Frank Kuznik Archives - Cleveland Classical

Book review: Frank Kuznik’s Festival Europe

April 26, 2016 by Daniel Hathaway

by Mike Telin

In his 2016 edition of Festival Europe: 65 Enchanting Places to Hear the World’s Greatest Music, journalist Frank Kuznik provides would-be festival-goers with 168 pages of helpful information about the most intriguing places to hear music in Europe. [Read more…]

Book Review: Festival Europe by Frank Kuznik (Amazon)

April 16, 2015 by Daniel Hathaway

by Mike Telin

In his 2015 edition of Festival Europe, music journalist and travel writer Frank Kuznik provides would-be festival-goers with an abundance of helpful information about 70 European classical music festivals. Additionally, Kuznik entices readers with his insightful festival descriptions, accompanied by 90 exquisite photographs. Even if Europe is not in your travel plans for this summer, one look at this attractive guide and it surely will be in your plans for next summer. [Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra’s holiday concerts return with plenty of festive cheer (Dec. 11)

by Stephanie Manning

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the twinkling lights, leafy green garlands and festive poinsettias didn’t already clue you in, the holidays have arrived at Severance Music Center. ‘Tis the season for annual traditions — including The Cleveland Orchestra’s holiday concerts, which began on Wednesday evening.

Running through December 22, the programs feature plenty of seasonal classics plus some potential new favorites. The first performance proved that this mix is a delightful recipe for festive cheer.

“Look at you all, out on a school night!” conductor Sarah Hicks proclaimed joyfully from the podium. Just as many concertgoers donned red outfits to get into the spirit, Mandel Concert Hall was also decked out with decorations and stage lighting effects.

[Read on…]

Oberlin Conservatory convincingly tells Omar’s story (Dec. 8)

by Stephanie Manning

The Cleveland premiere of Rhiannon Giddens’ and Michael Abels’ Pultizer Prize-winning opera Omar on December 8 at the Maltz Performing Arts Center proved that concert productions of opera can succeed without sets, elaborate costumes and extensive staging. Indeed, the Oberlin Conservatory presentation offered more than enough to keep the audience in the crowded house enthralled.

The Opera, which was also presented at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel two days earlier, is based on the 1831 autobiography of Muslim scholar Omar ibn Said, the only such work written by an enslaved person during their enslavement, and the only such document written in Arabic.

Rhiannon Giddens’ brilliant libretto chronicles the life of ibn Said, beginning in present-day Senegal and following him through his capture, journey via the Middle Passage, and enslavement in North and South Carolina. [Read on…]

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