Tom Service of The Guardian begins a year – long journey which explores the symphony and how it changed our world.
The word was first used in the 16th century and referred to music for various combinations of voices and instruments, like Gabrieli’s Sacrae symphoniae, 1597. The symphony as we know it today took shape in the 18th century and continues to evolve.
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Richard Jones’ production of R Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier for Glyndebourne Opera’s Open House is available on You Tube until 5 pm (UK Summer time) on Sunday 12 July. Conducted by Glyndebourne’s Music Director Robin Ticciati, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, soprano Kate Royal, Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught, German bass Lars Woldt, and soprano Teodora Gheorghiu….
Non-subscribers to Opera Australia can now get their tickets for the 2016 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production of Puccini’s masterpiece Turandot. The annual outdoor presentation now in its fifth year will open on March 24 and run until 24 April, 2016 at the Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point. Multi-award winning Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng will…
Congratulations to the Cousin Quartet who are the inaugural winners of Musica Viva’s Strike A Chord, the first National Chamber Music Championship for secondary school ensembles. Performing live from the City Recital Hall in Sydney, the group claimed the Robert Salzer Prize, worth $5, 000. This inaugural Strike A Chord Grand Final was livestreamed from…
….meantime at London’s Royal Opera in Covent Garden, Australian soprano Nicole Car has won hearts with her portrayal of Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen. Making her Covent Garden debut her performance has been described as “the evening’s most complete performance; her luminous soprano proves ideal for Bizet’s soaring lines and she acts with intelligence and immediacy.” The…
Gustav Leonhardt, Dutch harpsichordist, organist and a world authority on early music, has died after ill health caused him to retire from public performance just last month. http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/harpsichordist-and-conductor-gustav-leonhardt-has-died
Congratulations to tenor Manase Latu (23), who won the 2019 Marianne Mathy Scholarship (‘The Mathy’) in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Prize, as well as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Prize with his performance of Tradito, Schernito from Mozart’s Così fan tutte. As part of The Mathy, Manase Latu also received Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan…