämmerung” will be programmed at the earliest time possible in order to complete the Orchestra’s first-ever Ring Cycle with Maestro Vladimir Jurowski. David Burke, Chief Executive of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, announced the news stating, “With deep regret and heartfelt sadness I must inform you that {…}
Credit: Gregor Hohenberg/Sony Gramophone has announced the recordings that have advanced to the final round of the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2020. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal, choral, and opera categories. The first contestant in the opera category is the Barber’s “Vanessa,” performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Glyndebourne Chorus, under the musical {…}
(Credits: Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson / Sim Canetty-Clarke / Victoria Cadisch) The London Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that it will present 13 full-length concerts from September 30 to December 30, 2020. The concerts will be filmed live and will be broadcasted on the Marquee TV. All the concerts will be free to access for 7 days after the original broadcast date. {…}
(Credit: Marco Borggreve) BBC Proms has announced a cast change for its upcoming live performance. Conductor Omer Meir Wellber has had to withdraw from the performance on September 2, 2020 due to illness. John Storgårds will take his place. Due to the cast change, the program has been adjusted accordingly. Instead of the Aziza Sadikova’s “Marionettes” and Haydn’s Symphony No. {…}
(Credit: Paladino Music official website) Austrian tenor Kurt Azesberger has died at the age of 60, after suffering from heart failure while on vacation in South Tyrol, Austria. Azesberger studied at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz and at the Music Conservatory of Vienna. Kurt Azesberger had performed worldwide, including Germany, Austria, UK, Italy, France, and Spain, among others. He had {…}
The London Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that Karina Canellakis will be its new Principal Guest Conductor starting this September 2020. The American conductor is set to lead the ensemble in four concerts including several with music by Beethoven. Canellakis is the Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Principal Guest Conductor of the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, made her company {…}
The London Philharmonic has announced its 2020-21 season featuring a number of important soloists around the world. For this article we will highlight the vocal performances. The season opens with a program entitled Fantastic Symphony with Edward Gardner leading a program of works by Tchaikovsky, Lutosławski, and Berlioz. Gerald Finley will be the featured soloist. Performance Date: Sept. 23, 2020 Edward {…}
(Photo Source: Official Facebook) The London Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that David Burke will become its next Chief Executive, taking over for Timothy Walker, who is retiring. Walker was the company’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, but the organization is now opting for a division of the roles with Burke taking on the former; an Artistic Director will be named {…}