Pianist Steven Osborne presents his insights into Olivier Messien’s Quartet for the End of Time, a landmark work for piano, clarinet, violin and cello, composed whilst Messiaen was an inmate of a Nazi prisoners of war camp and premiering in that camp in 1941, performed by Messiaen and three other prisoners.
Celebrating the 80th birthday of the esteemed pianist and conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Decca is releasing the complete Concerto Recordings of Ashkenazy – 46 CDs in original jackets – every concerto recording ever made for Decca with Ashkenazy as pianist. The anthology includes a previously unpublished Mozart concerto, K488, 2 DVDs featuring Ashkenazy’s 1974 recordings with…
Applause Musical Theatre Academy is offering children and teens short courses in the skills of performing in music theatre in summer holiday programmes in four venues across Sydney’s north. The courses will teach music, drama and dance in two and three-day workshops in Chatswood, Roseville, St Ives and Killarney Heights. Participants will learn to sing, dance…
The tragic tale of the broken-hearted clown comes to life in Pagliacci, Opera Australia’s verismo double-bill with Cavalleria Rusticana which opened in Sydney last week. Director Damiano Michieletto has linked the two works dramatically with several of the main characters from one opera appearing the other. Read our review from opening night and see these luscious…
Of all the figures on stage during a concert, the conductor is perhaps the most enigmatic – commanding a great deal of attention from performers and audience and controlling the sound, whilst not actually making any music – and all the while with his or her back to the audience! This feature by Clemency Burton-Hill…
Don’t look now but there could just be a vibrant new genre of music unfolding. One that makes a statement about Australia’s standing in the world – both musically and geographically. At one level it is another concert in Sydney’s smorgasbord of events. But step back and look at the bigger picture – it is music that embodies antipodean…
Checkout the ‘look’ of the Royal Opera’s production of Bellini’s Norma, opening in Palace Cinemas in Sydney this weekend. Crafted by La Fura dels Baus it is conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano with Sonya Goncheva in the title role and Jospeh Calleja as Pollione. Photo credits Bill Cooper. Images supplied.