Latest news
Music by numbers
This week SoundsLikeSydney reviewed a new CD form violinist Daniel Hope Spheres, a concept album on which all the selections have a link to astronomy. JS Bach’s fascination with numbers in music is well known. However, there were other composers who built numerical riddles and patterns nto their writing. Tom Service of The Guardian, delves deeper.
Orchestras in ‘pitched’ battle
This April, Limelight Magazine has published a ranking of Australia’s orchestras. “Australia’s six major orchestras are frequently described as “world class”, but how do they fare in their own backyard? We pit the state orchestras against each other in a blind-listening test to see which band would emerge king of the concert hall.” Limelight Magazine. Coincidentally…
Some of opera’s greatest stars
The UK Telegraph has been running a seriesof live streamed debates on various aspects of classical music. As part of thisseries they’ve published a gorgeous picture gallery of 10 of opera’s greatest singers: 5 men and 5 women. Guess who they are! Click here for the link.
‘Reinventing Bach’ by Paul Elie
Scholars of J S Bach have studied his music for centuries. Is there anything more to learn? Paul Elie’s book ‘Reinventing Bach’ (Union Books) is reviewed by Ivan Hewitt of The Telegraph. Elie is an American writer, editor and is a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Read the book revew…
No shrinking viol: ‘six of the best’ from the marais project – Jennifer Eriksson interview
Viol (viola da gamba) consort The Marais Project’s upcoming concert Six of the Best was conceived high in the Rocky Mountains of Canada by Jennifer Eriksson, founder and music director of the ensemble. Like the setting in which it was created, it has elements that bear witness to centuries as well as the freshness and…
The future of arts leadership in Australia
What does it take to lead a successful performing arts organisation – and is Australia grooming the next generation of leaders? Matthew Westwood reports in today’s The Australian.
Latest reviews
‘Villazon Verdi’ – more than opera
Mexican-born tenor Rolando Villazon’s return to singing after a hiatus due to throat surgery has been welcomed by his followers. After an absence of some three years from the recording scene, Villazon has released a solo CD Villazon Verdi singing the repertoire he does best. Released in November 2012. (DG 477 9460), the studio recording was made in Milan…
A ‘Masked Ball’ – universal truths about power and survival sung with panache
Love it or loathe it, Opera Australia’s world premiere of a new production of Verdi’s opera Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) has already polarised its pre-production and opening night audiences. The presentation is well resourced and diverse in its aesthetics. Presented in association with the Sydney Festival, it has been created by Catalan…