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.
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 [...]
Continue reading...Patriotic Pick-Me Up
Friday, July 2, 2010
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
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
The German soprano Diana Damrau loves the German metal band Whitesnake and riding horses.
Continue reading...Supersize It!
Friday, February 5, 2010
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 [...]
Continue reading...Musical Comfort Food – Or, Everyone Loves Haydn
Saturday, January 16, 2010
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 [...]
Continue reading...Winter Reveries, Icy Terrors
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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 [...]
Continue reading...Tropical Tracks
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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 [...]
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Natalie Dessay
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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.
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Harpsichordist and Conductor Christophe Rousset
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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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Monday, July 12, 2010
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