by Daniel Hathaway
TODAY’S ENTRIES:
. Hello Dolly! at Ohio Light Opera
. Almanac: Sir Peter Pears, Jeffrey Mumford, and Darius Milhaud celebrate anniversaries of their debuts
ON TODAY:
At 2:00 pm Ohio Light Opera presents Cinderella, music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II at Freedlander Theatre, 329 E. University St., Wooster. Purchase tickets here.
To check out live concerts happening this week in Northeast Ohio, see our Concert Listings. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
“Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward,” a line from The Book of Job, inspired the title of a full-length opera that received its Cleveland premiere last weekend at the Maltz Performing Arts Center. I saw the last of four performances on Sunday afternoon, June 12.
With libretto and music by Cathy Lesser Mansfield, the opera, which really more resembles a staged oratorio, filled the stage of Silver Hall with the 40-member cast and chorus.
The Sparks Fly Upward traces the saga of three families, two Jewish (the Rosenbaums and the Steins), one Christian (the Webers), beginning in the fall of 1938, when the Nazis start deporting Jews to Poland and the atrocities of Kristallnacht signal troubles to come. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
TODAY’S ENTRIES:
. Yesterday was Juneteenth, celebrating the end of slavery in 1865, but only established as a federal holiday in 2021 and not widely implemented until 2022. Since it falls on Sunday this year, we celebrate it on the following Monday
. Almanac: the birth of pianist André Watts in 1946, the debut of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring at Glyndebourne in 1947, and the first public demonstration of Columbia Records’ 33-rpm “Long Playing” discs at a press conference in New York City in 1948
. Early warning: astronomically speaking, Summer begins tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21 at 5:13 am with the Summer Solstice
ON TODAY:
Tune in to Eric Charnofsky’s “Not Your Grandmother’s Classical Music” today at 2pm for two hours’ worth of newish music, with works by Frank Martin, Joan Tower, Stephen Whittington, Zvronimir Nagy, Marin Marais, and Mark John McEncroe. (Question: which of these composers is a stowaway on a program of recent music?) [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
The post-COVID era may be on the horizon, but it hasn’t arrived yet. That dastardly microbe that has wrought havoc in the performing arts world for more than two years is still on the prowl.
Just ask Jessica Peek Sherwood, ChamberFest Cleveland’s new executive director, whose first official acts since coming on board June 1st have been to replace musicians whose positive test results have left them on the sidelines.
Swapping out individuals in a festival roster can often be accomplished quickly and efficiently, as for ChamberFest’s opening concert when Rising Star Sterling Elliott offered to step in for another cellist without missing a beat. It’s not so simple when a guest ensemble like King’s Return, the Dallas male vocal quartet, is scheduled to headline a concert. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
ChamberFest Cleveland’s Season X — Roman numeral, not unknown quantity — got underway on Thursday, June 16 when a crowd of masked fans filled every seat in Mixon Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music for “Exquisite Beginnings,” an opening salvo of works by Mozart/Grieg, George Walker, and Brahms.
The joy of returning to live concerts was palpable, reinforced by co-artistic director Franklin Cohen — who warmly greeted attendees in the lobby beforehand — and captured in the words of performers in an almost giddily edited video by Erica Brenner that was shown right after intermission. Chez Cohen was once again bubbling over with the sounds of rehearsing musicians in the “Chamberhood” that the Festival has created over nine previous seasons. The audience showed its feelings in ardent ovations. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
IN THIS EDITION:
. June festivals! ENCORE and ChamberFest continue, Ohio Light Opera raises the curtain
. In the Almanac: impressions of Stravinsky at Severance and the White House, Gounod’s birthday gift to wind players, the birth of Juneteenth
THIS WEEKEND’S EVENTS:
ENCORE:
On Friday, June 17 at 6:00 pm, a Conversation features Brandon Chrostowski of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute. At 7:00 pm the Classics Series presents “Tales of Pleasure: Food & Desire,” including Svante Henryson’s Suite Off Pist, Derek Bermel’s Coming Together, Andrew Rindfleisch’s Night Singing, Paul Schoenfield’s Café Music and Bohuslav Jan Martinu’s La revue de cuisine. Read a preview article here. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
TODAY’S ENTRIES:
. Quire Cleveland on replay, Women’s Orchestra chooses third music director
. PianoCleveland opens applications for 2023 Young Artists competition & institute
. Royal Opera House head writes about sensitive solutions to offensive material
. And a Quiz!
TODAY’S EVENTS:
No live events show up on our radar for today, but you can tune in to WCLV’s Ovations at 8:00 pm to hear Quire Cleveland’s “Resonant Glory” concert from May 15 at Akron’s St. Sebastian Church (pictured). Jay White conducts, and is featured in an intermission interview with John Simna. Tune in to listen live on many platforms.
To check out concerts happening this week see our Concert Listings. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
TODAY’S ENTRIES:
. Not Your Grandmother’s Classical Music from 2-4
. Mäkëla to lead Concertgebouw Orchestra at 26, megabucks for Minnesota Public Radio, Cleveland comes of age in 1921, and does eye contact between musicians matter during performances?
. Anniversaries of composer comings and goings: enter Carlos Chavez (pictured) and exit David Diamond.
TODAY’S EVENTS:
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Radio Broadcast: Not Your Grandmother’s Classical Music, Eric Charnofsky, host. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Scott MacPherson frequently programs concerts for his Cleveland Chamber Choir that deal with current social issues, and its programs at Akron’s St. Sebastian Church on Saturday, June 11 at 6:30 pm (freewill offering, live stream available), and at Chagrin Falls Federated Church on Sunday, June 12 at 5:00 pm (tickets here) have been heavily influenced by recent events.
In a recent telephone conversation, Oberlin Conservatory musicology professor Charles Edward McGuire, who will give pre-concert lectures 45 minutes before each performance, revealed the thought process that led to the choice of repertory for these concerts by MacPherson’s professional singers.
“The concept was really planned around Kent State composition professor Adam Robert’s work, Book of Doubt/Book of Faith.” Written for 16-part choir, viola and percussion, the piece sets secular, feminist ‘psalms’ by poet Claire Schwartz relevant to our time and connected to Jewish history, as well as music by composers who have historically been excluded from the world of classical music. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
IN THIS EDITION:
. Two Opera premieres, cello and carillon music, a festival of experimental sounds, ENCORE returns to Gates Mills, choral settings of feminist psalms: a wide palette of performances is in the works these three days.
. Anniversaries of Delius, Richard Strauss, and an innovative Britten work in the Almanac.
THIS WEEKEND’S EVENTS:
At 12:15 pm on Friday it’s the McGaffin Carillon Concert & Live Stream: George Leggiero, carillonneur. An 18th century carillon prelude by Matthias van den Gheyn, two Songs Without Words by Mendelssohn & Beethoven’s Für Elise. [Read more…]