Latest news
Benedict Andrews’ bohème for The ENO Raises Controversy
Australian theatre director Benedict Andrews’ vision of Puccini’s opera La bohème opened at the English National Opera this week. The director has raised controversy again (remember his 2012 imagining of The Marriage of Figaro for Opera Australia?) with his portrayal of Mimi and Rodolfo as heroin addicts. Read the review in The Guardian, in The Telegraph and The…
Yuja Wang Releases ‘Ravel’
It was in July that pianist Yuja Wang dazzled Australian audiences with her performances, described as “dazzling…tender…(and) stylish” (Sydney Morning Herald). She is now poised to release a new recording in Australia, entitled Ravel (available October 23, 2015) on the Deutsche Grammophon label, on which she performs with the celebrated Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich under young conductor Lionel…
Claire Edwardes On Twenty Years Of Ensemble Offspring
It was the year that the ANZAC bridge was opened to traffic; Telecom Australia became Telstra, Paul Keating was Prime Minister and Bob Carr defeated John Fahey to become Premier of New South Wales. Overseas, OJ Simpson was found not guilty of double murder and Braveheart won the Oscar for Best Film. The year 1995…
Shaun Lee-Chen Appointed Concertmaster Of Australian Brandenburg Orchestra For 2016
Perth-based violinist Shaun Lee-Chen has been appointed Concertmaster of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra for 2016. In announcing the appointment, Paul Dyer, Artistic Director of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra said “Shaun Lee-Chen is one of the most exciting and inspired violinists of his generation. Amongst the world’s emerging baroque violinists, he is one of the players who’ll pave…
Jessica Pratt Debuts As Semiramide
This month Australian soprano Jessica Pratt will make her debut in one of Gioacchino Rossini’s most challenging soprano parts in the title role of Semiramide in concert performances at the Marseille Opera House conducted by Italian Maestro Giuliano Carella from 18-27 October 2015. She will reprise the role of the Babylonian queen next month in another concert performance at…
Samuel Sakker Profile
Sydney born tenor Samuel Sakker begins his second year on the Jette Parker Young Artist programme at the Royal Opera in Covent Garden. During his time in the UK he has sung alongside some of the world’s best singers, amongst them, Placido Domingo, Joyce DiDonato and Idebrando D’Arcangelo. Earlier this year, Samuel sang at an…
Latest reviews
Concert Review: Sydney Chamber Choir/ Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana Sydney Chamber Choir, NSW Public Schools Senior Singers Wei Jiang, Megan Cronin, Belinda Montgomery – sopranos/ Miguel Iglesias – tenor/ Alexander Knight – baritone Splash Percussion/ Chris Cartner and Katherine Day – pianos Richard Gill – conductor Saturday, 19 March, 2016 City Recital Hall, Sydney In recent years the reach of the Sydney Chamber Choir’s…
CD Review: Monteverdi/ Magdalena Kožená/ La Cetra/ Andrea Marcon
Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená has added to her discography of early music with Monteverdi, a collection of 9 arias for solo voice and vocal ensemble by Claudio Monteverdi. Also on this Archiv Produktion recording are three instrumental works by Monteverdi’s contemporaries Marco Uccellini,Tarquinio Merula and Biagio Marini. Monteverdi represents a return to the style of…