Remembering Erich Leinsdorf's Impromptu Requiem for JFK

Saturday, February 04, 2012 - 12:00 AM

The radio microphones were present at a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert at an extraordinary moment in American history.

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Winners of Houston Grand Opera's 2012 McCollum Competition Announced

Friday, February 03, 2012 - 02:20 PM

Second only to the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Grand Finals in importance, the Houston Grand Opera's 24th Eleanor McCollum Competition winners were announced Thursday night following its annual concert of arias.

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What Do Opera Audiences Want? (Part Two)

Friday, February 03, 2012 - 09:52 AM

Opera company managers must decide how to balance the wishes of audiences with the larger goal of moving the artform forward. Those two priorities are not always in sync, writes Fred Plotkin.

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Watch: A Stradivarius Made from a 3D Printer

Wednesday, February 01, 2012 - 05:02 PM

A company in Germany has created a violin using a laser printer that's designed to be ergonomically and acoustically comparable to a traditional. Watch it in action.

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Camilla Williams, Black Opera Pioneer, Dies at 92

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 05:58 PM

Camilla Williams, believed to be the first African-American woman to appear with a major U.S. opera company, has died. She was 92.

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Poll: Your Favorite Minimalist Composer

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 05:00 PM

Philip Glass's 75th birthday is being marked by premieres, album releases and tribute concerts. The occasion prompts us to ask: Who is your favorite minimalist?

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What Do Opera Audiences Want?

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 10:50 AM

"When outstanding singers appear in unfamiliar works, many current operagoers won’t buy tickets," observes Fred Plotkin. "This is a serious problem."

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Choose Your Own Operatic Philip Glass Adventure

Monday, January 30, 2012 - 01:20 PM

Operavore Olivia Giovetti has devised a fail-proof flowchart to Philip Glass's recorded operas in honor of the composer's 75th birthday.

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Recordings Spotlight Classical Soul of Latin America

Monday, January 30, 2012 - 01:09 PM

To keep your musical spirits up, here are five recent albums of Latin American classical works that are sure to transport you to a warmer, sunnier place.

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Philharmonic, Union Agree on Deal to Raise Pay by Two Percent

Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 10:54 AM

The Philharmonic and the union representing its 106 musicians agreed Sunday to a new two-year contract that will preserve its health insurance and pension plan.

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Met's Götterdämmerung: Raging Against the Machine

Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 12:01 PM

The final installment in the Met's new production of Wagner's Ring cycle opened on Friday. Operavore blogger Olivia Giovetti questions the production's longevity despite its technical pomp and circumstance.

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Big Voices on the Silent Screen

Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 12:00 AM

With The Artist leading the pack for Oscar nominations, Operavore blogger Olivia Giovetti takes a look at the longstanding ties between opera and silent film.

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Nannerl Mozart: Born Too Soon

Friday, January 27, 2012 - 10:06 AM

Today is the 256th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But who remembers his sister, Nannerl, who was an aspiring musician who lived in her brother's shadow?

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Finnish conductor Paavo Berglund Dies at 82

Friday, January 27, 2012 - 09:40 AM

Paavo Berglund, one of Finland's most prominent conductors, has died at age 82.

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Rhythms of Latin America to Fill Carnegie Hall in 2012-13

Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 03:25 PM

As part of its 2012-13 season, Carnegie will present a month-long festival of Latin music that will feature performances by Gustavo Dudamel, Gilberto Gil and others.

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Luca Pisaroni To Replace Thomas Quasthoff in Lincoln Center Recital

Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 07:11 AM

The fallout from bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff's sudden retirement from the concert stage is beginning to be felt around the classical music business.

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The Top 10 Mad Scenes in Opera

Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 06:16 PM

As Anna Bolena returns to the Met next month, blogger Olivia Giovetti considers its pivotal mad scene and names ten others that have made their mark on the history of opera.

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Bow Backlash: Violin Shop Owner Sues Critic

Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 01:58 PM

Chicago violin shop owner Chunyee Lu is suing an anonymous commenter who posted negative reviews of his shop on consumer sites like Yelp.com, Citysearch.com, and Kudzu.com.

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My Journey Through China: Chaos and Harmony

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 09:22 PM

"China was always just a myth to me, a patchwork of anecdotes, news reports, and a weird middle-name given to me at birth," writes our correspondent. "And now, it was about to become real."

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'The Last of the Toscaninis'

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 02:06 PM

It is one thing to be a famous, historical figure and quite another to be that person's relative. Inevitably, their own destinies are affected by their association with their famous relations.

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