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Author Archives | albert imperato

albert imperato - who has written 27 posts on Ecstatic Living Room.

Born in New York City in 1962. Graduated from Stanford University in 1984. Worked for record company 1987-2000. Co-founded music promotion company, 21C Media Group, in 2000.

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Viva La España – Fútbol y la musica!

Monday, July 12, 2010

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Viva La España – Fútbol y la musica!

So, you’re probably already suffering from World Cup withdrawal — I know I am. But there’s a way to continue the buzz: celebrate Spain’s remarkable victory with the colorful, vibrant music of the country’s greatest composers (as well as a classic by a Frenchman who, in Spain, found the inspiration for one of his greatest masterpieces). Joaquín [...]

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Patriotic Pick-Me Up

Friday, July 2, 2010

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Patriotic Pick-Me Up

Let’s face it — America is having a tough time these days. Unemployment hovers near 10%; the deficit soars; leaders refuse to act like adults and won’t put the country’s interests ahead of petty politics; young Americans slog their way through two wars in far away places; and there’s that big oil spill that continues [...]

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“A Summer Morning Dream”: Mahler’s Third Symphony

Friday, June 18, 2010

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“A Summer Morning Dream”: Mahler’s Third Symphony

It was almost 25 years ago to the day that I first heard Mahler’s Third Symphony. I was walking around the hills behind the Stanford University campus at sunset, listening to the piece on my Sony Walkman, and when the huge, glowing chords that bring the work to a close stopped ringing in my ears I [...]

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20 Questions with….Diana Damrau

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

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20 Questions with….Diana Damrau

The German soprano Diana Damrau loves the German metal band Whitesnake and riding horses.

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Supersize It!

Friday, February 5, 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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Musical Comfort Food – Or, Everyone Loves Haydn

Saturday, January 16, 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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Winter Reveries, Icy Terrors

Sunday, January 10, 2010

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Winter Reveries, Icy Terrors

One of my favorite musical rituals involves the Winter Solstice, the first day of the winter season and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.  At the heart of this ritual is listening to Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony, which bears the nickname “Winter Dreams.”  I discovered the piece in college when I was [...]

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Tropical Tracks

Sunday, January 10, 2010

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Tropical Tracks

For as long as I can remember my family has been spending the Christmas/New Year’s holiday together on a Caribbean vacation.  For years I was the odd man out, believing somehow that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas unless I was in a cold and snowy place, which meant that I never traveled with my family for [...]

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay

As she prepared to make a much-anticipated role debut as Violetta in La Traviata in Santa Fe, the affable opera superstar donated her time to answer a few questions for this informal Q&A session.

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

Tuesday, 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.

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