by Daniel Hathaway
Having survived Tuesday’s concerto rounds, the six remaining violinists in the Cooper International Competition returned to their solo repertoire, playing half-hour long recitals in Oberlin’s Warner Concert Hall on Wednesday evening, July 24. The lucky three who prevailed would move on to play concertos with The Cleveland Orchestra under the baton of Gemma New on Friday evening at Severance Hall. [Read more…]
by Rory O’Donoghue
New research published in The New York Times last week touts the benefits of going barefoot, based on case studies in Kenya, but the scientists could have simply attended a Conrad Tao performance instead, and reached the same conclusion. The pianist bounded onstage with unshod feet at Blossom on July 13 to play Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with The Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Jahja Ling — and it was miraculous. [Read more…]
by Mike Telin
The 2019 Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition got underway on Saturday afternoon, July 20, when 24 young violinists representing seven U.S. States and eight countries played their Semifinal Rounds in Warner Concert Hall at the Oberlin Conservatory. On Monday evening the field was narrowed to ten. On Tuesday, July 23, those competitors played full concertos, and each of the musicians brought solid technique and musical flair to their performances. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
As Scandinavians, Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä and Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich should be well-accustomed to the intentional high temperatures and humidity of saunas, though they probably don’t expect to encounter those while plying their craft on the concert stage. On Saturday, July 20, they rose above miserable weather conditions to make impressive joint debuts with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom. [Read more…]
by Nicholas Stevens
Much of the magic of summer festivals remains forever hidden from the outside world. The masterclass that permanently rewires a student’s artistic circuitry, the rehearsal that converts a passing interest into a lifelong specialty, the practice-room collaboration that sows the seeds of a friendship or ensemble: these all elude public view. However, communities do have one point of access: concerts. If the recent Faculty Concert on the 2019 Credo Festival is any indication, then this Oberlin institution has maintained a steady rhythm over its twenty years in operation. [Read more…]
by Nicholas Stevens
Amid the recent heat wave, the Kent Blossom Music Festival offered refuge with events in cool, tranquil spaces. Rarities, favorites, and unexpected delights packed one concert last week, a showcase for members of The Cleveland Orchestra who also serve as Festival Faculty. The music on Wednesday, July 17 filled Kent State University’s Ludwig Recital Hall without overwhelming it. This may seem unexceptional for a space purpose-built for duos, quartets, and the like, but the program included both whisper-soft moments for cello and a spirited duet for piccolos — noted for their carrying power, but perfectly balanced in this room. [Read more…]
by Timothy Robson
There were unexpected changes in July 19th’s Summers@Severance concert due to the illness of previously announced conductor Pablo Heras-Casado and the substitution of Swiss conductor Thierry Fischer, who is currently music director of the Utah Symphony. This necessitated a change in program as well: Debussy’s La Mer was played instead of the same composer’s Iberia. [Read more…]
by Kelly Ferjutz
Special to ClevelandClassical.com
If, like me, you think there can never be too many Viennese-style operettas, you should be pleased with The Devil’s Rider, the latest presentation at Ohio Light Opera. You will also be happy that artistic director Steven Daigle is adept at translating German librettos into English (the original German libretto was by Rudolph Schanzer and Ernst Welisch), so it all makes sense as it proceeds. He has waved his magic wand once again, presenting the 13th OLO premiere of a work by Emmerich Kálmán. This one is also an American premiere. [Read more…]
by David Kulma
The folk group Peter, Paul and Mary first came to Blossom Music Center in the summer of 1969 near the peak of their fame – Leaving on a Jet Plane reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 later that year. Now 50 years later, the return of the group’s living members on Sunday, July 7 made for a sweet, nostalgia-filled evening as they performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Lucas Richman. Playing some of the trio’s most well-loved songs, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey maintained the group’s longtime progressive political edge. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Making his only summer appearance with The Cleveland Orchestra, music director Franz Welser-Möst led the ensemble in an eventful hour-long program on Friday evening, July 12 in Severance Hall. The first concert in the Summers@Severance series, preceded and followed by drinks and food on the terrace, was a festive occasion that attracted a large audience, some got up as if headed for an English garden party, others dressing down for the steamy weather. Once inside the hall, they were so enthusiastic about the music that applause was ubiquitous and hearty. [Read more…]