Music
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Stravinsky Festival at the New York Philharmonic
Valery Gergiev Conducts
By: - Apr 30th, 2010Stravinsky's music is unimaginably compelling as Valery Gergiev conducts the New York Philharmonic. Oedipus Rex was a new form of musical theater when it was first produced and continues to seem as fresh and vibrant as ever in this performance.
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Evaluating The Met's Appointment of Fabio Luisi
Warm Welcome from the Opera Community
By: - Apr 29th, 2010James Levine has given so much joy and musical pleasure during his tenure at the Metropolitan Opera. A musician of the highest order, we have all appreciated his insights. No one can replace him. But Fabio Luisi, a classically trained conductor who started as a pianist and accompanist, clearly can convey composers' intent and musicians' best efforts. He will start his new position at the Met this fall. Berkshire Fine Arts has covered him this season.
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Freihofer Saratoga Jazz Festival
Al Jarreau and Gladys Knight Headline June 26 & 27
By: - Apr 27th, 2010Freihofer Saratoga Jazz Festival announces the schedule for June 26 and 27. The "Empress of Soul" Gladys Knight, jazz singer Al Jarreau & the George Duke Trio, legendary blues icon Taj Mahal, guitarist extraordinaire Al Di Meola and two piano legends â€" Ramsey Lewis and Ahmad Jamal are some of the great artists appearing at this year’s two-day jazz extravaganza.
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Fabio Luisi Principal Guest Conductor at the Met
An Insurance Policy for Ailing James Levine?
By: - Apr 27th, 2010Is it more than just a coincidence that the Metropolitan Opera has named Fabio Luisi as Principal Guest Conductor? The continuing health issues of artistic director James Levine have raised uncertainties for whether he will return next season. And if so just how much of a role will he assume. There are similar questions being asked at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. And for the coming season at Tanglewood.
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Tosca Triumphs at the Metropolitan Opera
Racette, Terfel and Kaufmann Score
By: - Apr 26th, 2010The reviews of Tosca in the fall don't whet the appetite for the new production of Tosca at the Met. But those who braved bad notices and looked forward to a new cast, are richly rewarded by Luc Bondy's new production. Turns out he was not at fault in the fall, except perhaps in thinking he had actors on the set. His ideas sprang into flower and action in April....
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De Niro, Freeman and Harris at the Pops
Film Stars Narrate Kennedy Tribute May 18
By: - Apr 26th, 2010Acclaimed actors Robert De Niro, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman give life to the words of John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy, respectively, when they join conductor Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for the world premiere performance of The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothersâ€"the centerpiece of the Boston Pops 125th anniversary season celebrationâ€"on May 18, at 8 p.m. (repeated on May 19), at Symphony Hall in Boston, MA
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Cantilena Chamber Choir & Berkshire Lyric Theater
Russian Choral Music May 15 & 16
By: - Apr 26th, 2010The Cantilena Chamber Choir and Berkshire Lyric Theater will present a Russian Choral Music Weekend of concerts and lectures on May 15 and 16. Special guest performers will be New York City Opera tenor Konstantin Stepanov and, from St. Petersburg, Russia, The Konevets Quartet with Igor Dmitriev, Director.
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The Breeze and I - Champian Fulton
A Gut String Records CD
By: - Apr 24th, 2010Champian Fulton once again gives satisfaction with a collection of classics made new again. As is the custom of other recordings released by Gut String Records "The Breeze and I" was recorded live, the musicians playing together and listening to the mix without headphones
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Met's Armida by Rossini Live in HD May 1
Renee Fleming as the Wicked Sorceress
By: - Apr 22nd, 2010Torquato Tasso wrote "Jerusalem Delivered" in the16th century and it has been used as the jumping board for more art than any other underlying property in history--except the Bible. It took 193 years for Armida, Rossini's take on the poem, to arrive at the Met. The opera will be broadcast Live in HD on May 1 in a movie theater near you.
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Janis Ian and Karla Bonoff At the Colonial
Reconnecting with Society's Child
By: - Apr 19th, 2010Few in the audience were ineligible for Social Security. Enthusiasm belied their age as the singer/ songwriters, Janis Ian and Karla Bonoff, ignited a trove of treasured memories.
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Randy Weston at Berkshire Museum May 29
Pittsfield CityJazz Festival October 8-21
By: - Apr 16th, 2010Jazz pianist Randy Weston has Berkshire roots. He started as a dishwasher at the legendary Music Inn where owner Stephanie Barber discovered him, Weston will perform at the Berkshire Museum on May 29. Ed Bride, the founder of Berkshires Jazz also announces highlights of the annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival October 8-21.
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Carolina Chocolate Drops at Mass MoCA
Performing on May 29
By: - Apr 16th, 2010This Carolina Chocolate Drops, comprising Robinson plus banjo-player Rhiannon Giddens and multi-tasker Dom Flemons, bring their toe-tapping versions of traditional tunes to North Adams for a memorable Memorial Day weekend concert on Saturday, May 29, at 8 PM with opener The Duke & The King. NPR's Weekend Edition calls the Carolina Chocolate Drops "the hottest thing to hit the old-time music community in decades."
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Handel at the New York City Opera
Iestyn Davies Is a New Sensino
By: - Apr 14th, 2010When Handel was in Rome,the Pope banned opera. After countless performances in 18th century England, Handel operas were as dead as the opera seria form in which he wrote. The New York City Opera helped revive not only Handel, but the hot show biz style he mounted.
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BSO's 2010-2011 Season
James Levine Anticipated To Lead Orchestra
By: - Apr 12th, 2010On paper the Boston Symphony Orchestra has planned a full and ambitious season. October 2, when James Levine leads an all-Wagner program with Bryn Terfel on opening night, we will know whether this is wishful thinking. The health of the 66 year Levine impacts not just the BSO but the Metropolitan Opera and the coming season at Tanglewood. For the past three years there has been a scramble to find conductors for concerts he has dropped out of. This grueling schedule assumes his full recovery from yet another surgery,
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Tanglewood Loosens Up
Crosby Stills & Nash, Herbie Hancock to Perform
By: - Apr 12th, 2010Roll Over Beethoven. Yes, rock is coming back to Tanglewood this summer. Well, kindah, with Crosby, Stills and Nash on September 1. Mid season jazz pianist Herbia Hancock will appear on August 9.
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Joshua Bell and the New York Philharmonic
Antonio Pappano of Covent Garden Conducts
By: - Apr 09th, 2010Two galvanic classical musicians appear at Avery Fisher Hall. They may resemble rock stars, but they wield violin and baton, rather than the electric guitars of a performance at Madison Square Garden. Antonio Pappano, a conductor of opera, is referred to as "electrifying." Joshua Bell routinely sells out venues. Can this be classical music?
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Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
De Burgos Replaces Ailing Levine for Elijah
By: - Apr 07th, 2010The Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall performed Mendelssohn's glorious oratorio, Elijah. It was presented with a cast worthy of Cecil B. de Mille. It featured the orchestra, a chorus of 110 voices, four principal soloists and five ensemble soloists. The musician count does not itself make a memorable evening, but this one surely did. Maestro de Burgos, substituted for an ailing James Levine.
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Wilco to Rock Mass MoCA
Solid Sound Festival August 13 to 15
By: - Apr 07th, 2010Rock fans in the Berkshires just got a shot in the arm. Wilco, the Chicago band that blew the roof off of Tanglewood two summers ago, will give two performances at Mass MoCA during the Solid Sound Festival from August 13-15. Far out. The weekend of music, art, and interactive events will feature Wilco's only East Coast performance this summer.
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George Wein on New York Jazz Clubs
Featured in CareFusion Jazz Festival
By: - Apr 05th, 2010Back in the day, George Wein, a recent graduate of Boston University, ran a legendary jazz club Storyville in Copley Square. When the club folded he went on to become a founder of the Newport Jazz Festival. Now in his 80s George reports on the thriving jazz club scene in New York and Brooklyn.
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Radvanovsky and Hvorostosky at Carnegie Hall
Marco Armiliato Conducts Brilliantly
By: - Apr 02nd, 2010Two glorious human instruments were on display at Carnegie Hall, whose acoustics displayed all the nuances of musical sound from a luminous orchestra and great voices. Perfect for Bravissimo! the Opera Gala.
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The Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, August 2-17,
Final Season for Music Director Chantal Juillet
By: - Apr 01st, 2010The Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, August 2-17, will be a Farewell Celebration Season for Music Director Chantal Juillet who founded the program in 1991 and who will mark her final season in that role in 2010. Over the past two decades, the renowned violinist has built the program into a highly acclaimed, innovative showcase for chamber music repertoire performed by renowned and emerging classical artists.
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AXIOM Gallery: Composer/Percussionist Lukas Ligeti
Solo Concert Tour of Afrikan Machinery
By: - Mar 31st, 2010On a nationwide solo tour, at Axiom Gallery, Ligeti improvised and played selections from CD Afrikan Machinery [Tzadik] cited as 2008 -50 Records of the Year by The Wire magazine. Concerts in Brooklyn and Boston, then Montreal and Toronto will be followed by many art spaces including Museum of Contemporary Art, in Ohio.
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Tom Rush and Roger McGuinn at the Colonial
Enchanting Concert by Singer/ Songwriters
By: - Mar 29th, 2010Tom Rush is on the road promoting his first new studio CD in 35 years "What I Know." It has been named Best Folk Album of the Year. He also has a four million hit You Tube clip "The Remember Song." He combined with Byrds founder, Roger McGuinn for a laid back, charming, three hour evening at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.
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San Francisco Symphony at Carnegie Hall
Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts
By: - Mar 27th, 2010The San Francisco Symphony presented the premier of Post-Scriptum by Victor Kissine, which brought the house down. This was followed by Christian Tetzlaff playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major with intelligence and passion.
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The Metropolitan Opera Presents Hamlet
Simon Keenlyside a Brilliant Hamlet
By: - Mar 25th, 2010With such praise preceding him, Simon Keenlyside might have a tough time living up to expectations, but as he inhabits the role of Hamlet, it is clear he belongs there, as a baritone of beauty and range, and a consummate actor worthy of any stage in the world, straight theater or opera. His performance is an event not to be missed. Yet Jennifer Larmore as his wicked mother almost upstages her son.
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