Géori (Georgette) Boué, born 16 October 1918 in Toulouse, has died yesterday, 5 January, in Paris, at the age of 98. She made her debut at the Capitole de Toulouse in 1934. In 1939 she started singing at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, as Mimi in La Bohème. She rapidly became known for her affinities with the French repertoire, Lakmé, Manon Marguerite, Juliette, but also with Italian roles like Gilda, Violetta, Desdemona, Tosca and Cio-Cio San. Read More →
Anthony Goldstone
(c) Divine Art
British pianist Anthony Goldstone passed away 2 January at the age of 72. He was a major figure in the Divine Art Records catalogue both as a soloist and duo partner with his wife Caroline Clemmow, and in a press release the label says that he will be very sadly missed. Divine Art is currently working on Goldstone’s last solo recording which is to be released in the summer (Piano at the Ballet, Vol. 2) and also the re-release of the 7-CD set of the complete works for piano duet by Franz Schubert. Read More →
Sidney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House underwent heavy criticism because of the set built up for Opera Australia’s outdoor season in October 2016, The Australian reports. Critics say, the infrastructure for those outdoor productions impacted the view visitors had on the Opera house and created a « visual disruption ». The management even was warned that the opera house therefore risked losing its UNESCOWorld Heritage status.
Igor Stravinsky: L'Oiseau de Feu; Bela Bartok: Klavierkonzert Nr. 3, Suite aus Der Wunderbare Mandarin; Yefim Bronfman, Klavier, London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev; 2 CDs LSO Live 5078; Liveaufnahme 24/10/2015 (96’57) - Rezension von Alain Steffen
Im Prinzip funktionieren Valery Gergievs Interpretationen in diesem Repertoire immer, auch wenn man weiß, dass das geniale Moment der frühen Jahre heute längst einer oberflächlichen und effekthascherischen Routine gewichen ist. Read More →
The Classical Piano Concerto 4; Leopold Kozeluch: Klavierkonzerte Nr. 1, 5 & 6; Howard Shelley (Klavier & Leitung), London Mozart Players; 1 CD Hyperion CDA68154; Aufnahme 12/2015, Veröffentlichung 01/2017 (75'41) – Rezension von Remy Franck
Heute steht er eher am Rand des Kanons, zu seinen Lebzeiten aber waren die Aufführungen der Werke Leopold Kozeluchs solche Erfolge, dass er es sich selbst erlauben konnte, 1781 das Angebot des Salzburger Erzbischofs für die Stelle des Hoforganisten – als Nachfolger Mozarts – auszuschlagen. Read More →
Kansas City Symphony announced that, to date, the so called Masterpiece Campaign has raised nearly $52 million thanks to many generous donors. This comes close to the goal of the largest endowment campaign in the orchestra’s history. Read More →
Joana Carneiro
(c) Dave Weiland
Berkeley Symphony, Berkeley, California, announced that Music Director Joana Carneiro has withdrawn from the concert on Thursday, January 26 at Zellerbach Hall. Carneiro is pregnant and is under doctor’s advice not to conduct or travel. She will be replaced by Christian Reif. Read More →
Die Bechstein Pianofortefabrik startet eine neue Reihe im Konzerthaus Berlin: Alexej Gorlatch eröffnet am Freitag, 31. März 2017, um 20 Uhr mit einem Chopin-Recital die neue Serie der Bechstein Klavierabende. Ihm folgen am 21. April 2017 der chinesische Virtuose Haiou Zhang und am 23. Juni 2017 die koreanische Pianistin Yejin Gil. Read More →
Georges Prêtre
French conductor Georges Prêtre, 92, died on Wednesday in Navès, France. He was what one could a Grand Seigneur de la Baguette. Read More →
In War and Peace: Harmony Through Music; Händel: Scenes of horror (Jephtha), Svegliatevi nel core (Giulio Cesare), Pensieri, voi mi tormentate! (Agrippina), Lascia ch'io pianga + Augeletti che cantate (Rinaldo), Crystal streams in murmurs flowing (Susanna), Da tempeste il legno infranto (Giulio Cesare); Jommelli: Sprezza il furor del vento + Par che di Giubilo (Attila Regolo); Leo: Prendi quel ferro, o barbaro! (Andromaca); Monteverdi: Illustratevi, o cieli (Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria); Purcell: They tell us that your mighty powers, Z630, When I am laid in earth (Dido and Aeneas), O lead me to some peaceful gloom (Bonduca or The British Heroine, Z574, Why should men quarrel? (The Indian Queen); Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo D’Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev; 1 CD Erato 9029592846; Aufnahmen 3/2016, Veröffentlichung 11/2016 (79'12) – Rezension von Uwe Krusch
Wird es eigentlich nicht langweilig, wenn begnadete Sänger, ob weiblich oder männlich, einer nach dem anderen neue Konzeptalben vorlegen? Das hängt sicher davon ab, wie es gemacht wird. Wurde vor nicht allzu langer Zeit an dieser Stelle eine andere Sängerin weniger gut bedacht, ist hier nun wieder höchstes Lob auszusprechen. Read More →
