A new name for the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra

It’s not so old, but already the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra has re-invented itself and will, in future be known as The Metropolitan Orchestra (TMO). Here’s the announcement from the orchestra: “It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce that the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra will officially be rebranded as THE METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA (TMO) at our next…

Press round-up

It’s been a quiet week with the Easter break, but Sydney’s concert scene is getting busy again. In the meantime, here’s a retrospective on Opera on Sydney Harbour, and  review of Reneee Fleming’s latest CD Poemes: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/opera-on-the-water-floats-high/story-fn9d2mxu-1226327245185 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/poemes-renee-fleming/story-fn9sulvf-1226323885741

The 2012 Australian Singing Competition calls for singers

The IFAC Australian Singing Competition is open for entries! Both professional and amateur opera or classical singers aged under 26 on June 23rd are eligible to compete. The total prize money in 2012 exceeded $215,000 and includes the prestigious Marianne Mathy Scholarship – the ‘Mathy Award’. Queensland born bass Jeffrey Black is this year’s National Adjudicator. Part of his…

Hot off the Press….

Review of Sydney Chamber Opera’s production of  Philip Glass’ “In the Penal Colony: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/redemption-through-glass-darkly-20120408-1wj74.html Anf that that other famous Minimalist composer Steve Reich is due in town: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/minimalist-master-20120404-1wbfa.html Where to for classical music recording in Australia?: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/ambition-grows-for-recordings/story-e6frg8n6-1226322288037

Hot off the press….Anne-Sophie Mutter reviews, the opera conference, ‘Red Dog’ the musical and Sondheim.

Reviews of AnneSophie Mutter with the SSO: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/review/gig/sydney-symphony-with-annesophie-mutter-20120401-1w6ed.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/intelligence-and-technique-combine-for-a-sublime-performance/story-e6frg8n6-1226315731944 The Opera Conference: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/keeping-opera-on-song/story-fncypcd0-1226314701379 Red Dog has its day – as a musical: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/musicals/a-big-day-for-a-barking-idea-20120321-1vkf5.html Tim Teeman from The Times interviews Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim talks about his childhood and some of the experiences that have made his lyrics so incisive and his music so poignant: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/stephen-sondheim-is-back-on-the-bike-with-a-new-musical/story-fnb64oi6-1226312296318

More soloists announced for Sappho

    In November last year, Sounds Like Sydney published an interview with emerging conductor Jennifer Condon, presently working as Souffleuse at the Hamburg State Opera. http://soundslikesydney.com.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=5917&action=edit She has however, a burning ambition which has dictated much of how she has spent her time for past 10 years: she wants to bring to life Sappho, the…

opera update….an new name for the opera theatre

How did this get past us??! The opera theatre of the Sydney Opera House will be named in honour of Dame Joan Sutherland: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/theatre-rename-honours-la-stupenda-as-house-awaits-la-traviata-20120316-1vanu.html   An update on La Traviata on Sydney Harbour: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/nervous-wait-for-opera-australia-as-weather-plays-its-part-20120328-1vyla.html  

Dancing with the piano – Zubin Kanga performs in London

Pianist Zubin Kanga recently performed a programme of  ‘new music’ in London. It involved ideas that brooked traditional concepts of how the instrument is played. Read more at: http://www.icareifyoulisten.com/2012/03/piano-insideout-zubin-kanga-kings-place-london/  

Jonathan Lemalu learns a libretto in a new language

Grammy Award winning New Zealand born bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu (he’s sung Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni for OA in Sydney) has had to meet a new challenge – that of learning a libretto in Chinese. He talks about it in this blog. (The Grammy Award was in 2010 for Best Opera Recording Billy Budd) http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/mar/26/learning-to-sing-chinese-songs