What concerts are you looking forward to? (Part II)

[brewski]

Next Sunday, Nov. 17, this livestream, available on the CSO YouTube channel, here. I guess given the tumult of the Shostakovich, the program order was a given, but I could also see reversing them, with the Bernstein coming afterward as a bit of a prayer.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
May Festival Chorus (Matthew Swanson, director)

Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7

-Bruce

[Kalevala]

Tomorrow afternoon, a concert I've been looking forward to for months, with the combined forces of two superb groups, the Belcea Quartet and Quatuor Ébène:

Mendelssohn: String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20
Enescu: String Octet in C Major, Op. 7

-Bruce

Bruce, how was the concert?

K

[brewski]

Bruce, how was the concert?

K

Oh my goodness, it was epic. I won't say too much, since I'm writing a review for The Strad (which will appear in January), but let's just say it exceeded expectations. The two groups are doing the same program in New York on Thursday, and if I weren't already booked, I might consider going again.

I will say, they did a lovely encore by Fauré, apparently marking the centennial of his death (Nov. 4). Have to find out what it was.

-Bruce

[Wanderer]

Tonight at the Greek National Opera:

Aleko & Bluebeard's Castle
Sergei Rachmaninoff & Béla Bartók

Aleko (new production)

 Aleko: Tassis Christoyannis
 Young Gypsy: Yannis Christopoulos
 Zemfira: Myrsini Margariti
 An old man: Yanni Yannissis
 Gypsy woman: Ines Zikou
With the Orchestra and Chorus of the Greek National Opera
Conductor: Fabrizio Ventura
Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos
Stage director: Fanny Ardant
 

Bluebeard's Castle (revival)
 
Bluebeard: Tassos Apostolou
 Judith: Violetta Lousta
With the Orchestra of the Greek National Opera
Conductor: Fabrizio Ventura
Stage director: Themelis Glynatsis

[Florestan]

Stage director: Fanny Ardant

That Fanny Ardant? 

[ritter]

That Fanny Ardant? 

I imagine so, the one of La grande bellezza fame. 

Good day, Andrei and Tassos!

[Wanderer]

That Fanny Ardant? 

The very same! The production looks superb. She had also directed Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk for the Greek National Opera in 2019 - which was excellently received and which I thought was very successful, too.

[Wanderer]

Good day, Andrei and Tassos!

Good day, Rafael! 

[Florestan]

I imagine so, the one of La grande bellezza fame. 

Good day, Andrei and Tassos!

Good day, mon cher.

[brewski]

In a few hours, this concert live from Cologne, and an excellent way to start the weekend:

Brahms: Concerto No. 1 in D minor for piano and orchestra
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

Rudolf Buchbinder, piano
WDR Symphony Orchestra
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor

-Bruce

[brewski]

Tonight at the Greek National Opera:

Aleko & Bluebeard's Castle
Sergei Rachmaninoff & Béla Bartók

Aleko (new production)

 Aleko: Tassis Christoyannis
 Young Gypsy: Yannis Christopoulos
 Zemfira: Myrsini Margariti
 An old man: Yanni Yannissis
 Gypsy woman: Ines Zikou
With the Orchestra and Chorus of the Greek National Opera
Conductor: Fabrizio Ventura
Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos
Stage director: Fanny Ardant
 

Bluebeard's Castle (revival)
 
Bluebeard: Tassos Apostolou
 Judith: Violetta Lousta
With the Orchestra of the Greek National Opera
Conductor: Fabrizio Ventura
Stage director: Themelis Glynatsis

Sooooooo envious. I actually wrote to the Greek National Opera to see if they might stream the Bartók, or at least record it for later broadcast, but apparently not. The set design by Leslie Travers looks incredible.

-Bruce

[Wanderer]

Sooooooo envious. I actually wrote to the Greek National Opera to see if they might stream the Bartók, or at least record it for later broadcast, but apparently not. The set design by Leslie Travers looks incredible.

-Bruce

It was such an excellent evening! And they will both be streamed on Mezzo Live on 15 December (at 21.00 (UTC+1). 

[brewski]

It was such an excellent evening! And they will both be streamed on Mezzo Live on 15 December (at 21.00 (UTC+1).

Thank you, this made my day.

-Bruce

[brewski]

On Friday, Nov. 22, this concert at Carnegie Hall. I'll be listening live on WQXR here.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Klaus Mäkelä, Chief Conductor Designate
Lisa Batiashvili, Violin

Ellen Reid: Body Cosmic (US Premiere, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall)
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2

-Bruce

[brewski]

Just found out about this livestream, later today (2:00 pm EST), and though work is calling, I may have to dip into some of it. Love the Verdi, don't know the middle composer at all, and haven't heard the Elgar in decades.

Sakari Oramo, conductor
Janine Jansen, violin
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra

Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino
Britta Byström: Shortening Days for violin and orchestra (German premiere)
Elgar: Symphony No. 2

-Bruce

[VonStupp]

José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767-1830)
Requiem

Currently putting together final touches of this work with a chamber orchestra for a local performance tomorrow. The Dies Irae reminds me very much of that from Mozart.
VS

[Christo]

Today, Veenendaals Kamerkoor under old friend Herman Mussche:

Requiem, Gabriel Fauré
Requiem Canticorum, James Whitbourn
Eternal Rest, James Whitbourn

https://www.veenendaalskamerkoor.com/eerstvolgendconcert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFl3FrkDyW8

[ultralinear]

Interesting choice of pianist for tonight:

Shostakovich  String Quartet No.10
Weinberg  String Quartet No.11
Weinberg  Piano Quintet

Quatuor Danel
François-Frédéric Guy  piano

[Christo]

Coming Sunday, December 1, string orchestra Lundi Bleu ('Blue Monday', they're professionals doing it as an extra) in an Amsterdam church:

George Antheil, Serenade for Strings
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Charterhouse Suite
Györgi Ligeti, Homage a Ligeti
Alfred Schnittke, Moz-Art a la Haydn

[ultralinear]

Tonight:

Schoenberg  A Survivor from Warsaw
Weinberg  Violin Concerto
Shostakovich  Symphony No.13 "Babi Yar"

London Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrey Boreyko conductor
Gidon Kremer violin
Alexander Roslavets bass, narrator
London Philharmonic Choir