Lyric Fest: Three operas for children

Opera for kids meets
‘Anxious Parent Syndrome'

Lyric Fest, run by three mothers, opted for a riskier format for its annual children's concert, introducing its young audience to three famous but abridged operas.

Tom Purdom

May 01, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

Orchestra 2001 considers Bali (2nd review)

Flash and substance, by way of Bali

Orchestra 2001's recent Balinese music and dance program combined flash with substance, and crowd appeal with enlightenment— a rare achievement.

Steve Cohen

May 01, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

Curtis Orchestra plays Higdon, BartÓ³k and Brahms

The kids are all right

Jennifer Higdon, as much as any composer of her generation, has solidified the permanent significance of the American populist school, once led by Aaron Copland. Even from this youthful ensemble, her blue cathedral was rich and satisfying.

Apr 30, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

Met's "Traviata' in HD Live

One woman's race against time

Willi Decker's radical production isn't the only way to do Verdi's La Traviata, but it's a convincing alternative, especially with the inimitably vulnerable Natalie Dessay in the title role.

Steve Cohen

Apr 28, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

Rattle, the Orchestra and death

Rattle confronts the Grim Reaper

In its latter stages, Austro-German Romanticism mostly concerned the beauty of death. Simon Rattle demonstrated that he's learned something in Berlin about the subtle German approach to emotion.

Victor L. Schermer

Apr 28, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

Orchestra 2001 considers Bali (1st review)

What Boulez could learn from the Balinese

Orchestra 2001 spotlighted the relationship between Western music and Bali, in a concert that resembles a journey through exotic, sometimes rough terrain.

Tom Purdom

Apr 24, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

Bach, Christians and anti-Semitism: A reply

Fixing blame for anti-Semitism: A Christian perspective

Bach wasn't anti-Semitic, and neither is his St. John Passion. Neither was St. John himself. True Christians understand that Christianity is Jewish through and through.

Kile Smith

Apr 24, 2012 · Articles · 5 minute read

Joshua Bell at Verizon Hall

On taking Joshua Bell seriously

At 44, the violinist Joshua Bell is no longer a child prodigy, but he's still a matinee idol. His latest concert served notice that he's been taking himself seriously as a major classical musician all along as well.

Steve Cohen

Apr 21, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

I remember Dick Clark

Dick Clark, and a hint of things to come

A couple of lucky breaks brought Dick Clark to “Bandstand” and then national acclaim as big brother figure to America's teenagers. But Clark knew how to make the most of his opportunities, as I witnessed firsthand early in his career.

Steve Cohen

Apr 21, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

Dolce Suono's "Russian Roots'

Shulamit Ran finds the ‘soul of the instrument'

Shulamit Ran, ending her composer-in-residence stint with Dolce Suono, seems to have uncovered heavenly aspects of the flute and viola previously hidden from other inquiring theologians.

Tom Purdom

Apr 17, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read