Sam Allchurch Reflects On Creating A Royal Affair
The New Music Director of Sydney Chamber Choir, conductor Sam Allchurch reflects on creating A Royal Affair Like many lovers of choral music, I have a real soft spot for Handel. His works for choir express the full range of human emotion from uplifting joy to poignant tragedy. Unlike that of his contemporary Bach, Handel’s…
Deutsche Grammophone Releases Double CD Of Bruckner And Wagner
Multiple Grammy Award winner Andris Nelsons and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra continue their acclaimed couplings of Bruckner and Wagner on the Deutsche Grammophon label, with the new release of a double CD recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, which Bruckner himself described as his “boldest” and “most brazen” and the Symphony No. 9, with which…
Graham Abbott’s New Series ‘Classics Unlocked’
There was much regret and dismay when broadcaster Graham Abbott’s iconic Saturday morning series ‘Keys to Music’ folded after a 15 year run from 2003 – 2018. The series, which Abbott wrote, produced and presented was an engaging look at the historical and musicological stories behind the development of western classical music. Stepping into this…
Natalie Aroyan Wins 2019 Harding Miller Foundation Opera Scholarship
Natalie Aroyan, soprano and Principal Artist with Opera Australia has been awarded the prestigious Harding Miller Foundation Opera Scholarship 2019, receiving the sum of $30,000 over two years to support study and travel in Australia or overseas. Opera lovers will be familiar with Aroyan’s engaging performances which include the title role in Aida, Desdemona in Otello, Mimi in La Bohéme, Marguerite in Faust, Amelia…
New Schubert Release From András Schiff
Pianist András Schiff has released the latest in his recordings of the music of Schubert with Franz Schubert: Sonatas & Impromptus. On this 2-hour double album from ECM Records, Schiff plays the Four Impromptus D 899, and compositions from 1828, the last year of Schubert’s all too brief life: The Three Pieces D 946 (“impromptus in all…
‘Pavarotti’ Biopic Trailer Released Today
Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard directs an intimate new biopic, on the life of the legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti. The movie trailer released today traces Pavarotti’s life and features iconic footage of The Three Tenors performing ‘Nessun dorma’ at the World Cup. Plácido Domingo, one of the world’s greatest living tenors and a close of friend of Pavarotti’s,…
Lang Lang Releases Student Classics On ‘Piano Book’
Pianist Lang Lang, releases a new solo album tomorrow. Piano Book’ is a collection of pieces which first inspired him to play the piano and led him on his path to international stardom. The recording, his first new studio album in three years, marks his return to Universal Music Group and Deutsche Grammophon – the label…
West Side Story Lookbook
The immortal music theatre piece West Side Story has opened at Sydney’s pop-up outdoor theatre as Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s presentation for 2019. With lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein and choreography by Jerome Robbins this is a classic, based on the story of Romeo and Juliet but which resonates true today,…
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Releases Next Recording In R Strauss Series
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Chief Conductor Sir Andrew Davis continue their acclaimed recordings of the orchestral music of Richard Strauss, with this latest volume featuring three world-class soloists – James Ehnes, Daniel Müller-Schott and Christopher Moore – performing two of Strauss’ finest early works: the Violin Concerto, and the tone poem Don Quixote. Performed…