The Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester has named Donald Nally as visiting professor of conducting and ensembles and interim director of choral activities for the 2026-2027 academic year. In his interim position, Nally, who is the founder of Grammy Award-winning The Crossing, will lead the Eastman Chorale and Eastman-Rochester Chorus while working with graduate students in {…}
(Photo credit: Brandon Patoc) For its 2026 season, Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 50th anniversary at Fairmount Park. This article only features classical music events. Highmark Mann’s newly commissioned oratorio, “A Hundred Years On” by Peter Boyer and Mark Campbell celebrates the 1876 Centennial Exposition, which took place in Fairmount Park. Soloists include sopranos Mary Dunleavy, {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. The holiday season has begun, which means operetta and this week there is an important remastering being released. There is also a new DVD of an important baroque work with a leading soprano. Die Fledermaus Decca rereleases Herbert Von Karajan’s classic 1960 “Die {…}
The professional choir The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally, will continue its season with the world premiere performances of Christopher Cerrone’s “Of being numerous” on Nov. 21 at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and Nov. 23 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee. The new work draws its name from a poem of George Oppen, a Pulitzer {…}
The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally, is adding another New York City performance to its schedule for the upcoming season. The chorus will give a New York performance of its December show, “Our Lives, Our Fortunes, Our Sacred Honor,” as part of the series “The Crossing @ Christmas 2025.” The concert will take place on Dec. 20, at 5:00 p.m. at St. Peter’s {…}
Philadelphia’s The Crossing has announced its 2025-26 season. First up is “Unalienable,” which includes the world premiere of Nina Shekhar’s “Tic-Talk” as well as the first live performance of the 2024 pre-election video “Cloud Anthem” by Michael Gilbertson. Also on the program is the world premiere of Kile Smith’s “Let all the Strains of Joy (mingle in my last song.” {…}
The Crossing, led by conductor Donald Nally, is set to return to Philadelphia for a June 14 world premiere of Gavin Bryars’ “The Last Days of Immanuel Kant.” The relationship between the renowned British composer and The Crossing is intimate, collaborative, and productive and this time Bryars turns to the insightful, melancholy recollections of Thomas De Quincy as he describes {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get to see a complete recording of Verdi’s early masterpiece with one of the most important baritones of today. There is also a debut album but one of today’s primadonnas and an experimental debut album by an esteemed mezzo. {…}
The Crossing under the direction of Donald Nally is set to present a double bill. The concert on Feb. 7 will feature the world premiere of Sebastian Currier’s “Mysterium” and the North American premiere of Linda Catlin Smith’s “Folio.” The works explore profound themes, with “Mysterium” examining life’s fleeting nature through juxtaposed texts, while Folio draws on fragments of writings {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. Happy New Year! For the first week of the year, there are many rarely performed operas on offer and a some world premiere recordings that will be intriguing for opera fans. Grace: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas In celebration of his 80th {…}
The chamber choir The Crossing is set to present “The Crossing @ Christmas 2024.” The three December performances will showcase David Lang’s “poor hymnal,” one of those rare pieces that seamlessly and quickly moves from its first performance to icon. The work, which premiered in December 2023, will be performed at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on Dec. 21 {…}