Steve Smith
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Like Alex, I seem unable to observe a self-imposed hiatus. I’ve shared a fair amount of news about Philip Glass performances and recordings over the last few months, but I’m happy to say that my services are no longer required: Among the helpful features of the newly redesigned PhilipGlass.com is a news blog, Glass Notes.…
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I’d planned to write about the terrific triple bill of Amiina, Eluvium and Gilles Vonsattel presented last night at Good Shepherd Church on West 66th Street, part of the fascinating — and apparently wildly popular — Wordless Music Series. But some pressing business is calling me down to Houston this weekend, so I’ve cleared the…
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Joshua Bell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at Carnegie HallThe New York Times, April 3, 2007
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Wrapping up a weekend of voracious indulgence, I spent much of Sunday (April 1) in residence at Carnegie Hall. In the afternoon, I caught Joshua Bell with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields playing Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky. You’ll have to wait for Tuesday’s New York Times to read the full report, but what…
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There is no conceivable way that a music lover in New York City can get out to hear everything of potential appeal. But weekends, at least, sometimes provide the illusion that it’s possible. In terms of conspicuous consumption — the stated motto of this blog — today was as close to perfection as I can…
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I have a strong memory from years gone by of an episode of The Muppet Show in which Rudolf Nureyev was the featured guest star. Naturally, YouTube has the episode’s famous pas de deux. But what I specifically remember is beleaguered company aesthete Sam the Eagle announcing the dancer’s presence in reverent tones, anticipating artistic…
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Marc-André Hamelin at the 92nd Street YThe New York Times, March 30, 2007
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Back to the Jazz Standard tonight, where Jeff Gauthier’s "Cryptonights" series continued with Nels Cline’s Andrew Hill project. I caught the second set in the company of TONY colleague (and Dark Forces Swing blogger) Hank Shteamer and our brave, bold editor in chief, Brian Farnham, who has charged himself with the duty of accompanying every…
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Another New York City venue will soon be history, and this one’s especially painful to new-music lovers of many persuasions. After surviving near-certain disaster in early 2005 through sheer determination and a series of fund-raisers, the Lower East Side nightclub Tonic will close its doors for good on Friday, April 13. Details are sketchy, but…
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Mexican composer Daniel Catán is not yet a household name, but his three operas have garnered widespread admiration. Foremost among these is the second, Florencia en el Amazonas, a lyrical, richly orchestrated gloss on themes from Gabriel García Márquez’s ineffably beautiful Love in the Time of Cholera. The libretto, in Spanish, is by Marcela Fuentes-Berain,…
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A little more than ten years ago, during a period of semi-self-(un)employment between P.R. gigs, I found myself spending a beautiful late-summer (or early autumn) afternoon at The Grey Dog’s Coffee on Carmine Street in Greenwich Village with Jeff Gauthier and G.E. Stinson, two Los Angeles-based musicians. I can’t recall the specifics of what we…
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CD review: Tristan Murail – Winter FragmentsErin Lesser, flutist; Argento Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Michel GalanteAeon AECD 0746; CDThe New York Times, March 25, 2007(Amazon.fr, FNAC.com) Prior to filing this review, I ascertained from the Aeon label’s American distributor that there were no plans to release this disc here, which is why the last line…
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Good news: As of this morning, Billboard classical-music industry reporter and world-music expert Anastasia Tsioulcas has reopened her always worthwhile blog, Cafe Aman. Today’s post reveals what’s been keeping her busy in months past, as well as what’s on the horizon. (A tip of the hat to Alex, whose new and valuable special report on…
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Not too long ago, I blogged about my experience of presenting a couple of guest lectures at the University of Richmond, prompted by Dr. LP, my fiancée, who is currently teaching there. (For the record, she detested the title of that post.) One of the things that’s been keeping the good doctor busy down south…
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The MATA Festival at the Brooklyn LyceumThe New York Times, March 22, 2007
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David Del Tredici’s 70th Birthday Concert at the Brooklyn Conservatory of MusicThe New York Times, March 19, 2007 This was a warm, intimate, gratifying event, and there are more on the way. Here are few taking place in and around New York City: Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30: Del Tredici is currently distinguished…
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Even if you’ve already seen and enjoyed the Met’s current production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, there’s a compelling reason to catch it again — namely, Joyce DiDonato, who’s taken over the role of Rosina. No disrespect to Diana Damrau, the dishy German soprano who launched this production last fall, whose portrayal I thoroughly admired.…
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The Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie HallThe New York Times, March 15, 2007
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I’ve been waiting patiently for a very, very long time in hopes of catching a live performance of Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach. And, given that this is Glass’s birthday year, I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears peeled for news of a production somewhere, anywhere. No luck so far, but mere moments ago…
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The Seventeenth Annual Festival with no fancy name, Part 2 (or B) got underway on Monday night (March 12) at Experimental Intermedia, composer Phill Niblock’s homey loft and performance space in Lower Manhattan, with a performance by Jason Kahn (pictured) and Jon Mueller. I previewed the concert for this week’s issue of Time Out New…
Night After Night 