LA Phil Season Ends with Mostly Memorable Mozart
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Swiss Philippe Jordan returned to conduct Dvorak and Bruckner. Pianists Víkingur Ólafsson and Mitsuko Uchida played Mozart...
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In L.A. Opera’s ‘Otello’, revisionist staging cannot dampen firestorm in the pit and voices
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In John Cox’ revisionist staging, portable heat lamps replaced campfire in “Fuoco di gioia”; a desk and chairs replaced Desdemona’s bed and pillows…
Read More'Rigoletto' in OC, one man's curse is others' delight
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The Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa presented a concert staging of Verdi’s popular Rigoletto. The direction, by the Met’s staff director Kathleen Smith Belcher, is effective and generally faithful to the composer’s own staging instructions.
Read MorePianist Hélène Grimaud Returns to Disney With Three B's
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For each composer, Ms. Grimaud chose a late work: Beethoven’s Op.109, Brahms Op.116 and Op.117 (in a manner of speaking, Brahms’ entire Op.116-119 could be classified as one big set of ‘piano songs’), and the Bach chaconne transcribed for the piano by Busoni…
Read MoreWagner, Brahms and sad decline of classical audience
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In an unusually stimulating pre-concert talk, Russell Steinberg drew a parallel between Wagner and Brahms...
Read MoreGuest conductor brings together Israel, Korea and Finland in one concert
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Tonight, LA Phil welcomed guest conductor Osmo Vänskä from Finland. The concert program reflects Vänskä’s work in the countries of Israel and South Korea…
Read MoreLA Opera’s New ‘Pelleas’: A Well-Sung, Well-Lighted Play
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The director presented a dreamlike drama played by “real people” with naturalness of acting, and the musical standards were very high…
Read MoreHilary Hahn Plays Bach to a Packed Disney Hall
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Hilary Hahn gave a violin recital in Walt Disney Concert Hall yesterday, and the place was packed. Unusual among classical musicians, she has a massive, almost cult-like following on social media...
Read MoreTwo Weeks with Zubin Mehta, a Fantastique Mahler and Berlioz
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In 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 MoreHandel’s ‘Solomon’, LA Opera’s Mid-Season Surprise Hit
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The English Consort, joining forces with the Clarion Choir and an international lineup of soloists, performed it complete. At nearly three hours, the oratorio seemed not at all long.
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