Jonas Kaufmann lip syncs in Munich while on sick leave from the Met
The tenor confesses on Facebook. Click here to read my story.
Old favorite — Sonny Boy Williamson
Because I like it.
Short-sighted
The big story today is that Opera News, which boasts the largest circulation of any classical music magazine in this country, will no longer review the Metropolitan Opera. Opera News is published by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a support group for the company, so you might think this is about conflict of interest, but no. It’s because the Met’s general manager, Peter Gelb, didn’t like the lambasting the magazine was giving to the company’s widely excoriated new production of Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Click here to read the New York Times article.
I hope that saner minds will prevail.
UPDATE (from Met Opera press release, via Alex Ross):
“In view of the outpouring of reaction from opera fans about the recent decision to discontinue Met performance reviews in Opera News, the Met has decided to reverse this new editorial policy. From their postings on the internet, it is abundantly clear that opera fans would miss reading reviews about the Met in Opera News. Ultimately, the Met is here to serve the opera-loving public and has changed its decision because of the passionate response of the fans.
“The Met and the Met Opera Guild, the publisher of Opera News, have been in discussions about the role of the Guild and how its programs and activities can best fulfill its mission of supporting the Metropolitan Opera. These discussions have included the role of reviews in Opera News, and whether they served that mission. While the Met believed it did not make sense for a house organ that is published by the Guild and financed by the Met to continue to review Met productions, it has become clear that the reviews generate tremendous excitement and interest and will continue to have a place in Opera News.”
Wow, saner minds did prevail. I didn’t know that happened anymore.
Dudamel’s ‘Don Giovanni’: Images
Set design by Frank Gehry, costumes by Rodarte, direction by Christopher Alden.
Photo Credits: Craig T. Mathew/Mathew Imaging. You may click on for larger views.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, 1925-2012
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau — “the 20th century’s pre-eminent interpreter of art songs” — has died. I’ve never heard a more beautiful voice.
Pacific Symphony performs Schubert’s Ninth
In today’s Orange County Register online, I review last night’s performance of Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, “The Great,” given by Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony. Also on the program: Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and “Sattha” by Narong Prangcharoen.
Click here to read my review, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.
New York Philharmonic launches California tour
In today’s Orange County Register online, I review last night’s concert given by the New York Philharmonic and conductor Alan Gilbert as they launched a California tour.
Click here to read my review, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.
Incidentally, in his comments just before the downbeat, the president of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Dean Corey, mentioned me by name … which is a weird experience. He brought up my recent post here on clapping between movements. In context, it seemed as if he was implying that I was against it, but he didn’t actually say so. At any rate, he suggested to the audience that it not applaud between movements, and it didn’t. So, in this case at least, an announcement appeared to work.
Programs: New York Philharmonic, Schubert’s 9th, etc.
It’s a big week for orchestras in O.C. and L.A.
The New York Philharmonic visits for the first time with music director Alan Gilbert. They perform Tuesday night in Segerstrom Concert Hall (closing out the Philharmonic Society’s season there) and Wednesday night in Walt Disney Concert Hall. Both programs have something to offer, though frustrate as well.
On Tuesday, Gilbert and the Phil perform three pieces that I consider among my favorites, all featuring sparkling orchestrations: Berlioz’s Le Corsaire Overture, Debussy’s La Mer and Ravel’s La Valse. Yefim Bronfman arrives for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. And while I look forward to hearing him playing it, I would much rather have heard Magnus Lindberg’s new piano concerto (his second), which Bronfman and the Phil will play in L.A. the next day (a concert I most likely won’t get to.) The Lindberg in O.C. would have made good sense too, since during its season the Philharmonic Society featured American orchestras that played substantial contemporary pieces (by Bates, Higdon and Saariaho).
And while the Disney Hall performance will include the Lindberg, it surrounds it with a pair of over-familiar works — Dvorak’s “Carnival” Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. (Here’s Martin Bernheimer’s review of the same program, played Thursday in New York.)
Recent purchases
Updated
Bought this for $1 in my local library’s used book store. It’s vinyl. I actually had the record on an old Stereo Treasury Series reissue, but this is the original vinyl from the late 1950s. It sounds terrific — not just the performance, but the recording itself. Decca’s crack engineers traveled to Victoria Hall in Geneva to capture it. There’s both space and clarity in the result, a real sense that you’re in the room with Ataulfo Argenta and the orchestra. What surprised me most is that the recording is monaural (it was also issued in a Stereophonic version, but this isn’t it). Iberia is one of Debussy’s most underrated works, by the way.
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