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The Cleveland Opera: “Two Portraits” in Youngstown

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by Robert Rollin

Sobieska-SkoogLast Saturday evening, November 25 at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Youngstown, The Cleveland Opera presented Two Portraits, a lightly staged, costumed performance of Robert Schumann’s song cycles, Dichterliebe, Op. 48 (Poet’s Love) and Frauenliebe und –leben, Op. 4 (Woman’s Love and Life). Artistic Director and soprano Dorota Sobieska, credited with the concept, staging, set design and costume co-design, gave the 50-minute performance of 23 songs theatrical continuity and visual interest. [Read more…]

Arts Renaissance Tremont: pianist Sandra Shapiro (Nov. 19)

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by Robert Rollin

ShapiroLast Sunday afternoon, November 19, talented pianist Sandra Shapiro stepped in for clarinetist Franklin Cohen and pianist Zsolt Bognár on the Arts Renaissance Tremont series at Pilgrim Church. She played an imaginative recital titled “In My Father’s Footsteps — A Daughter’s Search for Answers.” The program was the first of four recitals inspired by her father’s World War II odyssey from Russia around the world to the United States. Shapiro had little time to know her father and contacted European relatives to learn more about him. [Read more…]

Opera Western Reserve: Lucia at Stambaugh (Nov. 10)

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by Robert Rollin

music-directorLast Friday night Opera Western Reserve presented Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at Stambaugh Auditorium, sung in Italian with production director David Vosburgh’s fine supertitles. The excellent cast, coupled with Susan Davenny Wyner’s adroit conducting, a terrific orchestra, and Austin Pendleton’s well-paced staging, made for a very successful single performance. [Read more…]

Youngstown Symphony in American music (Nov. 5)

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by Robert Rollin

YSOLast Saturday night at Powers Auditorium, the Youngstown Symphony, under the direction of Randall Craig Fleischer, presented a charming concert of American music. The evening’s highlight was Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite with photomontage stills and film images collected by Texas composer Stephen Lias. Though the visuals showed the influence of Disney’s 1959 Academy Award-winning movie Grand Canyon, they incorporated new images. The performance sparkled in color, ensemble, and continuity. [Read more…]

Dorothy Papadakos in Jekyll & Hyde at Stambaugh Auditorium (Oct. 29)

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by Robert Rollin

PapadokosLast Sunday afternoon the Stambaugh Auditorium Organ Series celebrated Halloween by screening the 1920 silent movie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with improvised accompaniment by organist Dorothy Papadakos. The cheerful performer arrived clad in a Mr. Hyde costume complete with the requisite top hat, circa 1890, explaining that the Stambaugh concert was part of her Halloween tour. [Read more…]

Brahms, Schubert & Schumann on Chagrin Series opener (October 15)

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by Robert Rollin

ChagrinPianoQuartetLast Sunday afternoon, October 15, the Chagrin Concert Series presented an exceptional concert of romantic music at Valley Lutheran Church in Chagrin Falls. The highlight was a magnificent performance of Johannes Brahms’s f-minor Piano Quintet, Op. 34. The Allegro non troppo begins with a powerful unison statement. Soon pianist Sungeun Kim’s energetic playing commanded the foreground, as the strings periodically emerged to double her. [Read more…]

Youngstown Symphony with pianist Caroline Oltmanns (October 7)

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by Robert Rollin

Oltmanns MastroianniLast Saturday’s Youngstown Symphony season opener at Powers Auditorium under the direction of Music Director Randall Craig Fleischer featured a delightful rendition of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in c with Caroline Oltmanns as soloist. She maintained an impressive focus throughout the performance, playing with delicacy and elegance. [Read more…]

Closing Ars Organi concert features reprise of Frank Wiley’s Labyrinths (Oct. 1)

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by Robert Rollin

Karel_ATORGAN-225x300On Sunday afternoon, October 1, Karel Paukert was featured in the final concert of the Ars Organi series at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. He was joined by the St. Paul’s Choir and guest artists from Kent State University for a program that included Baroque, Romantic, and modern repertoire. The afternoon’s highlight was the reprise of Frank Wiley’s Labyrinths (2017) for clarinet, viola, percussion, three organs, five solo women’s voices, and supporting vocal ensemble, written for Paukert and premiered last January. [Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Gustavo Gimeno & Johannes Moser (Aug. 12)

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by Robert Rollin

Gimeno-MoserLast Saturday evening, August 12, the Cleveland Orchestra presented a delightful mélange of music with Spanish, French, and Russian connections under Spanish guest conductor Gustavo Gimeno. Gimeno and the Orchestra collaborated with German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser on Edouard Lalo’s Cello Concerto in d. [Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Robert Trevino & Behzod Abduraimov (Aug. 5)

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by Robert Rollin

Trevino-AbduraimovOn Saturday evening, August 5, The Cleveland Orchestra played an excellent, all-Tchaikovsky concert at Blossom under guest conductor Robert Trevino. The evening’s high point was a magnificent performance by the young Uzbekistani pianist Behzod Abduraimov of the First Concerto.  [Read more…]

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