Dancing with the piano – Zubin Kanga performs in London
Pianist Zubin Kanga recently performed a programme of ‘new music’ in London. It involved ideas that brooked traditional concepts of how the instrument is played. Read more at: http://www.icareifyoulisten.com/2012/03/piano-insideout-zubin-kanga-kings-place-london/
Jonathan Lemalu learns a libretto in a new language
Grammy Award winning New Zealand born bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu (he’s sung Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni for OA in Sydney) has had to meet a new challenge – that of learning a libretto in Chinese. He talks about it in this blog. (The Grammy Award was in 2010 for Best Opera Recording Billy Budd) http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/mar/26/learning-to-sing-chinese-songs
Quotas on overseas singers: another view
Baritone Peter Coleman-Wright offers a view on the suggestion by OA artitic director Lyndon Terracini that quotas be lifted on the hiring of non-Australian singers: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/cast-operas-with-the-singers-you-have-baritone/story-fn9d2mxu-1226312053899
Casting quotas in opera
OA artistic director Lyndon Terracini believes that quotas on the hiring of non-Australian singers should be lifted. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/lyndon-terracini-blasts-prehistoric-union-opera-quota/story-e6frg8n6-1226310782416
Hot off the press…..
Get to know the major benefactor behind Opera on Sydney Harbour, Dr Haruhisa Handa: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/behind-every-good-opera-theres-a-very-generous-patron-20120323-1vpbb.html Pushing the boundaries with the upcoming ACO Underground concert on April 1st: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/underground-lovers-20120322-1vkuv.html Selby and Friends “A Ghost at the Cafe” reviewed: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/trio-harness-power-of-understatement-20120323-1vp0w.html John Shand reviews the latest release form Jordi Savall and his ensemble, featuring his wife…
Operaquatics – More pictures from the final rehearsals for La Traviata which opens tonight!
Tonight’s the night!! Sydney Harbour has been transformed and for the next three weeks the city will be in the thrall of a history making event as Verdi’s immortal opera La Traviata is presented on a floating stage surrounded by icons of the city and under a giant chandelier that seems like it has been strung…
Operaquatics – more production shots from La traviata on Sydney Harbour
Rachelle Durkin as Violetta. Image by Lisa Tomasetti
The BBC celebrates Brett Dean
A performance of Brett Dean’s Grawemeyer Award winning composition “The Lost Art of Letter Writing” in London, has been warmly received. Featured in a recent BBC Total Immersion day at the Barbican Centre, the four movement concerto for violin and orchestra was composed in 2006 and won the award in 2009. The concerto was premiered by the…
Conductor avoids the currents
Brian Castles – Onion will conduct the upcoming productions of La Traviata on the harbour. He talks to Steve Meacham of the Sydney Morning Herald about keeping his head above the water – metaphorically speaking: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/orchestral-manoeuvres-in-the-dark-pit-20120318-1vdo2.html