A program of Stravinsky, Debussy, and Prokofiev may still be considered adventurous in some concert halls, but for many years, it was the norm at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The 20th Century French and Russian composers seemed to turn up on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s programs as often (if not more so) than Mozart, Brahms, … Continue reading
Quick — imagine an opera, any opera, in your head. I’ll wait. . . . I’m guessing that you probably came up with large-bodied singers standing in one place belting out big arias in a foreign language (probably Italian, German, or French) over the strains of a big orchestra; lots of murder, suicide, rape, and … Continue reading
Last Friday, Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony made their long-awaited visit to the Southland with a one-night stop at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The whole affair had a “take it or leave it” feel, beginning with the curiously obscure program of works by Honegger, Mason Bates, and Franck, and ending with Mr. … Continue reading
If I were to look at a random cross-section of my favorite bits of music across genres, much of it — mazurkas by Chopin, Le Sacre du Printemps, New Order 12″ remixes, even the cheeky Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO — is inherently dance music. Baroque music in particular is riddled with dance-based themes. A … Continue reading
Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale have spent the better part of a month helping the Los Angeles Philharmonic with their Mahler Project. With their Disney Hall roommates moving on to Venezuela for the rest of the “Project,” conductor and chorus have collectively moved on in their own way without having to leave … Continue reading
Los Angeles Opera’s production of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra opens today, with Placido Domingo in the title role of pirate turned Doge of Genoa. As previously mentioned, I was offered one of LA Opera’s inaugural “tweet seats” for last Wednesday’s final dress rehearsal. Normally, I wouldn’t be writing about a rehearsal at all, let alone doing … Continue reading
Clearly, Mahler was a guy who liked to think and compose about death. Musical allusions to it show up in all of his works being performed as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s “Mahler Project” (some may quibble about Songs of the Wayfarer, but if you’re singing about putting a red-hot knife in your breast, … Continue reading
“I always hated the Diabelli Variations,” writes Marino Formenti. Coming from any other pianist, this would sound like a confession. Marino Formenti is not “any other pianist.” The Italian-born musician only began studying Beethoven’s meandering piano work at the recent request of Dean Corey, President and Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County. … Continue reading
Esa-Pekka Salonen was back for his second week with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. With a world premiere of the abandoned opera, Orango, paired with the withdrawn-for-25-years Symphony No. 4, his all-Shostakovich concerts were a study of two contrasting works that had both been hidden and eventually brought to new light. To add to the lost-and-found theme, E-P himself … Continue reading
Esa-Pekka Salonen is back, and there is much rejoicing. All the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Conductor Laureate had to do was merely walk on stage Sunday afternoon, and the applause was enthusiastic and loud cheers were already audible. He didn’t disappoint. The first series of his two week stint was vintage Salonen. Continue reading
On paper, Sunday afternoon’s concerts belonged to conductor Emmanuelle Haïm. The reality was that and much more. Ms. Haïm dominated the concert. Many musicians had solo turns of one sort or another, and two — oboist Ariana Ghez and recorder player (or is it recordist?) Rotem Gilbert — even played front and center. Yet when it was … Continue reading
As previously mentioned, I made a “game day decision” last Saturday night to see Bernard Haitink conduct the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Note that I listed Mr. Haitink’s name first, then the orchestra, then the hall: chalk up the opportunity to see the legendary Dutch conductor in person for the first time … Continue reading
Yuja Wang is the real deal. If there was any doubt that might have crept in as to whether or not she was a “serious” pianist and/or musician based on a spate of recent cancellations and a critic’s unfortunate comments about her attire at the Hollywood Bowl, let them be put to rest after this … Continue reading
I almost always go to classical music concerts because I feel I must see/hear something on the program: a certain composer or his work, a soloist, maybe even a conductor. Other times it’s because I’m curious about a world premiere of a new work or a performer I’ve never heard before. This past Sunday at … Continue reading
“Let’s rrrrock this place.” Gustavo Dudamel wasn’t talking about the Prokofiev 5th Symphony when he made that comment from the stage at Walt Disney Concert Hall, but he could have been. In fact, he should have been. On a Friday night when the performance of a newly commisioned work for electric cello should have provided … Continue reading
All is Yar 