The Well-Tempered Ear
The UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quintet performs a FREE online virtual concert this Wednesday night. Plus, local music critic Greg Hettmansberger has died
4 Comments
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
NEWS ALERT: Local music critic and blogger Greg Hettmansberger (below) was killed in a car accident on Dec. 2, near Wichita, Kansas. Hettmansberger, 65, was driving when he hit a deer and then another car hit him. His wife survived but remains hospitalized in Wichita in critical condition. Here is a link to a news account: https://www.kake.com/story/42993718/man-dies-in-crash-caused-by-deer-in-pratt-county
By Jacob Stockinger
This Wednesday night, Dec. 9, the UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quintet (below, in 2017) will perform a FREE virtual online concert from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Here is a direct link to the pre-recorded video premiere on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/e1NhVZJW2cA
Due to the pandemic, the Wingra Wind Quintet has been unable to perform chamber music in a traditional way since March 2020. (You can hear the quintet play “On, Wisconsin” in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
In response, the quintet put together a program that allowed each member to record parts separately and have those parts edited together.
Current faculty members (below) are: Conor Nelson, flute; Lindsay Flowers, oboe; Alicia Lee, clarinet; Marc Vallon, bassoon; and Devin Cobleigh-Morrison, horn
The engineer/producer is Kris Saebo.
The program is:
The first piece “Allegro scherzando” from Three Pieces by Walter Piston (below, 1894-1976)
The Chaconne from the First Suite in E-flat for Military Band by Gustav Holst (below, 1874-1934)
“Retracing” by Elliott Carter (below, 1908-2012)
Selections from “Mikrokosmos” by Bela Bartok (below, 1881-1945)
“A 6 letter letter” by Elliott Carter
Intermezzo from the First Suite in E-flat for Military Band by Gustav Holst
“Esprit rude/esprit doux” by Elliott Carter
Since its formation in 1965, the Wingra Wind Quintet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music has established a tradition of artistic and teaching excellence.
The ensemble has been featured in performance at national conferences such as MENC (Miami), MTNA (Kansas City), and the International Double Reed Society (Minneapolis).
The quintet also presented an invitational concert on the prestigious Dame Myra Hess series at the Chicago Public Library, broadcast live on radio station WFMT.
In addition to its extensive home state touring, the quintet has been invited to perform at numerous college campuses, including the universities of Alaska-Fairbanks, Northwestern, Chicago, Nebraska, Western Michigan, Florida State, Cornell, the Interlochen Arts Academy, and the Paris Conservatoire, where quintet members offered master classes.
The Wingra Wind Quintet has recorded for Golden Crest, Spectrum, and the UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music recording series and is featured on an educational video entitled Developing Woodwind Ensembles.
Always on the lookout for new music of merit, the Wingra has premiered new works of Hilmar Luckhardt, Vern Reynolds, Alec Wilder, Edith Boroff, James Christensen and David Ott. The group recently gave the Midwest regional premiere of William Bolcom’s “Five Fold Five,” a sextet for woodwind quintet and piano, with UW-Madison pianist Christopher Taylor (below).
New York Times critic Peter Davis, in reviewing the ensemble’s Carnegie Hall appearance, stated “The performances were consistently sophisticated, sensitive and thoroughly vital.”
The Wingra Wind Quintet is one of three faculty chamber ensembles in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music.
Deeply committed to the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea, the group travels widely to offer its concerts and educational services to students and the public in all corners of the state. (Editor’s note: For more about the Wisconsin Idea, which seems more relevant today than ever, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Idea.)
Portions of this recording were made at the Hamel Music Center, a venue of the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Tags: #20thCentury, #AlecWilder, #AliciaLee, #AmericanComposer, #BelaBartok, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CarnegieHall, #ChamberMusic, #ChicagoIllinois, #ChicagoPublicLibrary, #ChristopherTaylor, #ClarinetMusic, #ConcertSeries, #ConorNelson, #ConservatoiredeParis, #CornellUniversity, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #DavidOtt, #DevonCobleigh-Morrison, #DoubleReed, #EdithBoroff, #ElliottCarter, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyConcert, #FloridaStateUniversity, #FluteMusic, #GoldCrestRecords, #GregHettmansberger, #GustavHolst, #HamelMusicCenter, #HilmarLuckhardt, #HomeState, #husband-and-wife, #InterlochenArtsAcademy, #InternationalDoubleReedSociety, #JacobStockinger, #JamesChristensen, #KansasCity, #KrisSaebo, #LindsayFlowers, #LiveBroadcast, #MarcVallon, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MiamiFlorida, #MilitaryBand, #MinneapolisMinnesota, #ModernMusic, #MusicCritic, #MusicEducation, #Musicfaculty, #MusicReview, #MyraHess, #NationalConferences, #NewMusic, #NewWorks, #NewYorkCity, #NewYorkTimes, #NorthwesternUniversity, #OnlineConcert, #ParisConservatory, #ParisFrance, #RecordedMusic, #RegionalPremiere, #SarasotaFlorida, #SpectrumRecords, #TheEar, #TheUW, #ThreePieces, #UniversityofAlaska-Fairbanks, #UniversityofChicago, #UniversityofNebraska, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #VerneReynolds, #VirtualConcert, #WalterPiston, #WesternMichiganUniversity, #WFMTRadioStation, #WichitaKansas, #Wikipediaentry, #WilliamBolcom, #WindMusic, #WingraWindQuintet, #WisconsinIdea, #WoodwindInstruments, #WoodwindMusic, #YouTubevideo, 2020, 20th-century, accident, Alaska, Alec Wilder, Alicia Lee, allegro scherzando, American, American composer, artistic, Arts, audience, auto, automobile, band, Bartok, Bassoon, bassoonist, Béla Bartók, blog, blogger, Bolcom, Boroff, Broadcast, Campus, Carnegie Hall, Carter, chaconne, Chamber music, Chicago, Chicago Public Library, Christensen, Christopher Taylor, clarinet, clarinetist, Classical music, college, Colleges and Universities, composer, Concert, concert series, condicition, Conor Nelson, Conservatoirre de Paris, Cornell University, coronavirus, critical, current, dame, David Ott, death, deer, Devin Cobleigh-Morrison, died, direct, double reed, drive, edited, Edith Boroff, Elliott Carter, engineer, ensemble, ever, excellence, Facebook, Facebook post, Facebook posting, faculty, Fairbanks, feature, Florida State University, flowers, flute, flutist, formation, forward, France, free, Gold Crest Records, Greg Hettmansberger, Gustav Holst, Hamel Music Center, Hilmar Luckhardt, Holst, Home, Horn, horn player, hornist, Hospital, hospitalized, husband, ILLINOIS, Interlochen Arts Academy, intermezzo, International Double Reed Society, invitational, Jacob Stockinger, James Christensen, Kansas, Kansas City, killed, Kris Saebo, Lee, letter, like, Lindsay Flowers, link, live, local, Luckhardt, Madison, Marc Vallon, march, master class, masterclass, Mead Witter School of Music, merit, Miami, Michigan, Midwest, Mikrokosmos, military, military band, Minneapolis, modern music, Music, music critic, Music education, music faculty, music review, Myra Hess, national conferences, Nebraska, Nelson, new, New Music, new works, New York, New York City, New York Times, Northwestern University, Oboe, oboist, On, online, Ott, pandemic, Paris, Paris Conservatory, parts, perform, performerance, Pianist, Piano, pieces, Piston, post, posting, pre-recorded, premiere, premiered, prestigious, producer, program, public, quintet, recorded, recorded music, regional, regional premiere, relevant, response, Reynolds, sare, selections, sensitive, separately edit, sophisticated, Spectrum Records, spirit, state, Suite, survive, tag, Taylor, teaching, The Ear, Three Pieces, today, together, tour, touring, traditional, travels, United States, universities, university, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of Chicago, University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, update, UW, UW-Madison, Vallon, venue, Verne Reynolds, video, virtual, vital, Walter Piston, way, Wednesday, Western Michigan University, WFMT, Wichita, wife, Wikipedia, Wilder, WILLIAM BOLCOM, wind music, Wingra Wind Quintet, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Idea, woodwind, woodwind music, YouTube
Classical music: This afternoon is your last chance to hear native son Kenneth Woods conduct the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Canadian violinist Blake Pouliot. Here are two reviews, one a rave and the other very positive
Leave a Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
This afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall is your last chance to hear native son and guest conductor Kenneth Woods and guest Canadian violinist Blake Pouliot with the Madison Symphony Orchestra (below, in a photo by Peter Rodgers).
Woods (below), once a student in Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) and a student at Memorial High School, has established an international reputation by leading the English Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado MahlerFest and the British Elgar Festival, and by making many highly praised recordings.
At 26, Pouliot (below in a photo by Jeff Fasano) is a rising star, thanks to winning a major competition in Montreal and other prizes. (You can hear him play “Lotus Land,” composed by Cyril Scott and arranged by Fritz Kreisler, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The program is: Symphony No. 96 “Miracle” by Franz Joseph Haydn; the Violin Concerto in E Minor by Felix Mendelssohn; and “Ein Heldenleben” (A Hero’s Life) by Richard Strauss.
For more background and program notes, information about purchasing tickets ($19-$95) and The Ear’s detailed interview with Woods about growing up in Madison, go to: https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2020/03/02/classical-music-accomplished-native-son-kenneth-woods-returns-this-weekend-to-conduct-the-madison-symphony-orchestra-in-music-by-haydn-mendelssohn-and-richard-strauss-he-talks-to-the-ear-about-what/
The opening performance on Friday night received excellent reviews. Here are two major ones:
Here is the rave review that veteran critic Greg Hettmansberger (below) wrote for his blog “What Greg Says,” which is well worth following:
https://whatgregsays.wordpress.com/2020/03/07/a-healthy-orchestra-in-strong-hands/
And here is a largely positive review for The Capital Times newspaper written by freelancer Matt Ambrosio (below), who received his doctorate in music theory from the UW-Madison and now teaches at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin:
You can be a critic too.
If you heard the concert, what did you think?
The Ear wants to hear
Tags: #AHero'sLife, #BlakePouliot, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CanadianMusician, #ColoradoMahlerFest, #CyrilScott, #EdwardElgar, #EinHeldenleben, #ElgarFestival, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FelixMendelssohn, #FranzJosephHaydn, #FritzKreisler, #GreatBritain, #GregHettmansberger, #GrowingUp, #GustavMahler, #HomeWebsite, #InternationalReputation, #JacobStockinger, #KennethWoods, #LawrenceUniversity, #LotusLand, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MatineeConcert, #MattAmbrosio, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MemorialHighSchool, #MiracleSymphony, #MontrealCanada, #MusicCritic, #MusicReview, #MusicTheory, #OpeningNight, #OvertureCenter, #OvertureHall, #RichardStrauss, #Sundayafternoon, #TheCapitalTimes, #TheCapTmes, #TheEar, #TheU.K., #TheUK, #TonePoem, #ViolinConcerto, #VirtuosoViolinist, #WhatGregSays, #WisconsinYouthSymphonyOrchestras, #YouTubevideo, A Hero's Life, arranged, Arts, audience, background, Blake Pouliot, blog, Boulder, British, Canada, Canadian, Cello, Classical music, classicalmusic, Colorado, Colorado MahlerFest, Compact Disc, composer, Concert, concerto, conductor, critic, Cyril Scott, doctorate, Edward Elgar, Ein Heldenleben, Elgar, Elgar Festival, English, Facebook, Felix Mendelssohn, forward, Franz Joseph Haydn, freelancer, Fritz Kreisler, Great Britain, Greg Hettmansberger, growing up, guest, guest artist, Gustav Mahler, Haydn, hear, hero, information, international, interview, Jacob Stockinger, James Madison Memorial High School, Kenneth Woods, Lawrence University, Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, life, like, link, lotus, Lotus Land, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, matinee, Matt Ambrosio, Mead Witter School of Music, Memorial High School, Mendelssohn, miracle, Miracle Symphony, Montreal, MSO, Music, music theory, night, opening night, Orchestra, Overture Center, Overture Hall, performance, performer, play, post, posting, praise, prize, purchase, Recordings, reputation, review, Richard Strauss, share, soloist, Strauss, Student, Sunday afternoon, symphony, tag, The Cap Times, The Capital Times, The Ear, theory, tickets, tone poem, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW, UW-Madison, Veteran, Violin, Violin concerto, violinist, Website, What Greg Says, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, wrote, WYSO, YouTube
Classical music: Friday night, the UW Concert Choir marks the assassination of JFK and the opening of Hamel Music Center. Plus, WYSO gives a Wisconsin premiere with a returning alumna as soloist
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
ALERT: This Friday night, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. in Mills Hall, the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra, under conductor Kyle Knox, will present a concert with two guest artists performing the Wisconsin premiere of the Double Concerto for Clarinet and Bassoon composed for them by American composer Jonathan Leshnoff, who is known for his lyricism. (Sorry, there is no word about other works on the program.) Tickets are $10, $5 for 18 years and under, and are available at the door starting at 6:15 p.m.)
The two soloists are principals with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The bassoonist is Nancy Goeres, a Lodi native who is a returning WYSO alumna. If you want to read an interview with her and get more background, you can’t do better for a preview than the piece by Greg Hettmansberger for Madison Magazine and Channel 3000. Here is a link: https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/arts-and-culture/wisconsin-youth-symphony-welcomes-two-special-guests/1143372727
By Jacob Stockinger
At 8 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 22, in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, the UW-Madison Concert Choir (below) will perform its first solo concert in the new Hamel Music Center.
Conductor Beverly Taylor (below), the director of choral activities at the UW-Madison who will retire at the end of this academic year, sent the following announcement:
“The a cappella program is entitled “Fall Favorites: Houses and Homecomings.”
“This year I’m particularly picking some of the pieces I like the best from my years here, although I’ll still add a few new things.
“The “Houses” part is primarily “Behold I Build an House” by American composer Lukas Foss (below), which was written for the dedication of Marsh Chapel at Boston University, and which I thought was a good piece for the opening of the Hamel Music Center.
“We’re also performing the wonderful -and difficult —“Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing,” which British composer Herbert Howells (below top) wrote in memory of John F. Kennedy (below bottom). You’ll notice our concert is also on Nov. 22, the same day in 1963 when JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. (You can hear the Howells work in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
“Besides these two big works are wonderful motets by Orlando di Lasso, Maurice Duruflé, Heinrich Schütz and Melchior Vulpius, plus some African, American and African-American folk songs.”
Tags: #ACappella, #ACappellaMusic, #African-AmericanMusic, #AmericanComposer, #AssassinationofJKF, #AssassinationofJohnF.Kennedy, #BaroqueMusic, #BassoonConcerto, #BassoonMusic, #BeverlyTaylor, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BostonMassachusetts, #BostonUniversity, #BritishComposer, #Channel3000, #ChoralMusic, #ClarinetConcerto, #ClarinetMusic, #ConcertChoir, #DallasTexas, #DoubleConcerto, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #folksongs, #Frenchcomposer, #Fridaynight, #GermanComposer, #GregHettmansberger, #GuestArtist, #HamelMusicCenter, #HeinrichSchütz, #HerbertHowells, #JohnF.Kennedy, #JohnFitzgeraldKennedy, #JonathanLeshnoff, #KyleKnox, #LivingComposer, #LukasFoss, #MadisonMagazine, #MarshChapel, #MauriceDuruflé, #MeadWitterFoundationConcertHall, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MelchiorVulpius, #MusicCritic, #MusicEducation, #NancyGoeres, #NewMusic, #OrlandodiLasso, #PittsburghSymphony, #PresidentKennedy, #PrincipalBassoon, #TheEar, #UniversityofTexas-ElPaso, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWConcertChoir, #VocalMusic, #WisconsinPremiere, #WisconsinYouthSymphonyOrchestras, #YouthOrchestra, #YouTubevideo, a cappella, academic, activities, African, African American, alumna, American, annoucement, Arts, assassination, assassination of JFK, Assassination of John F. Kennedy, audience, background, Baroque, Bassoon, best, Beverly Taylor, big, blog, Boston, Boston University, British, British composer, build, Channel 3000, Channel3000.com, chapel, cherish, cherishing, choral music, clarinet, Classical music, composer, Concert, Concert Choir, concerto, conductor, Dallas, dedication, di Lasso, difficult, director, door, double concerto, Durufle, Early music, earlymusic, Earth, Facebook, fall, folk songs, France, French, Friday, German, Germany, good, Greg Hettmansberger, guest artist, Hamel Music Center, Heinrich Schütz, Herbert Howells, Homecoming, House, interview, Jacob Stockinger, JFK, John F Kennedy, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jonathan Leshnoff, KENNEDY, Kyle Knox, like, link'tag, Living composer, Lodi, Lukas Foss, lyrical, lyricism, Madison, Madison Magazine, Marsh Chapel, Massachusetts, Maurice Durufle, Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Mead Witter School of Music, Melchior Vulpius, Mills Hall, motet, Music, music critic, Music education, Nancy Goeres, native, new, New Music, night, opening, Orchestra, Orlando di Lasso, perform, piece, Pittsburgh, premiere, President, preview, principal, program, read, retire, Retirement, Schütz, Season, share, solo, soloist, symphony, take, Texas, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW, UW Concert Choir, UW-Madison, vocal music, Vulpius, Wisconsin Premiere, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, wonderful, works, written, WYSO, year, years, Youth, Youth Orchestra, YouTube
Classical music: This afternoon is your last chance to hear the all-Russian program by violinist Rachel Barton Pine and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Here are two very positive reviews and a more critical one
9 Comments
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
This afternoon, at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall, is your last chance to hear the highly praised all-Russian program by the Madison Symphony Orchestra (below, in a photo by Peter Rodgers), conducted by music director John DeMain.
The guest soloist is the critically acclaimed, virtuoso violinist Rachel Barton Pine (below) from Chicago.
For more details about the program, the performers, program notes and tickets, go to: https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/classical-music-this-weekend-guest-violinist-rachel-barton-pine-solos-in-an-all-russian-program-of-khachaturian-prokofiev-and-shostakovich-by-the-madison-symphony-orchestra/
The concert features the Violin Concerto in D Minor by Aram Khachaturian; the “Lieutenant Kijé Suite” film score by Sergei Prokofiev; and the Symphony No. 9 by Dmitri Shostakovich.
From the previews, the thematic program – all works were composed in the Soviet Union under the threatening shadow of the terrorist-dictator Josef Stalin (below) — sounded promising.
And it turns out that that the promise was, to varying degrees, fulfilled.
Here are two very positive reviews of the concert.
The first is by Michael Muckian (below), who has taken over reviewing duties at Isthmus for the now retired critic John W. Barker: https://isthmus.com/music/wildrussianride/
Here is a review by Greg Hettmansberger (below): https://whatgregsays.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/madison-symphony-triumphs-over-the-soviets/
And here is a somewhat more critical review by UW-Madison music graduate Matt Ambrosio (below) written for The Capital Times: https://madison.com/ct/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/review-rachel-barton-pine-gives-memorable-performance-with-the-mso/article_61f34b8d-8dd8-514d-8e75-576a47826a04.html
What did you think of the programs, the performers and the performance?
Which critic do you most agree with?
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: #All-Russian, #AramKhachaturian, #BaltimoreSymphonyOrchestra, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CapTimes, #ClassicalMusician, #CriticallyAcclaimed, #DmitriShostakovich, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FilmScore, #FilmSoundtrack, #GregHettmansberger, #GuestArtist, #GuestSoloist, #IsthmusMagazine, #IsthmusNewspaper, #JohnDeMain, #JohnW.Barker, #JosefStalin, #LieutenantKijé, #MadisonMagazine, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MattAmbrosio, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MichaelMuckian, #ModernComposers, #ModernMusic, #MovieMusic, #MusicCritic, #MusicReview, #OvertureCenter, #OvertureHall, #ProgramNotes, #RachelBartonPine, #RussianMusic, #SergeiProkofiev, #Sovietcomposer, #SovietUnion, #StalinistTerror, #Sundayafternoon, #TheCapitalTimes, #TheEar, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #ViolinConcerto, #WhatGregSays, acclaimed, afternoon, agree, Aram Khachaturian, audience, blog, Cap Times, chance, Chiacgo, Chicago, Classical music, classicalmusic, composer, critic, critical, critically acclaimed, criticism, details, dictator, Dmitri Shostakovich, duties, duty, event, exposure, Facebook, film, Film score, forward, fulfilled, Greg Hettmansberger, guest, Isthmus, John DeMain, John W. Barker, Josef Stalin, Khachaturian, Lieutenant Kijé, like, link, Madison Magazine, Madison Symphony Orchestra, magazine, Matt Ambrosio, Mead Witter School of Music, member, Michael Muckian, modern, movie, movie music, Music, music critic, music review, new, Newspaper, Overture Center, Overture Hall, performer, positive, post, posting, preview, program, program notes, Prokofiev, promise, promising, Rachel Parton Pine, reader, review, reviewer, Russia, Sergei Prokofiev, share, Shostakovich, solo, soloist, soundtrack, Soviet Union, spread, subscriber, Suite, Sunday, tag, terror, terrorist, The Capital Times, The Ear, thematic, theme, think, threat, threatening, ticket, tickets, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USSR, UW-Madison, Violin, Violin concerto, violinist, virtuoso, What Greg Says, word, you
Classical music: Madison Opera gives completely satisfying and nearly perfect performances of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” Here are four reviews
1 Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR SHARE IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
Larry Wells – who is The Opera Guy for The Well-Tempered Ear blog – went to the recent production of the Madison Opera and filed this review, with performance photos by James Gill:
By Larry Wells
I attended performances of Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” presented by the Madison Opera at Overture Hall last Sunday afternoon.
Each of the operas is an hour and a quarter long. At least for “Cavalleria” (below), the time flew by while I was captivated by the good singing, excellent playing and charming staging. The opera is tightly constructed and the production flowed effortlessly to its dramatic conclusion.
The feckless mama’s boy Turridu was ably portrayed by tenor Scott Piper (below top) who sang beautifully throughout. His nemesis, Alfio, was sung by baritone Michael Mayes (below bottom). Mayes has an excellent voice and terrific musicianship, but he tended to overact.
The star of the show was soprano Michelle Johnson (below) as Santuzza. Her big aria “Voi lo sapete” and her duets with Piper were rapturously dramatic. Her supple and nuanced performance had me uncharacteristically leaping to my feet and shouting “Brava!” as she took her curtain call. Hers is a voice I hope to hear again soon.
The Madison Symphony Orchestra shone throughout the performance, ably led by guest conductor Joseph Mechavich (below). I cannot recall hearing before such subtle control of its orchestral voices, and the ensemble glimmered in the well-known intermezzo. (You can hear that famous and beautiful Intermezzo, used in the film “The Godfather” and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The set and costumes, the bravura singing by the chorus, and the lighting were all above expectations. It was a completely satisfying experience.
“Pagliacci” is a more troublesome work for me. It has moments of lyrical genius but also what to me seems like filler – the chorus going on too long about getting to vespers, for example.
Mayes (below) portrayed the villainous Tonio in this opera. Although his prologue was beautifully sung, his creepy overacting was a bit too much. For example, when Nedda spat at him in contempt, he wiped the spittle from his face and then licked his hand. His final utterance “La commedia e finita” was overly dramatic and lacking irony.
Piper sang the clown Canio (below), and by the time he got to the showpiece aria “Vesti la giubba” I was nervous that he would not be able to hit all the high notes. He did hit the notes, but it will take a couple more years for this role to fit his voice comfortably.
Nedda was portrayed by sensational Talise Trevigne (below bottom). Her big aria “Stridono lassù” was sung beautifully, and the orchestra shimmered in its accompaniment. Her duet with her lover Silvio, ably sung by baritone Benjamin Taylor (below top), was another highlight of the production.
Once again, the orchestral interlude was beautifully played.
Altogether, this was almost a perfect afternoon at Madison Opera. There appeared to be a gratifyingly large number of younger people attending, which I took as a good sign for the future. (Below is the tragic final scene of “Pagliacci” with Robert Goodrich, Michael Mayes and Scott Piper.)
I look forward to the next production: Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” on Feb. 8 and 10. I saw it recently at Des Moines Metropolitan Opera, so I am interested to see how it will compare.
When all is said and done, I enjoyed “Pagliacci” but feel it is inferior to “Cavalleria.” Although both operas are frequently performed together, I have attended other pairings for “Cavalleria” including one with Puccini’s comic short opera “Gianni Schicchi.” That combination worked well. I wonder: Do readers have other suggestions for pairings?
Editor’s note: Everyone has an opinion. How did you and other critics find the Madison Opera productions? Leave your opinion in the COMMENTS section. And here are links to some other reviews:
Here is the review John W. Barker wrote for Isthmus: https://isthmus.com/music/satisfying-double-bill/
Here is the review, with a historical bent, that Greg Hettmansberger wrote for his blog “What Greg Says”: https://whatgregsays.wordpress.com/2018/11/06/madison-opera-goes-old-school/
And here is what Lindsay Christians wrote for The Capital Times newspaper: https://madison.com/ct/entertainment/arts_and_theatre/theatre/love-revenge-passion-violence-open-the-season-at-madison-opera/article_1c27e195-cc2f-5826-9502-00544b88fae6.html
Tags: #ALittleNightMusic, #BenjaminTaylor, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BlogReview, #CapTimes, #CavalleriaRusticana, #ChoralMusic, #CircusClown, #ComicOpera, #CurtainCall, #DesMoines, #DesMoinesMetropolitanOpera, #FacebookPost, #FilmMusic, #FilmSoundtrack, #FinalScene, #GiacomoPuccini, #GianniSchicchi, #GregHettmansberger, #GuestConductor, #GustavoDudamel, #HighNotes, #IsthmusNewspaper, #JamesGill, #JohnW.Barker, #JosephMechavich, #LarryWells, #LindsayChristians, #LyricalMusic, #MadisonOpera, #MadisonOperaChorus, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #Mama'sBoy, #Mamma'sBoy, #MichaelMayes, #MIchelleJohnson, #MovieMusic, #MovieSoundtrack, #MusicReview, #OperaAria, #OperaMusic, #PietroMascagni, #RobertGoodrich, #RuggeroLeoncavallo, #ScottPiper, #StephenSondheim, #TaliseTrevigne, #TheCapitalTimes, #TheGodfather, #TheOperaGuy, #TheVespers, #TheWell-TemperedEar, #WhatGregSays, A Little Night Music, aria, Arts, baritone, Benjamin Taylor, blog, bravura, Cap Times, captivated, Cavalleria Rusticana, charming, choral music, chorus, Classical music, clown, comfort, comfortably, comic, comic opera, composer, conclusion, conductor, contempt, costumes, coupling, creepy, critic, curtain call, Des Moines, Des Moines Metropolitan Opera, drama, dramatic, duet, effortless, experience, face, Facebook, feckless, film, final scene, genius, Giacomo Puccini, Gianni Schicchi, Greg Hettmansberger, guest conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, hand, high notes, highlight, History, intermezzo, irony, Isthmus, Jacob Stockinger, James Gill, John W. Barker, Joseph Mechavich, lack, Larry Wells, licked, lighting, Lindsay Christians, lover, lyrical, Madison, Madison Opera, Madison Opera Chorus, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Mama's boy, Michael Mayes, Michelle Johnson, movie, Music, music review, musicianship, nemesis, nervous, Newspaper, nuanced, opera, Orchestra, overact, Overture Center, Pagliacci, pairing, Pietro Mascagni, playing, portrayed, production, prologue, Pucchini, rapture, reader, review, Robert Goodrich, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Scott Piper, sensational, set, show, Singing, soprano, soundtrack, spittle, staging, star, Stephen Sondheim, supple, Talise Trevigne, The Capital Times, The Godfather, The Opera Guy, The Well-Tempered Ear, tight, time, tragedy, Tragic, troublesome, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, utterance, vespers, villain, vocal music, voice, What Greg Says, Wisconsin, YouTube
Classical music: The reviews are in — and they are all raves. This afternoon is your last chance to hear the season-opening concert by maestro John DeMain and the Madison Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Emanuel Ax
1 Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR SHARE IT (not just “Like It”) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
Are you still undecided about whether to attend the season-opening concert — this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall — by the Madison Symphony Orchestra (below top, in a photo by Greg Anderson), with world-famous piano soloist Emanuel Ax (below bottom, in a photo by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)?
Perhaps the following rave reviews — which all agree on quality of the program and the performances that start DeMain’s 25th anniversary season and the MSO’s 93rd season — will help you to make up your mind.
The program is certainly an attractive one. It features the curtain-raising “Fanfare Ritmico” by the living American composer Jennifer Higdon (below); Sergei Prokofiev’s dramatic and appealing score to the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” in a suite specially put together by DeMain; and the monumental Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83, by Johannes Brahms.
Here is a link to a longer background story with details about the program, the performers and tickets, which run $18-$93:
Here is a review written by Matt Ambrosio (below), a graduate student at the UW-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music, for The Capital Times:
And here is the lengthy review — with many discerning details about the background and the actual performance — from the veteran and very knowledgeable reviewer Greg Hettmansberger (below) from his blog “What Greg Says”:
https://whatgregsays.wordpress.com/2018/09/29/john-demain-launches-his-25th-madison-symphony-season/
Unfortunately, The Ear could not find an opening-night review by John W. Barker, who usually covers the MSO for Isthmus.
Of course, you can be a critic too. If you already have heard the MSO concert, either on Friday or Saturday night, please leave your own remarks – positive or negative – in the COMMENT section.
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: #AmericanComposer, #BalletScore, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BlogReview, #EmanuelAx, #FacebookPost, #FanfareRitmico, #GregHettmansberger, #IsthmusNewspaper, #JenniferHigdon, #JohannesBrahms, #JohnDeMain, #JohnW.Barker, #LivingComposer, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MattAmbrosio, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MusicCritic, #MusicDirector, #MusicReview, #OvertureCenter, #OvertureHall, #PianoConcerto, #RaveReview, #RomeoandJuliet, #SergeiProkofiev, #TheCapitalTimes, #UniversityofWisconsin, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #WhatGregSays, #World-famous, #WorldFamous, American, anniversary, appealing, Arts, audience, background, ballet, blog, Blog post, Cello, clarinet, Classical music, composer, concerto, conductor, critic, drama, Emanuel Ax, Facebook, Fanfare, graduate student, Greg Hettmansberger, Isthmus, Jacob Stockinger, Jennifer Higdon, Johannes Brahms, John DeMain, John W. Barker, knowledgeable, link, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Maestro, Matt Ambrosio, Mead Witter School of Music, mind, Music, music critic, music review, negative, Orchestra, Overture Center, performance, pianistsoloist, Piano, Piano concerto, positive, program, quality, rave, remarks, rhythm, Romeo and Juliet, score, Season, Sergei Prokofiev, Student, symphony, The Capital Times, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Veteran, Viola, Violin, What Greg Says, you, YouTube
Recent Comments
The Well-Tempered Ear 