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

[Wanderer]

Tonight at Teatro di San Carlo in Naples:

Medea
Opera in tre atti
Musica di Luigi Cherubini
Libretto di François-Benoît Hoffmann
Versione italiana di Carlo Zangarini

Medea  | Sondra Radvanovsky
Giasone | Francesco Demuro (6, 10, 13)/ Giorgio Berrugi (16)
Creonte  | Giorgi Manoshvili
Glauce  | Désirée Giove
Un Capo della guardia del re | Giacomo Mercaldo
Néris | Anita Rachvelishvili
Due ancelle di Glauce | Maria Knihnytska / Anastasiia Sagaidak
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro di San Carlo
Maestro del Coro | Fabrizio Cassi

Nuova Produzione del Teatro di San Carlo
Prima rappresentazione al Teatro di San Carlo

Direttore | Riccardo Frizza
Spazio e Regia | Mario Martone
Scene | Carmine Guarino
Costumi | Daniela Ciancio
Coreografia | Daniela Schiavone
Luci | Pasquale Mari
Video | Alessandro Papa

[Philo]

12-19-25

Azara Ballet's Short & Suite

https://www.azaraballet.org/event-details/short-suite-digital-ticket

Really enjoyed my first digital ballet, in fact, I rewatch my favorite moments every week, so I am very excited for this next production. :-)

[brewski]

Tonight, four Mozart violin sonatas, with violinist Mark Steinberg of the Brentano Quartet, and pianist Jonathan Biss.

https://www.pcmsconcerts.org/concerts/steinberg-biss-1/

[Philo]

12-19-25

Azara Ballet's Short & Suite

https://www.azaraballet.org/event-details/short-suite-digital-ticket

Really enjoyed my first digital ballet, in fact, I rewatch my favorite moments every week, so I am very excited for this next production. :-)

Another amazing show, in fact, they went viral on Instagram and TikTok (3 million views) for the role of Eloise, Clara's sister.

I especially enjoyed it as the ballerina who even made me aware of the company was the lead, and, without fail, I of course welled-up, as I have a lot of great memories tied up in The Nutcracker - well worth the price of admission.

They also have some shorter, contemporary pieces, which are also enjoyable, but the main event is The Nutcracker.

[brewski]

Next week:

Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä and Yiran Zhao, conductors
Imani Winds
John de Lancie, narrator

Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (2014)
Henry Dorn: Transitions (2022)
David Serkin Ludwig: A Book of Forgotten Creatures (world premiere)
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

[Mapman]

Next week:

Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä and Yiran Zhao, conductors
Imani Winds
John de Lancie, narrator

Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (2014)
Henry Dorn: Transitions (2022)
David Serkin Ludwig: A Book of Forgotten Creatures (world premiere)
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

That looks like a very interesting program! For anyone confused like I was, the John de Lancie serving as narrator is an actor, and the son of the oboist of the same name.

[brewski]

That looks like a very interesting program! For anyone confused like I was, the John de Lancie serving as narrator is an actor, and the son of the oboist of the same name.

Thanks, I had no idea!

[Wanderer]

That looks like a very interesting program! For anyone confused like I was, the John de Lancie serving as narrator is an actor, and the son of the oboist of the same name.

Q narrating! I would want to see this. 😎
And I had no idea that his father was a musician.

[The new erato]

For the 3rd time in 4 years I am going to the weeklong baroque festival in Trondheim, Norway. The previous 2 festivals have had lots of star performers in superb performances, Lislevand, Nuria Rial, Stile Antico etc.

This years program in English can be found here:

https://barokkfest.com/

Even including the opera Spartaco by Porsile, and Alberto Ruoco, counter tenor, with Los Elementos in a program of Spanisk baroque music.

[Florestan]

This years program in English can be found here:

https://barokkfest.com/

What on earth have Beethoven's Eroica and Steibelt's piano concertos got to do with the Baroque?     

[The new erato]

Good question. Last year they had Stile Antico in a Palestrina programme with some Arcadelt and Josquin. It's just a minor part in what is mainly a baroque festival and I cannot say I do mind as long as they draw crowds, at least they do it in presumable authentic style. Some variety in a quite substantial programme is not a bad thing.

And they face heavy competition from Vilde Frang playing Bartok 2 one of the evenings just down the stret.

At least I get to hear the Monteverdi Choir in Dido and Aeneas and Concerto Italiano in Monteverdi madrigals in the Bergen Festival early June, as well as the Hagen quartet. Tickets already bought.

[Iota]

Good question. Last year they had Stile Antico in a Palestrina programme with some Arcadelt and Josquin. It's just a minor part in what is mainly a baroque festival and I cannot say I do mind as long as they draw crowds, at least they do it in presumable authentic style. Some variety in a quite substantial programme is not a bad thing.

And they face heavy competition from Vilde Frang playing Bartok 2 one of the evenings just down the stret.

At least I get to hear the Monteverdi Choir in Dido and Aeneas and Concerto Italiano in Monteverdi madrigals in the Bergen Festival early June, as well as the Hagen quartet. Tickets already bought.

Sounds excellent!

[brewski]

Tonight, the Minnesota Orchestra will open its livestream with the Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth Symphony (replacing "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"), followed by principal viola Rebecca Albers as soloist in the U.S. premiere of Donghoon Shin's recent viola concerto, all with guest conductor Fabien Gabel.

It's free. Tune in to hear one of the best orchestras in the country, in a city that could use some love right now.

Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
Donghoon Shin: Threadsuns, Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2024)
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Dukas: Prelude to Act III from Ariadne and Bluebeard
Roussel: Suite No. 2 from Bacchus and Ariadne

[brewski]

This afternoon, a fascinating program. I've never heard any of these, including the Korngold.

Catalyst Quartet
Kim Kashkashian, viola
Marcy Rosen, cello

Bologne: String Quartet in D Major, Op. 1, No. 6
Cruz: Madre, la de los primores (Arr.)
Darvishi: Daughters of Sol
Price: Andante moderato
Takemitsu: Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)
Molina: Tríptico Cubano
Korngold: String Sextet in D Major, Op. 10

[maticevska]

A couple of things coming up that I will be going to see that I am looking forward to, the first one is this weekend:

Homophonic! is back with even more new music by LGBTIQ+ composers! Bringing the disco ball to the concert hall and celebrating the amazing sound world of todays queer artists and storytellers.

Performed by the Homophonic! string quintet and percussion, and the aethereal voices of The Consort of Melbourne, Homophonic! is a joyous and thoughtful exploration of queer lives, activism, the past we've survived and the future we will thrive in.
 
Program:

To the hands - Caroline Shaw
Excerpts from the AIDS memorial quartet - Lyle Chan
Inundated by Night - Eve Beglarian
*i ain't reading all that  - Connor D'Netto. Words by Alex Creese.
*Shakey - Samuel Carrick. - Winner of the Midsumma presents: the Homophonic! Pride Prize.
*SECRET FINALE - Arr. Kym Dillon.

* World Premiere

And on the 20th of February I will be seeing:

GHOSTS MAKING FORM

7:00pm, Friday, February 20th
Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre

Liza Lim Ghosts make form (2024) 14'
for violoncello and piano 
Liza Lim Ming Qi (2000) 4'
for oboe and percussion         
Einar Torfi Einarsson Zone of proximity: (and the weakly interacting particles) (2023) 7'
for recorder and violoncello WP
Victor Arul Felted Ether (2025-26) 6'30"
for oboe, clarinet, trumpet and piano WP
Liza Lim Magnificat (2025) 8'
for solo percussion WP
John Rodgers Amor (1999) 5'
for flute and oboe
Milica Djordjević Treperenje, studija I (2023) 7′
for solo contrabass clarinet
Cat Hope Goddess (2025) 10'
for harp, tam-tam, contrabass WP

SPECIAL EVENT
9:00PM Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre

Aaron Cassidy 27. Juni 2009 (2021) 10'30"
for Eb clarinet
Mary Bellamy transference (2010) 10'
for solo cello
Julio Estrada yuunohui'ehecatl'tlapoa (1985-2012) 11'
for flugelhorn, recorders, clarinets and clavichord

That ELISION gig is like 2 concerts in one. They always treat us to a double bill just because they can so why not lol.

And I've booked a fuсk tonne of melbourne symphony orchestra concerts for 2026 which I may or may not end up going to depending on my work roster or what tickets I feel like giving to other people.