Latest news
John Clarke’s Classical Favourites on CD
In October 2016, the award-winning comedian and writer John Clarke made his debut appearance as guest presenter on ABC Classic FM’s Saturday Morning program. A favourite on television and a household name thanks to his brilliant satire Clarke and Dawe and the mockumentary TV series The Games, Clarke relished the opportunity to turn his comic genius and…
Sharolyn Kimmorley Wins 2017 MOST Achievement Award
Hearty congratulations are due to pianist Sharolyn Kimmorley AM, who was awarded the 2017 MOST Achievement Award (MAA). Established in 2016, MOST® established this award to “acknowledge the contributions of established industry professionals and to recognise elite members of the classical music fraternity.” Nominated by a panel of industry peers, Sharolyn Kimmorley was given the award…
Original Holst Scores Discovered in New Zealand
The Guardian reported last month that two original works by Gustav Holst have been discovered in the library of New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty Symphonia. Written in 1906, Folk Songs from Somerset and Two Songs Without Words were authenticated by matching the handwriting, address and signature of Holst with internet sources. The discovery was verified by…
Concert Review: Marais meets Muffat
Marais meets Muffat The Independent Theatre, North Sydney July 16, 2017 Written by Ria Andriani Through the dialogue of two ensembles, the Marais Project and Muffat Collective brought their virtuosic skills, specialised period instruments and knowledge of historical performance to the stage. For two ensembles which do not perform together regularly, this concert and its…
Opera Review: Thaïs/ Opera Australia
Thaïs Opera Australia Sydney Town Hall 22 July 2017 Written by Deen Hamaker Jules Massenet was an incredibly popular opera composer during his lifetime and churned out over 30 operas from La grand’tante in 1867 to his final operas which premiered after his death in 1912. His professional life spanned the late 19th and 20th…
Germany – The ‘State’ Of Opera
This feature from Newsweek, explains why aspiring opera singers gravitate to Germany to pursue their careers. “According to the opera statistics website – Operabase, last year 7,230 opera performances took place in Germany, one third of the world’s total. The United States came a distant second, at 1,730 performances, followed by France and Russia. Austria ranked…
Latest reviews
Concert Review: Australian Brandenburg Orchestra/ Dmitry Sinkovsky/ The Singing Violin
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Dmitry Sinkovsky, violin 26 July 2017, City Recital Hall, Angel Place Written by Larry Turner Dmitry Sinkovsky has acquired a substantial reputation in Europe and North America both as a violinist and a counter-tenor. On this 2017 tour for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, it is his virtuosity as a violinist that is…
Birthday Boy Kaufmann Impresses In Role Debut As Otello
I cannot recall a more highly anticipated performance. Jonas Kaufmann, demigod of the opera world was about take to the stage of the Royal Opera at Covent Garden, making his debut in the title role of Verdi’s Otello. And I was in the stalls. There was a sense of disbelief to the occasion. After a…