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John Aylward’s 2022 chamber opera Oblivion, released on New Focus Recordings, presents a vision of purgatory indebted to Dante.
Awakenings, by American composer Tobias Picker, is inspired by Sacks’ 1973 account of treating victims of encephalitis lethargica. Nicknamed the “sleeping sickness,” this coma-like condition is marked by catatonia and hypersomnia.
This 2018 “Buddha Passion” by Chinese-American composer Tan Dun, released by Decca, doesn’t feature much of the Buddha. He only appears as at the very beginning and at the end. Then again, Siddhartha Gautama doesn’t have the same centrality in Buddhism that Jesus does in Christianity.
“This could be my last opera,” predicted Philippe Boesmans in February of last year, just two months before his death at 85. “I’ve done tragedies…so I decided that I have to finish with total lightness, total insouciance.”
It’s easier to appreciate Robert Ashley’s 1983 “Perfect Lives” by simply accepting it on faith as an “opera” rather than try to cram it into the narrow definition established for the genre.
Kevin Puts writes symphonies with the narrative logic of opera, and operas that are cinematic in scope. Industry approval has won him a Grammy and a Pulitzer, while audiences respond enthusiastically to music that has a way of touching the heart as well as the mind. A self-confessed softie, his music, he says, is designed to speak to our better natures.
Logar; Cappella Amsterdam, Reuss. Text and translation. Pentatone PTC 5187028
Norbakken; Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis, Århus Sinfonietta, Áskelsson. Text. Dacapo Records 8.224736
A new recording showcases the composer’s latest opera, a dark amalgamation of two literary works.
Bræin, Askvik; Stensheim, Melien; Ensemble Allegria, The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Pedersen. Text. BIS 2611
R. Murray Schafer’s "Ra" is an Ancient Egyptian-themed opera that, coincidentally, was composed the same year as Philip Glass’ "Akhnaten," in 1983. But unlike Glass’ “sit-and-watch” show, the audience members in "Ra" are fully integrated into the action. This audio excavation offers listeners a glimpse into the arcane world of Schafer’s work.
Bell jars are everywhere you look in Panoply, Bill Fussner’s Toronto curiosity shop. Alongside mannequins, taxidermy birds, and other oddities, the vessels crowd the store’s shelves and line its narrow aisles like a parade of transparent mushrooms.
Opera News
Opera Philadelphia presents the premiere of Rene Orth’s 10 Days in a Madhouse.
Shibe, guitar. Texts and translations. Pentatone PTC 5187031
Plitmann; Albany Symphony, American Music Festival Chorus, Miller. No text. Albany Records TROY 1915
Composer George Benjamin and playwright Martin Crimp have created a new opera for Aix-en-Provence.
Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, 70, alchemical creator of a lush sonic universe, has died
Sun, Chiuri; Panikkar, Yang, Ngqungwana; Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Metzmacher. Production: Lauwers. Arthaus Musik 109457 (Blu-ray), 85 mins. (opera), 56 mins. (bonus), subtitles
Hindrichs, Gerstenmeyer; Sólyom-Nagy, Pushniak, Schwaninger, Stickert, Batukov; Staatskapelle Weimar, Konwitschny. Online text, no translation. Audite 23.448 (2)
Mas; Oliemans; Brussels Philharmonic, Vlaams Radiokoor, Groslot. Online text. Antarctica AR 039
Durholm, Dreisig, Wiman; Schwanenflügel, Nissen, Storm, Jespersen; Athelas Sinfonietta, Ødegaard. Text. BIS Records BIS-2596
Kyiv Chamber Choir, Hobdych. Text and translation. ECM 2359
Comedy on the Bridge Tsallagova, Wesseling, Dierkes, Fischer; Palka, Smallwood, B. Bürger, Bogard; Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Meister. Text and translation. Capriccio C5477
Night, a new work by composer John Luther Adams, is part of Proximity in Chicago.
Eser, Neumann; Hirtreiter, Klose, Mantaj; Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Mustonen. Text and translation. BR Klassik 900344
Kaiser, Stefanoff, Miyus, Stancu, Brull, Jankowski, Feldhofer, Motulewicz; Hartmann, Butter; Chor der Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmoniker, Kluttig. Production: Loschky. Naxos 2.110713 (DVD)/NBD0144V (Blu-ray), 143 min., subtitles
Gigliotti; Darden, M. Kelly; The 19 Mercer Ensemble. Texts. Albany Records TROY1899
Oláh; Ensemble Miroirs Étendus, Monbet. Text. b•records LBM043
Prohaska; Faust, violin. Text and translation. Harmonia Mundi HMM 902359
A great author’s artistic struggles are at the center of The Hours.
Breckenridge; J. Williams; American Modern Ensemble, Osgood. Texts. American Modern Recordings AMR 1053
Meriweather; Bene; Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Milano della RAI, Panni. Online text, no translation. Tactus TC920290 (2)
Banse, Sun, Schönmüller; Gerhaher, Ludlow; Philharmonia Zürich, Basler Madrigalisten, Holliger. German text, no translation. ECM 2622/23 (2)
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel balances leadership positions in Los Angeles and Paris.
Hunter, Wehr, Burton, Thelwell; Kellogg, Crouch, Blue, Clark, Simmons; The Washington National Opera Orchestra, Cox. Text. Pentatone PTC 5186967 (2)
Ludwig Orchestra, Berlage Saxophone Quartet, Hannigan. No texts. Alpha Classics 790
Hannigan, R. Wilson, Dalayman, Wettergreen; P. Rose, K. Conners, Willetts; Chorus and Orchestra of Bayerische Staatsoper, Meister. Production: Kriegenburg. Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings BSOREC 1002 (DVD)/2002 (Blu-ray), 116 mins., subtitles
A reimagined version of Stewart Wallace and Michael Korie’s Harvey Milk opens at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.
Appleby, Costanzo, Tines; Aucoin, Hanick, piano; GoGwilt, violin; Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Rose. Texts. BMOP/sound 1084 (2)
A monodrama by composer Du Yun opens at LA Opera this month.
The Rake’s Progress composer’s other vocal works.
Boyle, Presland, Summers; Ring, Tantsits, Richardson, Ewing; Irish Chamber Orchestra, de Ridder. Text. Signum Records SIGCD695
Loutsion, Dexter, Rosen, Middleton, Blaustein; Mayes, Berkowitz; Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra, Yankovskaya. No texts. Chicago Opera Theater 0825646166749
Lavi, Hybiner; El-Bushra, Diffey; Nationaltheater-Orchester Mannheim, Pierson. Text. Oehms Classics OC994 (2)
Boecker; Lovell, Skovhus, Van Heyningen, Kim, Astakhov, Hässler, Schneider; Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Young. Text and translation. Capriccio C5460 (2)
Kayser, Komsi, van de Velde, Edwardson, Trevigne; Muscat-Clark, Landau, G. Smith, Watts, Larson, Ebrahim; ELISION Ensemble, Gorli, Hewett, Deroyer, Nawri. No text. Huddersfield Contemporary Records HCR25CD (3)
Uhl, Tretyakova, Hofmann; Koch, Streit, Grundheber, Very, Reid, Snell, Ringelhahn; Wiener Symphoniker, Slovak Philharmonic Choir, de Billy. Production: Warner. Naxos NBD0130V (Blu-ray)/2.110691-92 (2 DVDs), 190 mins., subtitles
Hernandez; C. Allen, piano. Texts. Shokat Projects SP-101
Làrusdóttir, Bridges; Costanzo, James, Bernstein, Blake, Liverman; The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Kamensek. English translation. Orange Mountain Music 0154 (2)
Lyrén, Dam-Jensen; Henschel, T. Volle, Högström, Hagen, Krantz, Thimander, Dahlberg, Loftsson; Malmö Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus, Ringborg. Text and translation. Dacapo Records 8.226706-07 (2)
Durkin, Fillmore, Zifchak, Phillips; Croft, Josephson, Walker, Garvin, Bernstein; The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Anzolini. English translation. Orange Mountain Music 5010 (3)
Perrotta, Siembieda, Latini, Misch; Bryan, Morgan, Sanders, Schaefer, Wallin; Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal, Colaneri. Production: Lesenger. Château de Versailles Spectacles CVS036
Gaissert, Danrich, Sodergren; Snook, An, McKeever; Henry (piano), Hudgins (alto sax), Rosenberg (ten. sax), Sinton (bar. sax), McCoy. Online text. Bright Shiny Things BSTC-1049
Richardot; Les Cris de Paris, G. Jourdain. Multilingual texts, partial translations. Harmonia Mundi HMM 902647
Ciofi, Frenkel, Aulbert; Henschel, Wey; Ensemble Nikel, Vocal Ensemble, Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Kalitzke. Production: Guth. Naxos NBD0120V (Blu-ray)/2.110673 (DVD), 87 mins. (opera), 86 mins. (bonus), subtitles
Friede, Vermillion, Bone, Bernsteiner, Peshes, Ratzenböck, Haselböck, Wolfbauer; Very, Fernández-Castro; ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, de Billy. German text, no translation. Capriccio C5382 (2)
Librettist Mark Campbell hears melody and rhythm in everything he writes.
Arnold; Csalog, piano. Text and translation. BMC CD 279
N. Fischer; Los Angeles Philharmonic, Salonen. Texts. Nonesuch 0075597917338
Armstrong, piano. Texts and translations. 7 Mountain Records 7MNTN-024
Montalvo; Stone; Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Stenz. Text. Challenge Classics CC72808
Wingate, Leech; Cataldo, Mkhize, Shahbazi, van Lierop, Bergman, Kraemer, Carl; Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Dutch National Opera Chorus, Paterson. Challenge Classics CC72849 (2)
Armstrong, Fortunato; Kelley, Kirby, Sylvan, Ripley; Tommasini (piano), J.R. Smith (percussion). Text and translations. Everbest Music 1002 (2)
Z2 Comics; 144 pp. $24.99; $99.99 deluxe edition with double vinyl LP
Hankey, Mancasola; Dougherty, Bogard; ensemble, Kahn. Text. Meyer Media MM20044
Cordero, Humbert, La Barbara, Neuburg; S. Ashley, R. Ashely, Buckner; Hamilton, live mixing and sound processing. Text. Lovely Music LCD 5003
Vizin; Shanahan; Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Eötvös. Text and translation. BMC CD 278
Böcker, Schneidermann; R. Adams, Margita, Kallenberg, Ebbecke; Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Meister. Production: Kimming. Naxos NBD0115V (Blu-ray)/2.110668 (DVD), 114 mins., subtitles. (Also on CD, Capriccio C5405)
Saragosa, Gütter, Guedes; Martin, Elibay-Hartog; Kammerakademie Potsdam, Stoupel. German text, no translation. Oehms Classics OC990 (2)
Hwang, Dewey; Koch, Brooks, Urbas; ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Konzertchor. German text, no translation. Capriccio C5423
Dagmar, Stein, Calloway, Munn; Echelard, Mueller, Greenwald; JACK String Quartet, Zeitgeist, Pinkard. Libretto. New Focus Recordings FCR265; Hansen, Bell; Bakari, Major, Echelard, Andrews. Sommers, Rathbun; The Adam Meckler Orchestra, Bloom. Partial libretto. New Focus Recordings FCR266
Wegener; Meachem, Rose, Holland; Kraków Philharmonic Choir, Warsaw Boys’ Choir, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Nagano. Text and translation. BIS 2287
Jakubiak; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Gardner. German text. Chandos CHSA 5198
Aristidou, Peri, Vermeulen; Tritschler, Schuen; Schola Heidelberg; Ensemble Modern, Boder. Production: Markovics. C Major 754304 (Blu-ray)/754208 (DVD), 103 mins., subtitles
Works by Nono, Haydn and Grisey. Ludwig Orchestra, Hannigan. Text and translations. Alpha Classics 586
Hurrell, Minney; Kumar, De Souza, Madlala, Watson, Balachandar, Thevarajah; London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Singers, Murphy. Text. London Philharmonic Orchestra LPO 0115 (2)
Totijn; Stone; Gerstein (piano); Boston Symphony Orchestra, Adès. Text and translation.Deutsche Grammophon 483 7998
Bell, Kidambi; McCorkle, Pinto, Ruder, Simons; Hamilton. Online text. Lovely Music LCD 5002
Bengtsson, Haslett, Soffel; Schukoff, Pohl, Pesendorfer, Bronk; Chorus and Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Runnicles. German text, no translation. Oehms Classics OC985 (2)
Chenez, D. Lee, Egorov, Tra˛bka, Jurenas, Milhofer, Stražanac, Rea, Faulkner; Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, Davies/Petersen. No text. Oehms OC 986 (2)
Does the Beethoven legend affect the way we listen to him?
Baumgartner, Boecker, Dur; Panikkar, Braun, W. White, Schukoff, Szemerédy; Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Nagano. Production: Warlikowski. Arthaus Musik 109413 (Blu-ray)/109412 (2 DVDs), 165 mins., subtitles
Young People’s Chorus of New York City, the Crossing, New York Philharmonic, Van Zweden. Decca Gold 3084502
Hofmann; Gloger, Bankl, Tómasson, Winknler; Klangforum Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Young. German and French text, no translation. KAIROS 15037 (3)
Petrinsky, Montalvo, Hubeaux; Nigl, van Mechelen; Orchestre Symphonique et Choeurs de La Monnaie, Ollu. German text, no translation. Cypres CYP 4654 (2)
Nigl, Waddington, Graham-Hall; La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, Ollu. Production: Breth. Alpha Classics 717, 73 mins., subtitles
Watkins, Bagg; Timur, Boehler; Bang on a Can Opera Ensemble, Members of the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Candillari. Text. Cantaloupe Music CA21150
Narucki; various instrumentalists. Texts and translations. Avie AV2408/Vitrenko; various instrumentalists. Partial online texts in German, no translations. Audite AUD97762
Bohn, Printz; Bekbosunov, Ernst, Cave, Shaikhani; Ensemble, Nies, Mori. Libretto. MinMax MM-020
Valiquette; Szabó; Tyniec, violin; Ensemble vocal Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, Ní Mheadhra; Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal, Lacroix. Multilingual texts, no translation. ATMA Classique ACD2 2762
Eerens, Vondung; Laurenz, Schmeckenbecher, Schmidlechner, Schneider, Woldt, Kammler; ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gruber. Text and translation. Capriccio C5358 (2)
Boyle, Manley; R. Adams; Crash Ensemble, Pierson. Text. Cantaloupe CA21143
Gibbons; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Penderecki. Text and translation. Domino WIGCD 395
Echalaz, Luna, Coote, Matthews, Rice, Bevan; Kaiser, Davies, Gilfry, Portillo, Antoun, Moore, Burdette, Tomlinson, Van Horn; The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Adès. Production: Cairns. Erato 0190295525507 (DVD)/0190295525491 (Blu-ray), 128 mins. (opera), 15 mins. (bonus), subtitles
By the end of the third day of Dutch National Opera's presentation of excerpts from Karlheinz Stockhausen's magnum opus, a sad realization set in: Licht isn’t the transcendent spiritual encounter it purports to be. But if Licht fails, it fails fabulously.
Hannigan; Degout, Orendt, Hoare, Boden; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Benjamin. Production: Mitchell. Opus Arte OA 1221 D (DVD)/OA BD 7199 D (Blu-ray), 88 mins. (opera), 5 mins. (bonus), subtitles
Felty, King, Azéma; Mason, Edwards, Runswick, Bogdan; Stephenson (keyboards), Ciampolini (percussion), Machover. Text. Bridge BCD 9007
Károlyi; Tantsits; International Contemporary Ensemble, DeMaison. Text. New Focus Recordings/Tundra TUN009
Von Otter, Sunnegårdh, Juntunen; Hakala, Söderlund; Chorus and Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera, Storgårds. Text and translation. BIS-2357 SACD (2)
Chuchman, Goeldner; Panikkar, Dahl, Allicock; St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Chorus, Ogren. Text. Albany Records TROY 1695/96 (2)
Hannigan, Connolly; Clayton, Gilfry, Begley, Tomlinson, Butt Philip, Imbrailo, Enticknap, Lowrey; London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, Jurowski. Production: Armfield. Opus Arte OA 1254 D (DVD)/OA BD7231 D (Blu-ray), 164 mins. (opera), 21 mins. (bonus), subtitles
Connery; B. Balliett, D. Balliett, Cole, Treuting. National Sawdust Tracks NS-021
Harnisch, Schlicht, Miller; Bronk, Blondelle, Severloh, Shaw, Wölfel; Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Runnicles. French text, German translation. OEHMS Classics OC 973 (2)
Bullock, Johnston; Finley, Sherratt, Staples, Allicock, Farnsworth, Sakker; BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, Adams. Text. Nonesuch 7559-79310-7 (2)
A surprising number of operas are using cinema for source material.
Bareilles; Legend, Dixon, Daniels, Lewis, Cooper, Grönwall; Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert Orchestra, Wright; Masterworks Broadway 19075848422 (2)
Halpin, O’Leary, Banks; Crowley, Crowe, Morris, Smith. English text. Heresy 021 (2)
Briot, Munger, Boulianne; Degout, Le Texier, Beuron; Orchestre Symphonique de la Monnaie, Davin. French text, no translation. Cypres CYP 4647 (2)
Maultsby, Kamareh; Fisher, Adams, Vilanch, Timur; LA Phil New Music Group, Men of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lowenstein. No text. The Industry Records
Regina, Marc Blitzstein’s opera adaptation of The Little Foxes, brings a starry cast to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.
Budd; Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Rose. Text. BMOP/sound 1056 (2)
Eichenholz; Nagy, Elgr, Harris, Ulrich, Kryshak, Ott, Brück, Poppe, Hasselt; Chorus and Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Søndergård. German text, no translation. OEHMS Classics OC 969 (2)
Pastin, Ruckman, Bonet, Bonetti; Rutter, Levine, Mason, Treviño; Nashville Opera Orchestra, Williamson. Text. American Modern Recordings AMR 1048 (2)
Mackey, electric guitar; Treuting, percussion. New Amsterdam Records NWAM091
Works by Berio, Berg and Gershwin. Ludwig Orchestra, Hannigan. Alpha Classics 293. Text and translations. “Music is Music,” bonus documentary, director: Amalric.
Koele, Dijkhuizen; Jaroussky, Tines, van Ommen, Nezer; Kimball-Mentzos (dancer); Dudok Quartet, Kankaanranta (kantele), Hoitenga (flute), KleinJan (percussion), de Ridder. Production: Sellars. Erato 0190295753955, 106 mins., subtitles
Nigl; O’Connor, Mumford; Hoare, Bubeck, Cummings, Medley; Berlin Philharmonic, various. Text and translations. BPHR 170141 (4 CDs, 2 Blu-ray), 336 mins. (concerts), 81 mins. (bonus), subtitled
Hellier, Forbes; Herford, Bennett, Folwell, Druiett, Thomas, Curievici; The Music Theatre Wales Ensemble, Rafferty. Text. Orange Mountain Music 0118 (2)
De la Guardia, Lobo; Dodson, Church; Advocat, Stäudlin, Moore, Williams. Text. Navona NV6124
Fischer, Charles, Russell, Du; Pfortmiller, Bielfield, McCargar; Choir of Trinity Wall Street and NOVUS NY, Wachner. Text. Vision into Art Records VIA 16 (2)
Kesselman, Zavalloni, Houberg, Fetokaki, Bröchler; Melrose, Beekman, van de Woerd; Los Angeles Philharmonic, de Leeuw. Text and translation. Nonesuch 7559-79361-8 (2)
Crousaud, Trottmann, Soudain; Lièvre-Picard, Ferreira, Diakoff, Capt, Lapp; Orchestre de Picardie, van Beek. No libretto. Claves 50-1725
Hellenkant; United Instruments of Lucilin, Kawase. Text. Naxos 8.573724
Plitmann, Bickley; Mehta, Cox; London Sinfonietta, Benjamin; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Nederlands Kamerkoor, Benjamin. Text and translations. Nimbus NI5964
John Adams and Peter Sellars create The Girls of the Golden West, a new work about the Gold Rush, for San Francisco Opera.
Rivera; Gunn, Livio; 1B1, NOVUS NY, Washington Chorus, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Wachner. Text. Vision Into Art Records VIA 14
Seven years after Séance on a Wet Afternoon, Stephen Schwartz’ first unsuccessful foray into opera, the composer–lyricist has returned to something vaguely operatic with Schikaneder, “the turbulent love story behind The Magic Flute” (seen May 10, at Vienna's Raimund Theater).
Worsham, Breckenridge, Duke; Bobick, Marcotte, Tantsits; Newspeak, Pierson. Text. Vision Into Art Records (2)
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Oramo. Texts. Decca B0026096-02
Music by Krausas, Lowenstein, McIntosh, Norman, Reid and Rosenboom. The Industry. Texts and translations. The Industry Records TIR003
Rivera; Ford; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Spano. Texts and translations. ASO Media 1008
Barkmin, Gaudí; López, Tatzl, Arcángel, Méndez, Ramón, Lozano, Caves, San Antonio; Klangforum Wien, Coro Titular del Teatro Real, Heras-Casado. Production: Castro. Bel Air Classiques BAC134 (DVD)/BAC534 (Blu-ray), 142 mins., subtitled
Davis, Moran; Silverman, Newell, Williams; The Philip Glass Ensemble, Riesman; The Lucinda Childs Dance Company. Production: Wilson. Opus Arte OA1178D (2 DVDs)/OABD7173D (2 Blu-rays), 264 mins., no subtitles
Mancini; Pennisi, Capezzuto, Gonzalez Toro; L’Arpeggiata, Pluhar. Text and translation. Erato 0190295969677
Holmertz, Augestad, Johnsen, Vettergren, Rydh; Ludlow; Cikada Ensemble, Eggen. Text. LAWO LWC1098
Inderhaug, Gericke, Einarsson; Sødal, Fegran, Hugaas; Oslo Sinfonietta, Eggen. Text and translation. Aurora ACD5049 (2)
Brooklyn Rider. Texts, no translations. Naïve V5436
Penagos, Simon, Turner; Novoa, Torigi, Devlin, Gregori, Ellis, Romaguera; Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera Society of Washington, Rudel. No libretto. Sony 88985350882 (2)
Sjöwall; Treviño, MacPherson; Nashville Opera, Williamson. Online libretto. Naxos 8.660398
Obel; Danhier, Koropecki, Labbow, Matz. Play It Again Sam Recordings PIASR905CDP
Anderson, Tagaq, Bardos, Bickersteth, Huhtanen, Wang; Carver, Waetford; choirs, ensembles and conductors of the Luminato Festival. Text and translation. Analekta AN 2 8784-5 (2)
Prohaska, Welch, M. Wainwright, Cutler; R. Wainwright, de Vries, Nell, Holtz; various speakers; BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ogren. Text and translation. DG B0024764-02
Schönmüller, Nelsen, Francis, Sidak, Hauf; Falk, Stoklossa, Heinrich, Jankowitsch, Wagner; Hungarian Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Vajda. German text, no translations. BMC CD 226 (2)
C. Greenwood, J. Greenwood, O’Brien, Selway, Yorke; London Contemporary Orchestra and Choir, Brunt. XL Recordings 8905276
Kelly, McLaughlin, Lomas; Purves, Pittsinger, Kaasch; Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real Madrid, D. R. Davies. Text. Orange Mountain Music OMM 0102 (2)
Worden, Davis; Landauer, Gerke, Soto; Baroque Orchestration X. No text. Zosima 001
Worden; Kahane; Brooklyn Rider. Texts. Magdeburg Music
Hughes, Mounts; Hearne, Robinson, Woody. Texts. New Amsterdam Records NWAM071
Geier, Schöder; Giovannini, Götz, Adjei, Willetts; Lautten Compagney Berlin, Katschner; Compagnia Marionettistica Carlo Colla & Figli. Production: Colla. Arthaus Musik 102207 (DVD), 108125 (Blu-ray), with two CDs, 137 mins. (opera), 10 mins. (bonus), subtitled
Works by Beethoven, Liszt, Scriabin, and Nono. Agerich, Ade-Jesemann, Bair-Ivenz, Krumbiegel; Schadock; Berliner Singakademie; Solistenchor Freiburg; Berliner Philharmoniker, Abbado. Production: Swann. EuroArts 2001944, 57 mins., limited subtitles.
Marrocu, Palomba, Ledda; Signorini, Villari, Ruggeri, Balzani, Mangione; Orchestra and Chorus of Fondazione Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Bramall. Production: Livermore. Dynamic 37683, 114 mins., subtitled
Mikołajczyk; Skałuba, Rak, Skrla; The Choir and Orchestra of the Baltic Opera, Michniewski. Production: M. Weiss. DUX 9884, 95 minutes, subtitled
Bradić; Pauly; Nico and the Navigators; Members of the Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Gnann. Production: Nicola Hümpel. EuroArts 2059558, 100 mins., subtitled
Fiebig, Durkin, Pendry, Dark; Rhodes, Coleman-Wright, Fyfe, Breen; Opera Australia Chorus, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Summers. Production: Armfield. Sydney Opera House OPOZ56001 (2 DVDs) 183 mins., subtitled
Frittoli, Liebau, Naef, Schmid; Maestri, Camarena, Cavalletti; Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House, Gatti. Production: Bechtolf. C Major 711108 (DVD) or 711204 (Blu-ray), 126 mins., subtitled
San Francisco Classical Voice
In Music for Film, Sculpture, and Captions, the composer teases out connections to jazz, surrealist film, and Ruth Asawa.
The composer talks about the perception and reality of Latin American music and about a new work getting its world premiere with the LA Phil this week.
The first opera in Cerise Lim Jacobs’s The Ouroboros Trilogy borrows heavily from Eastern lore and legends.
A new recording reveals the composer’s intriguing mesh of ideas, influences, and techniques.
An operatic premiere redolent of the decadent early 20th century
The semistaged opera highlights the orchestra’s season finale.
Kaminsky’s strong music is the focal point of Opera Parallèle’s world-premiere production.
The vibrant 1977 opera shines on this lovingly rendered CD reissue.
Jake Heggie’s operatic adaptation of a singular holiday classic has its West Coast premiere.
A straightforward production of Richard Strauss’s beautiful score.
Leonidas Kavakos exploits contrasts in the Violin Concerto and Tilson Thomas finds a fresh approach to The Rite of Spring.
West Edge Opera continues to delve into challenging contemporary works with this West-Coast premiere.
Dan Dediu’s eccentric Grana rises above an otherwise staid program.
The eccentric and enormous work was lucid in the orchestra’s hands.
The "Transformations" program pairs Schoenberg's riotous Chamber Symphony No. 1 with intriguing new works by Julie Barwick and David Lipten.
Composer Martin Matalon’s score for a 1919 silent film comedy isn’t meant as underscoring, and that’s part of the problem.
The festival's third day questions how we communicate when sounds and meaning are divorced.
Bard Music West's second festival focused on a composer whose music still seems current.
Great singing and comic staging bring out the best in Bellini's 1831 tale of a sleepwalking innocent.
William Kentridge fuses physics, early modernist art, jazz-age music, and colonial history in a profound multimedia revue.
In an ambitious program featuring pipa player Wu Man, the orchestra showed power in excess, with less finesse.
Hans Abrahmsen’s hour-long meditation, Snow, anchors an entertaining program from S.F. Contemporary Music Players.
Stravinsky’s century-old piece still resonates with more power and urgency than the contemporary works it inspired.
Libby Larsen’s operatic adaptation of Shelley is less than riveting in a confusing production.
In a concert featuring a wide range of subjects and inspiration, the older works fared best.
The ensemble achieved sublimity in their rendition of a movement from Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles
The Rule of Three ruled this show, featuring a varied trio of concertos.
Composer Andy Akiho evokes computers instead of using them in his piano quintet. Maybe that’s the secret of his success.
Conductor Esa Pekka Salonen brought Romantic expressivity to a pair of neoclassical masterpieces.
Solid performances highlight a streamlined production that emphasizes contemporary themes in the Weimar-era opera.
With his opera in suspended animation, the composer Mark Grey puts forth a Frankenstein Symphony based on its themes at the Berkeley Symphony.
In Hunger Strike, composer and vocalist Amy X Neuburg turns our attention to the conditions of solitary confinement.
The new-music ensemble takes the audience on a sonic trip with Fausto Romitelli’s eerie video opera at the Freight and Salvage.
The extraordinary music Monk creates, largely with her own voice, still has the power to amaze, as a recital drawn from her long career showed.
The often-ignored repertory of 17th-century oratorios, was given a vigorous, musically satisfying revival in California Bach Society’s latest concert set.
Messiaen asks the orchestra to move us toward the infinite in Des Canyons aux étoiles....
The singer-songwriter/composer joined string quartet Brooklyn Rider for a different kind of Schubertiade.
The early music ensemble performed “songs, dances, and fancies” with flair at Palo Alto’s First Presbyterian Church.
The quartet shifted seamlessly between genres in a wide-ranging program.
Composer Amy Beth Kirsten has provided Volti with the right kind of challenge: one that takes the audience on an electrifying journey.
A technical tour-de-force of a duo recital focusing on Ades’ own music and influences.
A wide-ranging program jumped from percussion to Debussy’s harp concerto to Bernstein’s Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium).
In Kaija Saariaho’s Laterna Magica and Hector Berlioz’s Les nuits d’ete, sound color is deployed in the evocation of light.
What happens when indeterminate music’s “happy accidents” are not so accidental?
The S.F. Contemporary Music Players' season-long series of ten commissioned works reflecting on the human condition comes to an inspired close.
Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich successfully steer through the composer’s most challenging works.
Mark Lanz Weiser's opera, at Opera San Jose, misses the mark.
The Lamplighters Musical Theater production of Candide has a lot going for it, along with a few unavoidable flaws.
Continuing on from Infinite Jest, John Adams continues to mine Beethoven for musical ideas.
Fanfare
Kent Nagano, cond; Marlis Petersen (sop); Thomas E. Bauer (bar); Iveta Apkalna (org); Ch of Hamburg St Op; Audi Jugendchorakademie; Hamburger Alsterspatzen; Hamburg P St O • ECM 2605/06 (2 CDs: 101:04) Live: Hamburg 1/13/2017
Peter Rundel, Léo Warinsky, cond; Claudia Barainsky (sop); Jan Michiels (pn); WDR SO • KAIROS 15022 (SACD: 58:47)
Inbal Hever (mez); 2JACK Qrt • WERGO 73552 (SACD: 70:55)
Ernesto Molinari (cl); Thomas Demenga (vc); Marino Formenti (pn); Peter Rundel, cond; WDR SO • AEON 1754 (63:35)
Emilio Pomàrico, Enno Poppe, Christian Eggen, Rupert Huber, cond; Sarah Wegener (sop); Marc Bischoff (voc); Ens Musikfabrik • WERGO 68652 (77:34 Text and Translation)
Juliet Fraser, Sarah Maria Sun (sop); Mark Knoop (pn); Aleph Gtr Qrt • KAIROS 15018 (61:48 Text and Translation)
Bas Wiegers, cond; Annelie gahl (vn); Michael moser (vc); Asasello Qrt; Klangforum Wien • KAIROS 15007 (47:00)
Albums by Ondřej Adámek, John Adams, David Del Tredici, Du Yun, and Wang Lu
Qrt Diotima • KAIROS 15015 (59:58)
Mark Gibson, cond; Devon Guthrie (Mary Johnson); Alexandra Schoeny (Miss Lightfoot); Aaron Blake (Timothy Laughlin); Joseph Lattanzi (Hawkins Fuller); Marcus DeLoach (Senator Joseph McCarthy); Cincinnati SO • FANFARE CINCINNATI 011 (2 CDs: 110:37 Text and Translation)
Frieder Bernius, cond; Gabriele Hierdeis (sop); Renée Morloc (alt); Kammerchor Stuttgart; Danubia O Óbuda • CARUS 83.283 (56:16)
Patrizio Esposito, cond; Bettina Berger (fl); Andrea Nagy (cl); Daniela Müller (vn); Christophe Mathias (vc); Anna D’Errico (pn); Yuka Ota
Weronika Dziedzic, Mateusz Łasowski, Justyna Ptaszyńska, Dawid Szurmiej (voc); Maciej Jaroń (vn); David Krakauer (cl); Mikołaj Trzaska (sax); Adam Kośmieja (pn); Cezary Konrad (perc) • KAIROS 15026 (42:38 Text and Translation)
Elena Talarico (pn); Federico De Zottis (s sax); Stefano Grasso (vib); 2Matteo Lorito (bs); 3Eni Lulja, 3Elisa La Marca (gtr); Francesco Marzano (fl); Donna Henderson (nar) • RAVELLO 7971 (63:04 Text and Translation)
Sebastian Gottschick, cond; Urs Bumbacher (vn); Nicola Romanò (vc); Hans-Peter Frehner (fl); Manfred Spitaler (cl); Jürg Henneberger (pn, cel); Lorenz Haas (perc); Immanuel Gottschick-Daskalakis (nar) • HAT(NOW)ART 203 (53:48)
Gong Linna (voc); Ashley Bathgate (vc); Robert Black (db); Vicky Chow (pn); David Cossin (perc); Mark Stewart (electric gtr); Ken Thomson (cl, bs cl) • CANTALOUPE 21133 (32:38 Text and Translation)
Catherine O’Shaughnessy, cond; Sarah Thompson Johansen (Helen); Maureen Smith (Mary); Erin Moll (Austin); Tobias Wright (Clarke); Matthan Ring Black (Dr. Raymond); Vince Wallace (Villiers); Stephen Uhl, John Cockerill, Jordan Circe, Anatoliy Torchinskiy (pn) • NAVONA 6115 (2 CDs: text)
Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, cond; Alex Sopp (fl, pic); Hideaki Aomori (cl, bs cl); C. J. Camerieri (tpt); Jamie Keesecker (hn); Cameron Britt, Shawn Galvin (perc); Timothy Hambourger (pn); Jacquelyn Bartlett (hp); Sarah Griffin, Rob Moose (vn); Nadia Sirota (va); Clarice Jensen (vc); Shawn Conley (db) • NEW FOCUS 191 (43:40)
Joan La Barbara (voc); Joan La Barbara (voc, perc); Bruce Ditmas (syn, gtr, perc) • MODE 298 (66:04)
Markus Stenz, cond; Ana Mikolaj (sop); Ursula Hesse von den Steinen (mez); Gerhard Siegel (ten); Christof Fischesser (bs); David Wilson-Johnson (nar); Leo van Doeselaar (org); Netherlands R Ch; Royal Concertgebouw O • RCO 17005 (82:48 text and translations)
Christopher D. Lewis (hpd) • NAXOS 8.559843 (65:16)
Steven Schick, cond; Kai Wessel (ct); Jeffrey Gavett (bar); International Contemporary Ens • KAIROS 15008 (57:59)
Johannes Schöllhorn, cond; Truike van der Poel (mez); Hannah Weirich (vn); Francesco Dillon (vc); Florentin Ginot (db); Peter Veale (ob); Christine Chapman (hn); Marco Blaauw (tpt); Bruce Collings (tbn); Teodoro Anzellotti (acc); Arditti Qrt; Ens Musikfabrik • WERGO 64222 (67:18)
Geminiano Mancusi, Maurice Donnet-Monay, cond; Ruben Mattia Santorsa (gtr); Lucio Miele, Lucio Miele (perc); Jean-Étienne Sotty (acc); Qrt Prometeo; Opera-reading Ens; Ens Interface • STRADIVARIUS 37030 (52:10 Text and Translation) Naples; Bern; Siena
Miscellaneous
This dissertation offers a comprehensive investigation of composer György Ligeti's (1923-2006) relationship to the work of Lewis Carroll (1832-98).
Originally appeared as "Man, Myth and Music" in the April 2020 issue of Opera News. Polish translation by Karolina Kolinek-Siechowicz.
Presented in concert by the LA Phil New Music Group, Thomas Adès, conductor, on Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California, with: Barbara Hannigan, soprano; Allison Cook, mezzo-soprano; Hilary Summers, contralto; Allan Clayton, tenor; Peter Tantsits, tenor; Mark Stone, baritone; and Joshua Bloom, bass
Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Press, 2015, 272 pp., $29.95 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-252-03973-7
