Supersize It!

5. February 2010

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Supersize It!

Thinking back to the most recent summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing, China, my memories of the elaborate opening ceremonies are almost as strong as my memories of Michael Phelps winning his many gold medals.  A friend of mine was so impressed with what he saw on opening night of the Olympics that when [...]

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Rach Symphony No. 2?  Quick, Bring me the Antidote!

3. February 2010

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Rach Symphony No. 2? Quick, Bring me the Antidote!

As my best friend and business partner, Albert Imperato, lectured passionately and convincingly on how to love Rachmaninov’s Sympony No. 2 (“don’t think about it, just do it!” he said equating the work to sunsets and chocolate cake, “do you question them?” he added), I remained unconvinced.   We had just listened to a great performance [...]

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Musical Comfort Food – Or, Everyone Loves Haydn

16. January 2010

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Musical Comfort Food – Or, Everyone Loves Haydn

It’s rare that I don’t begin the morning with some music by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, usually a piano trio, string quartet or symphony, which I enjoy while reading the newspaper and drinking my morning coffee.  With so many works to choose from (he wrote roughly 45, 68 and 104 of each genre respectively!), you [...]

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20 Questions with….Diana Damrau

Tue, Feb 23, 2010

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20 Questions with….Diana Damrau

The dazzling German soprano Diana Damrau has won international acclaim for both for the breathtaking agility of her voice and her vivid acting.  In her responses to our “20 Questions” we learn, among other things, that she’s a fan of the German metal band Whitesnake and has a passion for riding horses.  She records exclusively for Virgin Classics.

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay

Tue, Jun 30, 2009

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay

The charismatic French soprano Natalie Dessay is one of the most exciting opera singers on the stage today, equally celebrated for both her incandescent singing and her superb acting.  She originally sought a career as an actress, but discovered her talent for singing while taking acting classes.  She dropped the “h” in the original spelling of her name in tribute to the actress Natalie Wood.

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Harpsichordist and Conductor Christophe Rousset

Tue, May 26, 2009

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Harpsichordist and Conductor Christophe Rousset

The French harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset has long been one of the bright lights of the early music and period instruments scene. At twenty-two he won the prestigious First Prize, as well as the Public Prize, in the Seventh Bruges Harpsichord Competition (1983).He performed with Les Arts Florissants and then Il Seminario Musicale before embarking on a career as a music director, which led him to form his own ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques, in 1991. (more…)

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