The Met’s first Ring Cycle is completed
The first of three complete ‘Ring’ cycles, directed by Robert Lepage and staged by The Met this spring, is over. The NY Times has its say: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/arts/music/robert-lepages-first-complete-ring-concludes-at-met.html?_r=1&ref=arts
Steve Reich on minimalism
Steve Reich is in Sydney! He talks to Matthew Westwood from The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/steve-reichs-sounds-dont-scratch-the-surface/story-e6frg8n6-1226337506454
The movements that make the music
This is an absolutely fascinating animation from the New York Times of the connection between a conductor’s gestures, the responses of the musicians and the sounds that are created. Alan Gilbert, the music director of the New York Philharmonic talks it through: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/06/arts/music/the-connection-between-gesture-and-music.html?ref=classicalmusic#
Don Giovanni re-invented…
Paris, London, Los Angeles, Berlin – all these cities will host productions of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in 2012. The London production, is at heaven nighclub and completely re-invents the character…… http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/apr/11/don-giovanni-hero-or-villain
Jonas Kauffman interviewed
The impossibly perfect tenor Jonas Kauffman in a recent interview with The Guardian. In June he sings in a gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall with Anna Netrebko and ErwinSchrott, and also at Covent Garden in Les Troyens. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/apr/05/jonas-kaufmann-tenor-great-pretender
Halcyon and Vox Dream and Dance into the 21st century
When the voices of Halcyon get together with the voices of Vox, you can expect a vision of the future. This weekend they collaborate in a programme called Dreams and Dances in which the focus is very definitely on the ‘here and now’ as well as on ‘what’s next’. Halcyon is Australia’s premiere new music vocal ensemble, created…
APRA/AMCOS Art Music Award winners 2012.
Last week APRA/AMCOS announced its annual Art Music Awards winners for 2012. The awards acknowledge achievement in the composition, performance, education and presentation of Australian music. There are ten national awards and several State Awards which include these categories as well as outstanding contributions by individuals and organisations in Australian music, music education and regional music. The Art Music Awards were…
A new name for the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra
It’s not so old, but already the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra has re-invented itself and will, in future be known as The Metropolitan Orchestra (TMO). Here’s the announcement from the orchestra: “It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce that the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra will officially be rebranded as THE METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA (TMO) at our next…
Press round-up
It’s been a quiet week with the Easter break, but Sydney’s concert scene is getting busy again. In the meantime, here’s a retrospective on Opera on Sydney Harbour, and review of Reneee Fleming’s latest CD Poemes: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/opera-on-the-water-floats-high/story-fn9d2mxu-1226327245185 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/poemes-renee-fleming/story-fn9sulvf-1226323885741