Mutter's Cincinnati Debut Supremely Musical

Posted: Sep 30, 2013 - 8:59:48 AM in: reviews_2013

Anne-Sophie Mutter

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter was a regal guest in her Cincinnati debut September 28 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. With presence to match, she gave an eminently musical performance of Dvořák’s Concerto in A Minor and Romance in F Minor for Violin and Orchestra. The gala concert, which was led by guest conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn, also included Elgar's "Enigma" Variations and Chacony by Henry Purcell, edited by Benjamin Britten. (first published at www.ConcertoNet.com)
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CCM Gives Verdi's "Don Carlos" Historic Premiere

Posted: Sep 25, 2013 - 1:16:15 PM in: reviews_2013

"Don Carlos" at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Sept. 22, 2013

Verdi's "Don Carlo" has had its outings in Cincinnati, but never "Don Carlos," i.e. the French language, Paris Opera version premiered in 1867 in Paris. Forces of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, led by Mark Gibson, gave the work both its local and its U.S. premiere in an uncut, one-time-only concert performance in CCM's Corbett Auditorium September 22. (first published at www.ConcertoNet.com)
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Takei and More Join the Pops for "Final Frontier" Season-Opener

Posted: Sep 21, 2013 - 12:09:57 PM in: reviews_2013

John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra opened the Pops' 2013-2014 season Sept. 20 at Music Hall with a musical journey into space. Accompanying them were George Takei (Mr. Sulu of "Star Trek"), Dean Regas of PBS' "Star Gazers" and costumed characters from the 501st Legion. There was also video enhancement via NASA and the Hubbell Space Telescope and a touching tribute to the late Neil Armstrong by his son Mark Armstrong.
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Pops' "Superheroes" a Winner

Posted: Sep 16, 2013 - 5:08:41 PM in: reviews_2013

Just in time for the opening of its 2013-2014 season, the Cincinnati Pops has released a new CD, "Superheroes," featuring music from superhero films and television shows. In addition to excerpts from "Superman," "Dark Knight," "Iron Man 2," "The Avengers," "Thor" and more, Batman (Adam West) narrates a TV theme medley and a Pops commission, "The Launch" by Pete Anthony, receives its world premiere.
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Cincinnati Chamber Opera Flies to the Moon

Posted: Sep 15, 2013 - 2:16:15 PM in: reviews_2013

Peering through the telescope in act I of Haydn's "Il Mondo della Luna" by Cincinnati Chamber Opera

Founded in 2012 by Shawn Mlynek and Autumn West, Cincinnati Chamber Opera is a bright new kid on the block in the Queen City. The company opened its 2013-2014 season with an engaging production of Joseph Haydn's "Il Monda della Luna" Sept. 14 in Norwood Middle School Auditorium. Outstanding vocalism and effective staging made for a delightful evening at the opera.
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CSO Opener: Chopin Meets "The Warriors:

Posted: Sep 13, 2013 - 2:39:12 PM in: reviews_2013

Olga Kern

A pair of debuts opened the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's 2013-2014 season Sept. 12 at Music Hall, pianist Olga Kern and composer Percy Grainger's "The Warriors, Music to an Imaginary Ballet." Kern's calling card was Chopin's romantic Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor. Grainger's 1916 experimental work received its CSO premiere under the baton of guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero.
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"LumenoCity" Celebrates Langrée, Marks Innovation for Cincinnati

Posted: Aug 5, 2013 - 1:28:28 PM in: reviews_2013

"Lumenocity" at Music Hall, Cincinnati, August, 2013 (photo by Heather Stengle)

Something called "LumenoCity" lit up Cincinnati August 4 in more ways than one. A celebration of the arrival of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's new music director Louis Langrée, the show, in which images were projected onto the Music Hall facade to accompany a concert, not only drew a total of 37,000 people, but put the CSO in the forefront of innovation. It is believed to be the first such use of digital visual technology with a live symphony orchestra anywhere in the world.
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Peeter Laul and Friends

Posted: Aug 2, 2013 - 8:17:25 PM in: reviews_2013

Peeter Laul

Finnish pianist Peeter Laul was joined by violinist Anna-Liisa Bezrodny and other guests of the 2013 Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia in a two-part program July 17 featuring the Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet by Ernest Chausson and, to open the concert, a bravura performance by Laul of opera excerpts by Richard Wagner transcribed by Franz Liszt. (first published at www.ConcertoNet.com)
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Sibelius Chamber Music Gets a Hearing

Posted: Aug 2, 2013 - 11:27:36 AM in: reviews_2013

Marius Järvi

The chamber music of Jean Sibelius is heard far less than his symphonic works, so it was a welcome bit of programming when the Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia presented an evening of the Finnish composer's chamber works July 17 at the Rannahotel (Beach Hotel) on the shore of the Baltic Sea. Performing his Quartet “Ljunga Wirginia” and his piano trio "Korpo" was an ensemble including members of Estonia's very music Järvi family and Finnish pianist Folke Gräsbeck. (first posted at www.ConcertoNet.com) - [Read more]

Pärnu Festival Gala a Musical Feast

Posted: Aug 1, 2013 - 11:41:13 PM in: reviews_2013

Horn quartet at Pärnu Festival gala (photo by Taavi Kull)

The annual gala concert at the Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia is always a special event, featuring guests of the festival in choice chamber music. The 2013 edition, with music from Bach to Lutslawski, was a musical feast. (first published at ConcertoNet.com)

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Cincinnati Opera's Season Finale Soars

Posted: Jul 31, 2013 - 4:33:45 PM in: reviews_2013

Act II triumphal scene from Verdi's "Aida," Cincinnati Opera, July, 2013

Verdi's "Aida" has always been a favorite in Cincinnati, if for no other reason than Cincinnati Opera's 50-year presence (1920-72) at the Cincinnati Zoo, lending easy access to elephants, cheetahs, falcons, etc. for the Act II triumphal scene. July 28 at Music Hall in Cincinnati was no exception as the Opera closed its 2013 summer festival with an "Aida" that simply had no weaknesses. Oh yes, there were animals, too, a hawk and a pair of (retired police) horses in the triumphal scene. (first posted at www.ConcertoNet.com)
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Variety Spices Closing Pärnu Festival Concert

Posted: Jul 28, 2013 - 11:26:44 AM in: reviews_2013

Neeme Järvi conducting encore at closing concert of Pärnu Music Festival, July 23, 2013

The final concert of the Pärnu Music Festival July 23 in the Concert Hall in Pärnu, Estonia featured an Asian-tinged flute concerto and a virtuosic double bass concerto, both by Estonian composers, and Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3. Sharing conducting duties with Neeme Järvi were two students from the Järvi Academy for young conductors (taking place concurrently), Christopher Dragon and Kaspar Mänd. - [Read more]

Hilary Hahn Dazzles in Estonian Debut

Posted: Jul 27, 2013 - 11:00:10 AM in: reviews_2013

Hilary Hahn and Paavo Järvi

Headliner at the 2013 Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia was violinist Hilary Hahn. Performing July 21 with the Pärnu Festival Orchestra led by artistic adviser Paavo Järvi in the city's gleaming Kontserdimaja (Concert Hall), Hahn simply dazzled in Henri Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No. 4. Also on the program was the world premiere of Estonian composer Ülo Krigul’s “Chordae,” a festival commission, and the Symphonies No. 33 and 35 ("Haffner") by Mozart.
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Pärnu Festival Juxtaposes Beethoven and Strauss

Posted: Jul 23, 2013 - 8:40:01 AM in: reviews_2013

Paavo Järvi conducting Richard Strauss' "Metamorphosen" at the Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia

Paavo Järvi conjured Beethoven through the lens of Richard Strauss July 18 at the Pärnu Festival in Pärnu, Estonia. The concert, featuring Beethoven's "Eroica' Symphony and Strauss' "Metamorphosen," transfixed the crowd in the city's acoustically perfect Kontserdimaja (Concert Hall).
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Chamber Music Enriches Pärnu Music Festival

Posted: Jul 23, 2013 - 2:48:06 AM in: reviews_2013

Left to right: Miina Järvi (violin), Folke Gräsbeck and Mihkel Järvi (piano), Mari Järvi (turning pages) and Marius Järvi (cello)

Chamber music is one of the richest components of the annual Pärnu Music Festival in Pärnu, Estonia. The 2013 edition was no exception, with an array of diverse offerings by Festival guest artists and members of the top-flight Pärnu Festival Orchestra.
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