Monotonous Forest

A multi-talented producer, an eloquent pianist

Retroactive Schumann / 4 Concertos and a Rhapsody. The Juilliard Journal, April 2011

The one gleam or the other

It’s a pleasure to report that New York City Opera may have a hit on its hands with Monodramas, a trio of short works by John Zorn, Arnold Schoenberg and Morton Feldman. Three superb singers—Anu Komsi, Kara Shay Thomson and Cyndia Sieden—respectively breathe life into La Machine de l'Être, Erwartung and Neither, with gorgeous production design by Michael Counts, and lustrous transparency from George Manahan and the NYCO Orchestra. (The post title is from Samuel Beckett's text for the Feldman.)

A longer review will come later, but in the meantime, there are four more performances, starting Tuesday night.

[Above: Cyndia Sieden (second from left) and ensemble in Morton Feldman’s Neither. Photo by Carol Rosegg]

Bartók's seven doors

Michelle DeYoung and Gábor Bretz in Duke Bluebeard's Castle, with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the New York Philharmonic. MusicWeb International, March 25, 2011

A master tackles Ligeti's Piano Concerto

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Marino Formenti and the New York Philharmonic. MusicWeb International, March 25, 2011

Operatic stimulus package

Thanks to a $1.4 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Opera Company of Philadelphia (OCP) has announced the country's first operatic Composer in Residence (CIR) program. During 2011 and 2012, two composers will be chosen to collaborate with OCP, along with New York's Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group, for three years on all aspects of operatic production. (Even before CIR appeared, the creative alliance of these three organizations has already resulted in the co-commission of Nico Muhly's Dark Sisters, to be produced in New York this fall and in Philadelphia in 2012.)

The CIR program will be administered by composer Kyle Bartlett, OCP's recently appointed New Works Administrator; just the fact that the company has such a position is cause for rejoicing on its own.

More information on the program is here.

Beethoven and Sibelius...with a Schnittke chaser

The Minnesota Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. MusicWeb International, March 18, 2011

The joy of metal

Les Percussions de Strasbourg and two by Xenakis. MusicWeb International, March 15, 2011

Listening to the universe

Les Percussions de Strasbourg in Grisey's Le noir de l'étoile. MusicWeb International, March 15, 2011

Serene...and not so serene

Axiom and the Clarion Choir in Feldman and Kurtág. MusicWeb International, March 11, 2011

Feldman, evergreen

International Contemporary Ensemble opens Tully Scope Festival. MusicWeb International, March 11, 2011