Author Archives | albert imperato
albert imperato - who has written 32 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.
Resurrection: Why We Need Mahler’s Second Symphony on the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11
Recently, The New York Times published a lengthy list of special 9/11 programming that will hit the airwaves, the concert hall, houses of worship, and movie theaters around the country over the next couple of weeks. Among the events is a special free concert by conductor Alan Gilbert (a client of my company) and the New York [...]
Continue reading...“Alexander Nevsky” — Prokofiev’s Blast of Wintry Firepower
Thursday, January 20, 2011
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About the same time last year I wrote a post about music that was especially great for winter listening: http://ecstaticlivingroom.com/2010/01/10/winter-reveries/ One piece that didn’t make the playlist then was Sergei Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, but arriving at our place in Upstate New York this past Friday night immediately brought this work to mind. [...]
Continue reading...Understanding Tragic Loss
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
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By an eerie coincidence, the two works of art that I experienced before the tragic shootings in Arizona were baritone Thomas Hampson singing Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder (“Songs on the Death of Children” in English) with the New York Philharmonic and conductor Alan Gilbert on Friday night, and a matinee showing on Saturday of the movie [...]
Continue reading...20 (PLUS) QUESTIONS WITH…Baritone Nathan Gunn
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
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Photo Credit: Mike Sharkey Nathan Gunn is a man of many talents and passions, as his responses to our “20 Questions” reveal. His compelling stage presence and musical versatility have given him star billing in a plethora of operas around the world, ranging from contemporary and 20th-century works to Mozart’s masterpieces (from December 21 through [...]
Continue reading...An Instant Cure for Holiday-Induced Stress
Monday, December 6, 2010
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No matter how high the stress level gets for me during the holiday season, there’s one piece of music that never fails to restore my sanity, if not my faith in humanity: the “Christmas Concerto” of the Italian Baroque composer Archangelo Corelli (1653-1713). Some of my favorite holiday memories are tied to this piece music. [...]
Continue reading...Viva La España – Fútbol y la musica!
Monday, July 12, 2010
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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 [...]
Continue reading...Patriotic Pick-Me Up
Friday, July 2, 2010
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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 [...]
Continue reading...“A Summer Morning Dream”: Mahler’s Third Symphony
Friday, June 18, 2010
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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 [...]
Continue reading...20 Questions with….Diana Damrau
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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The German soprano Diana Damrau loves the German metal band Whitesnake and riding horses.
Continue reading...Supersize It!
Friday, February 5, 2010
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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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Thursday, September 8, 2011
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