The Pacific Symphony’s choice of Alexander Shelley as its next Music Director has been a solid so far. He has crafted compelling programs. He’s made concise yet informative pre-performance comments from the podium. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s young, dashing, personable, and therefore a marketing department’s dream. Most importantly, he’s shown the capacity for …
Walt Disney Concert Hall is now officially ten years old. Within that decade, a lot has happened, and off and on during the past few weeks, I’ve been pondering the impact — both profound and innocuous — of the hall’s addition to the cultural landscape of the city and beyond. I figure I’d share them … Continue reading
Let’s see . . . how best to put this . . . Einstein on the Beach is like ice cream. Or sex. Or Yosemite. Or that famously stinky flower that blooms at The Huntington. You can read or hear descriptions, see pictures, even watch videos, but none of these come anywhere close to experiencing … Continue reading
With the start of the new Los Angeles Philharmonic season, it’s time once again to examine the current personnel situation at the orchestra. The first thing worth mentioning is that there isn’t much to mention, especially compared to previous seasons. Just eyeballing it, but it looks like the orchestra has the fewest empty chairs to … Continue reading
The names on the program — Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma — were impressive, the kind that transcend classical music into the popular consciousness. The musical offering — Cage, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Adès, Mahler, Saint-Saëns — was noteworthy, both for its eclecticism and its ability to offer a diverse showcase for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Walt … Continue reading
Here in Los Angeles, we are still in the midst of celebrating season opening night concerts at L.A. Opera, L.A. Chamber Orchestra, L.A. Master Chorale, and L.A. Philharmonic, among other fine institutions. While my review of last night’s LA Phil gala is forthcoming, two sad stories from other cities remind us just how fortunate — … Continue reading
I am going to go out a relatively short limb and say that John Cage’s 4’33” is the most famous — even infamous — work in 20th-Century classical music despite the fact that only a few musicians have actually played — or “played” (said while making air quotes with fingers) — it. The three-movement work comes with … Continue reading
Of all the resident companies at The Music Center, the Los Angeles Master Chorale is the one that truly sets LA apart from other big metros. Orchestras, opera and theatre companies, even ballets, are a dime a dozen in other performing arts centers, but no one else can claim an independent choir of such high … Continue reading
The mood at Los Angeles Opera leading up to the beginning of this new season has been thoroughly buoyant, the result of a confluence of good news: After successfully dealing with a pulmonary embolism that kept him off stages and podiums all over the world, Plácido Domingo — the company’s General Director, überbaritenor, and part-time conductor — triumphantly returned to … Continue reading
(Publisher’s note. I’m thrilled to introduce the first-ever guest writer on All is Yar: Fiona Bryan. Fiona has a BM & MM in Violin Performance from Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and University of Missouri, respectively, and has performed in various orchestras across the country. More recently, she’s been working in marketing, PR, and … Continue reading
As I mentioned in my previous post, Los Angeles Opera’s 2013-2014 season opens this coming Saturday with a revival of Bizet’s Carmen. Irish mezzo-soprano Patricia Bardon sings the title role, joined by the excellent male duo of Brandon Jovanovich (Don Jose) and Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (Escamillo), with newcomer Pretty Yende as Micaëla. The final dress rehearsal … Continue reading
Yesterday afternoon, the good folks at Los Angeles Opera opened up their doors to the media for a behind-the-scenes peek at preparations for their season opening production of Bizet’s Carmen. Christopher Koelsch (President and CEO) gave a brief welcome before Rupert Hemmings (Senior Director, Production) led us onto the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion … Continue reading
The management and musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic sent out a joint press-release today announcing that a new four-year contract has been ratified. High points of the agreement include: · annual increases to the musicians’ minimum weekly scale wages, which, in the final year of the contract, will increase to $2968.00. (NOTE: for you … Continue reading
As you may have noticed, I’ve been on hiatus — an unexpected and unintended hiatus. I’ll spare you the details; sometimes life just gets in the way. It’s a shame because I’ve missed the chance to comment on all sorts of noteworthy things (e.g. the Minnesota Orchestra’s continued perils, Vasily Petrenko‘s rather unfortunate comments about … Continue reading
When I was in college, I helped to resurrect the school’s defunct radio station and eventually became the station’s Music Director. It was the hardest I’d ever worked in my life — and the most fun I’d ever had too. I spent countless hours at the station, on air and off: studying, sleeping, listening to … Continue reading
Here are more pictures from last Tuesday’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, performing Stravinsky’s Fireworks and The Rite of Spring and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Augustin Hadelich. All images are care of the incomparable Brandise Danesewich, exclusively for All is Yar. To read my review of the concert, click HERE. The … Continue reading
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