Latest news

Alina Ibragimova interview

Tom Service of The Guardian interviews brilliant 27 year old violinist Alina Ibragimova, describing her “trademark wildly imaginative playing, with its combination of unleashed energy and historical awareness”. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/oct/18/alina-ibragimova-violinist-rawness-energy
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Clive Barda photo retrospective

Photographer Clive Barda’s name appears below many of the most famous musical images in recent history. In his 4o year career as a photographer of performers, he has built up a formidable repository of photographs dating back to Jacqueline Du Pre in in 1960s. Now 100 of his prints from Leonard Bernstein in the past,…
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Opera on the internet

The latest showcase for opera has moved from the high definition images of the cinema to live streaming off the internet.  the first opera to be streamed was a performance of Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio from Vienna’s Kammeroper, on Sunday 21st October, and included Australian baritone Ben Connor. More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/21/vienna-platform-launches-_0_n_1997169.html?utm_hp_ref=arts
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‘Give me excess of it’ – the memoirs of Richard Gill

Revered conductor and music educator Richard Gill’s memoirs Give me Excess of it will be released on October 23rd, MacMillan Australia. He talks to Matthew Westwood about the book: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/musical-memoir-to-settle-old-scores/story-fn9d2mxu-1226498845442 You can also attend a literary lunch to hear Richard Gill talk about the book at The Four Season Hotel in the city: Date: Monday 29 October 2012…
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ENO’s plan to dress down for opera receives a dressing down

Following the ENO’s announcement of a plan to encourage a relaxed dress code for opera goers,  Andrew Mellor argues that it’s ‘much ado about nothing’. After all, going to the races seems to demand the observation of a costly and mysterious dress code that doesn’t deter attendance. http://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/the-gramophone-blog/stop-telling-us-what-to-wear-for-opera
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Latest reviews

Towering performances bring ‘Die tote Stadt’ to life

Die tote Stadt, opus 12  by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Opera in 3 acts with to a libretto by Paul Schott (Julius and E. W. Korngold) after Georges Rodenbach’s novel Bruges la morte. Opera Australia, Sydney Opera House June 30th 2012   It is a fortuitous collision of talent to have an opera composed by a prolific writer of cinematic music, directed by an Oscar…

Angela Denoke: a serendipitous visit

Angela Denoke, soprano Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Sir Andrew Davis, conductor Sydney Opera House COnert Hall, June 29th 2012. Programme: Wagner R:  Overture from Tannhäuser Wagner R:  Die Walküre: Du bist der Lenz WagnerR:  Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod Strauss R:  Der Rosenkavalier: Suite Strauss   Salome: Final Scene Decades of inter-city rivalry were forgotten when Sydney audiences…