Steve Reich reviews
Peter McCallum reviews the Steve Reich Celebration for the SMH: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/rhythms-unfold-with-a-timeless-grandeur-20120430-1xv0e.html …and from Murray Black at The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/three-ages-of-reich-revisited-with-brio/story-fn9d2mxu-1226343085722
Poèmes – Renee Fleming
Renee Fleming’s new CD Poèmes celebrates Gallic vocal music from Ravel’s Orientalist infused Shéhérazade, written at the turn of the last century and Messiaen’s Poèmes pour Mi, to Deux Sonnets de Jean Cassou and a world premiere recording of Le Temps l’horloge by living composer Henri Dutilleux. The celebrated singer comments: ” For the sheer sensual joy of singing, no language gives…
Diana Doherty and the St Lawrence String Quartet
The SMH reviews Musica Viva’s presentation of Diana Doherty with the St Lawrence String Quartet. They perform again at the City Recital Hall on Saturday April 21st at 2 pm. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/from-weighty-adventurism-to-arcadian-perfection-20120418-1x7e6.html
Sydney Chamber Opera: ‘In the Penal Colony’ by Philip Glass
Deborah Jones reviews Sydney Chamber Opera’s production of ‘In the Penal Colony’ by Philip Glass: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/glasss-acute-vision-of-an-ageless-kafka-tale/story-e6frg8n6-1226325228399
Unlikely partner creates an ideal tension – The Song Company ‘Tears of St Peter’
The Tears of St Peter The Song Company, Artistic Director Roland Peelman, Satsuki Odamura, koto, The crypt of St Mary’s Cathedral, Monday April 2nd 8 pm. At first, it seemed incongruous to include the Japanese koto in The Song Company’s present programme of Orlando di Lasso’s Lagrime di San Pietro (The Tears of Peter) performed in…
Behzod Abduraimov
Read the SMH review of 21 year pianist Behzod Abduraimov’s City Recital Hall concert: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/past-master-can-draw-on-exuberance-of-youth-20120327-1vweb.html
La Traviata – the verdicts are rolling in
The highly anticipated production of La Traviata staged on Sydney harbour opened on Saturday night. This production has polarised opera lovers. Without doubt the performances are superlative and the concept of an open-air opera with the spectacle of Sydney harbour as a backdrop is irresistible. As to whether it is ‘opera’ – the verdicts on that proposition are rolling in. As pure entertainment…
‘Messiah’ at St James’ King Street: a listener’s perspective
Whatever the diet of musicians in Handel’s time, his performers must certainly have had tremendous stamina. ‘Messiah’ as Handel intended, for a chamber sized ensemble is a massive test of endurance, requiring a technique that supports the power of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’, the coloratura of ‘All we like sheep’ and the hushed sostenuto of ‘Since by man came death’. After all this comes the mighty…
The Australia Ensemble reviewed
Peter McCallum reviews the Australia Ensemble for the Sydney Morning Herald. (Even the SMH makes typos!) http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/review/gig/australia-ensemlbe-20120318-1vdnw.html