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.
A Maverick Composer’s Memorial Day Music
Memorial Day has something of a split personality, especially on the kind of gorgeous day we had today in Upstate New York. Despite the parades, the holiday itself has a somber character and purpose, paying tribute to those who have served and died while serving in the armed forces. But with the picnics and barbecues, not to mention all the usual commercialization, it’s taken on new qualities if not a completely different identity. It’s now pushed as the official beginning of the summer, not to mention the Hollywood blockbuster season, and my inbox today received no less than 20 special Memorial Day sale offers to buy everything from sneakers and workout gear to outdoor furniture and cars.
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Guitarist Xuefei Yang
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A fan of Mamma Mia! and Charlie Parker, Yang is the first Chinese guitarist to attain professional status on the international classical circuit. She has performed concertos with the world’s leading orchestras and will record her latest CD for EMI this summer.
Continue reading...Running on Classics
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A few days ago, I almost flew off the treadmill running at full-sprint speed – that is, I was going at more than 10 miles per hour! Everyone in the gym threw a look my way, some gasping, as my running shoe made a loud, squeaking sound as it hit the part of the belt [...]
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Giuseppe Filianoti
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Italian-born Giuseppe Filianoti has won acclaim around the world for his superb performances in the Bel Canto repertoire. The well-read family man appears May 12-25 as Nemorino (opposite Diana Damrau) in Laurent Pelly's staging of L'Elisir d'Amore at Covent Garden.
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Soprano Nicole Cabell
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Cabell - who shot to fame after winning the 2005 BBC Singer of the World Competition in Cardiff - graces the Met stage as Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore through April 22. She is the latest to donate her time and musings to our Q&A.
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Pianist Jonathan Biss
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
In the midst of a cross-country U.S. recital tour (which includes an April 14 stop at Zankel Hall), Biss filled out our questionnaire- providing detailed answers and insights, some of which may surprise you. He wraps up his current traveling program April 20.
Continue reading...Where classical music is the soundtrack to life.
Monday, April 13, 2009
You don’t need to take a class or read a book about classical music to enjoy it. All it usually takes to fall in love with it is to hear the right piece at the right time. And that’s exactly what The Ecstatic Living Room is all about. It’s a place where music lovers can [...]
Continue reading...Better Late Than Never – Mozart’s Magic in The Shawshank Redemption
Monday, April 6, 2009
I’m probably the last person in the United States to see The Shawshank Redemption (I finally got around to Netflixing it, and watched it last night over my favorite meal – a plate of cheese ravioli with home made tomato sauce), but for me it was worth the wait. Obviously, it’s one of the most [...]
Continue reading...Spring Awakening
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Some music-loving friends find it corny (but that’s why it’s so much fun, of course) that I coordinate so much of my listening to the changing seasons. Part of the reason I do this is that my imagination makes certain connections early on and the rest of me just can’t let go. On balance, I [...]
Continue reading...20 (Plus) Questions with… Tenor Ian Bostridge
Saturday, April 4, 2009
One of today's most eminent Schubert lieder interpreters, the English tenor's newest album features the composer’s Schwanengesang song cycle. Bostridge generously took time to share some thoughts, favorites and opinions in this Q&A feature.
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Monday, May 25, 2009
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