Joel Rhoads Archives - Cleveland Classical

Opera Circle: Madama Butterfly at Ohio Theater (June 13)

June 17, 2015 by Daniel Hathaway

by J.D. Goddard

Since 1997, with its first production of I Pagliacci, Opera Circle has produced an impressive record of more than 50 opera productions in churches and other venues throughout Northeast Ohio. On June 13, Opera Circle brought to the Ohio Theater stage in PlayhouseSquare a somewhat subtle production of one of the most revered titles of all time, Giacomo Puccini’s three act opera, Madama Butterfly, with libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Like other works staged in the past two years, Opera Circle’s Butterfly courageously moved the company forward, enhancing its presence as an operatic staple in Cleveland’s classical music scene. This marked the company’s third performance in the Ohio Theater. [Read more…]

Opera Circle Cleveland: Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Westlake Performing Arts Center (February 22)

February 24, 2015 by Daniel Hathaway

by Daniel Hathaway

Bows

Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale centers around the title character’s cynical marriage scheme, designed to disinherit his nephew, Ernesto, who wants to tie the knot with a widow the Don doesn’t like. It doesn’t go well for Don Pasquale, who ends up playing the fool. Although Opera Circle Cleveland’s production on Sunday at the Westlake Schools Performing Arts Center took a while to get funny, strong singing and acting added up to an engaging afternoon of comic opera. [Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra delights Halloween and Christmas fans alike with early holiday concert (Nov. 1)

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com.

By Peter Feher

CLEVELAND, Ohio — This year, the Cleveland Orchestra has virtually every store, shopping mall, and local radio station beat in being the first to break out the Christmas music.

The day after Halloween may be too early for most Ohioans to start getting into the holiday spirit, but it’s the perfect time for Jack Skellington and the charmingly creepy stop-motion cast of the 1993 animated film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Die-hard fans have often debated during which season the movie should be shown – Halloween or Christmas? You could say the Cleveland Orchestra came up with something of a clever compromise, presenting “Nightmare” live in concert along with the airing of the movie on Friday, Nov. 1 at Severance Music Center. It was a single sold-out performance.

[Read on…]

Discovering the magic of water-inspired music with Tan Dun and the Cleveland Orchestra (Oct. 31)

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com.

By Stephanie Manning

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The gusty winds that buffeted Severance Music Center on Halloween night seemed an apt complement for music about the elements. Inside, though, the focus was on a different force of nature: water, both literal and figurative.

On the podium was composer-conductor Tan Dun, making his Cleveland Orchestra debut in a program that will be repeated on Saturday, November 2. With the composer himself present, it was only fitting that the ensemble should give the Cleveland premiere of two of his pieces: the Water Concerto and Concerto for Orchestra.

[Read on…]

“Meditations and Mysticism” opens Cleveland Chamber Choir season (Oct. 26)

by Kevin McLaughlin

It somehow seemed wrong to clap and cheer at the end of Cleveland Chamber Choir’s “Meditations and Mysticism” program on October 26. Less a concert than an administering of musical healing, the event left us feeling more like sitting quietly and sipping measured breaths to prolong our newfound tranquil state.

In a program of ten carefully conceived and sequenced musical episodes, artistic director Gregory Ristow brought a politically weary crowd some much-needed spiritual succor and peace through music. [Read on…]

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