Concert and opera reviews from Southern California.
The sound system has been tweaked and improved for classical music. Gone are the crude amplification and ‘spotlighting’ of instruments, particularly the winds and brass.
Read MoreIn an unusually stimulating pre-concert talk, Russell Steinberg drew a parallel between Wagner and Brahms...
Read MoreIn March, Zubin Mehta returned to L.A. to conduct Mahler Third and Symphonie fantastique. Joining him were German contralto Gerhild Romberger, Puerto Rican soprano Sophia Burgos and boy soprano Sebastian Dolinar…
Read MoreTonight’s Dutch violinist Simone Lamsma…held her violin (the “Mlynarski” Stradivarius, 1718) the same way as Anne-Sophie Mutter, upon her bare shoulder, above her black-laced teal strapless gown.
Read MoreOver a span of two days (December 17-18), the LA Phil demonstrated its astonishing virtuosity and versatility by playing a dark tragic opera and a lighthearted ballet back to back.
Read MoreSpanish violinist María Dueñas played like a force of nature and with a winning smile, even after she broke the strings on her Strad…
Read MoreSamy Moussa’s Elysium (U.S. premiere) made a fitting companion piece to the mighty Beethoven Ninth, echoing these words from the chorale finale “Elysium… [where] all men shall become brothers”.
Read MoreYuval Sharon’s electronic “décor” is probably closer to Wagner’s scenic directions than that of many a contemporary (or traditional) production.
Read MoreWith the war in Ukraine still raging unabated into the second week...this week’s somber LA Phil program is a reflection of the world at large.
Read MoreOne of the many pleasures of resuming life post-Covid is seeing the return of beloved former Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, always adventurous and daring in his programming.
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