Apr 26 2014

Cosi fan tutte

For this season, I decided to see only three operas at the Met. Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte is the second opera for me this year. Cosi fan tutte is opera buffa which means, in short, that nobody dies! That was one of my criteria for building a short series of three operas this year. As I’ve said before, I’m not exactly an opera aficionado, but I did find the duet and ensemble singing in this opera to be some of the finest I’ve heard. The production starred Guanqun Yu and Isabel Leonard as the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, Matthew Polenzani and Rodion Pogossov are their lovers, and Danielle de Niese as the scheming Despina. James Levine returned to the Met as music director.

Apr 25 2014

Gryphon Trio

The Gryphon Trio made their third visit to Bethlehem playing some of the major works for piano trio.

Haydn Piano Trio in C Major, H. XV:27
Dvořák Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, “ Dumky,” Op. 90
Ravel Piano Trio in A minor

The audience was very appreciative of the musical virtuosity on display. Quite possibly the CMSOB’s best presentation this year.

Apr 12 2014

New York Philharmonic – Paul Lewis

Legendary conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi was in town to conduct the New York Philharmonic in Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 and Schumann Symphony No. 2. English pianist Paul Lewis made a brilliant New York Philharmonic debut playing the Brahms.

New York Times review of Paul Lewis and the New York Philharmonic.

Apr 11 2014

Daedalus Quartet

The Daedalus Quartet visited Bethlehem as part of the Chamber Music Society of Bethlehem‘s 62nd season to play a varied program:

Purcell Three Fantasias
Britten String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25
Beethoven String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 & Grosse Fuge, Op. 133

I particularly enjoyed the Britten. A new work for me!

Apr 5 2014

Hugh Masekela

South African jazz musician and trumpeter, Hugh Masekela, was at Jazz at Lincoln Center for a 75th birthday celebration. The season I subscribe to is called Visionary Voices, an appropriate title when presenting musicians such as Masekela who has had both cultural and musical impact on South Africa and, for much of his life, the United States. The musicians in his band – very talented, particularly the young guitar player.