Latest news
Behind the scenes with Louise Callinan – ‘Mercedes’ at the Opera National de Paris
Louise Callinan as Mercedes in ‘Carmen’ at the Opera National de Paris. Image by David Bacher. As this post goes live, mezzo -soprano Louise Callinan would have just come off stage after opening night at the Paris Opera, where she is singing the role of Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen. Paris based photographer David Bacher’s images from the final…
Lunch with Vengerov
Maxim Vengerov was appointed Menuhin Professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London, earlier this year. He has concerts coming up in Moscow, London, Baku, Lausanne and Munich – all in the next 2 weeks. Click here to read his interview with Andrew Clark of the Financial Times.
conducting matters
This feature from npr asks whether good orchestras really need conductors. If you were at the Sydney Symphony’s opening night of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pique Dame’ on Saturday, the answer would be quite obvious. A scientist at the University of Maryland has tried to define the relationship between musicians and their conductor: Click here to read
Stuart Skelton interview
Listen again to Margaret Throsby talking to Stuart Skelton in an interview first broadcast on ABC Classic FM Thursday November 29th. Click here
Sumi Jo interview
How did we miss this one? Sumi Jo speaks to Julieanne Strachan of the Sydney Morning Herald during her recent trip to Australia. Better late than never: Click here to read.
Pappano and La Stupenda
Antonio Pappano, the present Music Director of the Royal Opera at Covent Garden worked closely with Dame Joan Sutherland during his early career as a prompt. Though born in Britain, his Italian parentage gave him a special advantage with singers: Peter Wilson writes from Europe for The Australian: Click here to read.
Latest reviews
Das Rheingold in Brisbane reviewed
If you didn’t make it to Brisbane to hear Simone Young conduct the Hamburg State opera and Philharmonic Orchestra in concert performnce of Das Rheingold, here’s a review by Matin Buzacott for The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/wagner-played-with-fantastic-power-and-great-restraint/story-fn9d2mxu-1226457251400
The Song Company’s ‘Sunken Dreams’ reviewed
Peter McCallum reviews The Song Company’s Sunken Dreams for the Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/groups-bent-for-innovation-is-lost-in-fragments-of-sound-20120816-24b7y.html