Live Music
Macbeth is opening at The Old Globe this weekend and it has me thinking about musical settings of Shakespeare. Besides Goethe, Shakespeare is the most influential author in classical music. Perhaps Shakespeare supersedes Goethe’s influence. …
As a musical apologist — and I am certainly more of an apologist than a critic — I often have ideas about how to get great music into the ears of more people. Once it’s …
As much as I think I know about classical music I continue to be humbled by how much I don’t know. As we turn toward summer, the esoteric pick of the week is back on …
The Mainly Mozart Festival concluded on Saturday night with a program of music which was both brilliant and, shall we say, curious? The Toy Symphony by Leopold Mozart was the first piece on the program. …
I’ve been touting the quality of the Mainly Mozart Festival for a few years now, and as I was unable to attend the Wednesday night concert I sent Stanwell Andersen in my place. I would …
In general, I’m not a happy clappy person. I’ll applaud a great performance, for sure, but I tend to be more polite with my appreciation instead of exuberant. It’s a personal flaw, but I’m working …
The last time I spoke with Mainly Mozart music director Michael Francis, he mentioned a book entitled The Ignorant Maestro by Itay Talgam. I looked it up and realized the author had made one of …
The Other Mozart is a play for the stage based on the lIfe of Mozart’s sister Nannerl. The production is here for one night only on Sunday, June 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Balboa Theatre. …
Here we go again with the surprise “opera” singer on a talent show. America’s Got Talent just revealed Laura Bretan as the latest Jackie Evancho or Paul Potts or whats-her-name, the Scottish woman who sang …
Have you ever wished you could meet someone before they became the person you know and love? Maybe wish you could meet one of your parents when they were an adolescent or perhaps experience your …
The Masterworks Season for the San Diego Symphony has concluded, so let’s take a brief look at the high-water marks. While the Mahler Symphony No. 6 concert had some technical issues this was more than …
Why no one don’t know nuthin abut music around here Since a large proportion of current high school students graduate unable to speak or write correct English, and with no effective knowledge of history, it …
Tis the Mainly Mozart season. For two weeks the glory of the Mozart shall shine upon us as the Voltron of orchestras assembles. You don’t know Voltron: Defender of the Universe? There was Lion Force …
There is a type of music that is crucial to almost every element of our culture. The old, the young, the rich, the poor, the enlightened, the depressed, the sick, and the healthy all respond …
I mentioned that Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalm is being performed this weekend at San Diego Symphony. That just so happens to coincide with a new documentary about Lenny. Leonard Bernstein: Larger than Life is being …