Sunday, 25 July 2010
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Recent CD Review
My review of another of Christ Church Cathedral Choir's recordings from the Nimbus catalogue, this time the Frank Martin and Francis Poulenc masses. The review is here, on MusicWeb International.
An attractive combination of works, strongly characterised and intelligently sung
An attractive combination of works, strongly characterised and intelligently sung
Friday, 23 July 2010
Broad Ripple Gazette, vol 7 no 15
first published in the Broad Ripple Gazette
Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, 8:00 – 12:30
behind Broad Ripple High School
July 24 - Cara Jean Wahlers
July 31 - Ted Kirkendall
August 7 - Chad Mills
www.broadripplefarmersmarket.org
Girls Rock! Indianapolis Campers’ Show
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Earth House Collective
237 N. East St.
2:00, all-ages, non-smoking
I love this! I heard about this idea from my friend Portland friend, Maura Ahearn, and it’s finally come here. Girls Rock! Indianapolis is a non-profit organization dedicated to building positive self-esteem in girls and encouraging creative expression through music. The music education programs will provide girls with an opportunity to participate in an environment that fosters leadership, encourages social change, and cultivates a supportive community of female peers and mentors. Rock on!
It is run entirely by a team of volunteers with support from independent contractors assisting in areas of bookkeeping, PR and legal matters (the non-rock stuff!). As funding allows, they hope to operate with a full-time staff and offer year-round programs and workshops, multiple summer camp sessions and a Ladies Rock Camp for women.
The first week-long day camp will culminate with a concert at Earth House Collective. The girls (between the ages of nine and sixteen) will receive instruction on guitar, bass, drums or vocals. Each camper will become part of a band, learn how to write songs, and perform in front of a live audience. Campers also take part in various workshops that relate to body image, self-esteem, and empowerment.
Go cheer the girls on – I’m looking forward to seeing the very talented Abby Jordan’s band.
http://girlsrockindy.org
DEVO
Monday, July 27, 2010
Vogue Theatre
6259 N College Ave, Indianapolis
$45, non-smoking, 21+
I love purchasing tickets to shows at the Vogue in their up-the-stairs box office (open noon – 5:30, M – F). It feels special – and a little naughty, to open the door in the daylight, watch the clean-up or set-up activity happening on the floor as I walk up stairs to buy tickets. There is an exciting feeling to handing over my cash and getting a real ticket from a real-live person. And when you buy the ticket at the venue you avoid the service fees.
I was buying a fist-full of tickets last month – Ingrid Michaelson, Cake, Bodeans, Blitzen Trapper, Billy Bragg and Toad the Wet Sproket – when talent booker, Matt Schwegman, popped out of his office and asked if I’d pay $45 to see DEVO. It was easy to say, YES!
DEVO has been playing sporadically since their break-up in 1991, but have continued to be an underground favorite. They are touring in support of their new record that was released last month. Everything I hear about the tour and record is wonderful.
There are still tickets left, either at the box office, on-line or at the door. The show promises to be a night of post-punk energy and pogo dancing with a dash of silliness thrown in.
I just hope they are selling energy domes at the merch table. I want a red one. I’ll see you there!
www.clubdevo.com
www.thevogue.com
Cara Jean Wahlers and Grover Parido CD release concert
(+ openers Evan Slusher and Tonos Triad)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Riverfront Ampitheatre - Indianapolis Art Center
(rain location inside the Art Center)
7:00pm door, 7:30pm show, $10, family friendly, non-smoking, children under 12 free
I’ve been like a little kid waiting for my birthday and been counting down the days in anticipation of the Good Night Charlotte CD release show. Cara Jean Wahlers and Grover Parido will celebrate the release of their first album with an outdoor show on at the Riverfront Ampitheatre at the Art Center. The river is the perfect back drop for these two songbirds.
Cara Jean Wahlers is a fourth generation musician. As a youngster she studied piano and double bass with an eye on classical music. In her early twenties she found her voice as in songwriter, drawing from lessons learned by listening to her parents’ record collection. Simon and Garfunkel gave her an understanding of storytelling, which combined with current day influences – Steve Poltz, Vic Chesnutt, Phil Collins, and Joni Mitchell helped her develop her unique style of songwriting. Wahlers songs reveal a the balance of personal experience and human truth.
Grover Parido is a classically trained cellist who is also well versed in rock and roll, hip-hop and folk music. He is a composer, performer, producer and educator – in his spare time he plays and records with The Maple Trio, Chad Mills and Bill Price – just to name a few.
Cara Jean and Grover connected when she saw him perform with Blueprint Music. She felt that his style would compliment her songs. She was beautifully right. Their collaboration has resulted in amazing music.
The duo recently finished composing the musical score for the feature-length independent film, Paradise Recovered, scheduled to release this fall.
Here are Cara’s words about the new record, “Goodnight Charlotte, is a collection of ten songs written between 2005 and 2009. I wrote most of this album in my head, probably while I was randomly walking or driving somewhere, so it makes sense to me that the cello travels and weaves through it a bit, exploring different terrains, while still remaining familiar and human and guiding you through. It was important to us to create different soundscapes for our listener, while staying true to the general sensibility of our live show. I like driving on the highway - little towns pop up every half and hour or so. Kind of like how memory works - something appears though the windshield, you follow it for a little while and then all of a sudden, you're looking at it getting smaller behind you. That's how things enter and leave my head, I think. The album was born out of rainy afternoons spent walking through antique shops, driving through the woods or simply walking across hardwood floors playing guitar around the house.
"I wrote these songs almost in a woodshedding kind of situation, where I sort of shut out all the noises that aren't coming from inside of me. It's very personal and I think that intimacy is reflected in the album. I feel like Grover's cello arrangements create the room where these songs exist and give them a lot of color and texture."
Dress casually and bring a lawn chairs. The show will be in the Art Center if it rains.
Broad Ripple Brewpub will provide craft beers for purchase. Don’t forget your ID – as of July 1, you can’t be served without it – no matter how old you are.
Check Cara Jean’s Web site for a sneak peek at the new record.
Evan Slusher http://www.myspace.com/evanslusher
Tonos Triad http://tonostriad.com/home.cfm
www.carajeanwahlers.com
www.indplsartcenter.org
Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, 8:00 – 12:30
behind Broad Ripple High School
July 24 - Cara Jean Wahlers
July 31 - Ted Kirkendall
August 7 - Chad Mills
www.broadripplefarmersmarket.org
Girls Rock! Indianapolis Campers’ Show
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Earth House Collective
237 N. East St.
2:00, all-ages, non-smoking
I love this! I heard about this idea from my friend Portland friend, Maura Ahearn, and it’s finally come here. Girls Rock! Indianapolis is a non-profit organization dedicated to building positive self-esteem in girls and encouraging creative expression through music. The music education programs will provide girls with an opportunity to participate in an environment that fosters leadership, encourages social change, and cultivates a supportive community of female peers and mentors. Rock on!
It is run entirely by a team of volunteers with support from independent contractors assisting in areas of bookkeeping, PR and legal matters (the non-rock stuff!). As funding allows, they hope to operate with a full-time staff and offer year-round programs and workshops, multiple summer camp sessions and a Ladies Rock Camp for women.
The first week-long day camp will culminate with a concert at Earth House Collective. The girls (between the ages of nine and sixteen) will receive instruction on guitar, bass, drums or vocals. Each camper will become part of a band, learn how to write songs, and perform in front of a live audience. Campers also take part in various workshops that relate to body image, self-esteem, and empowerment.
Go cheer the girls on – I’m looking forward to seeing the very talented Abby Jordan’s band.
http://girlsrockindy.org
DEVO
Monday, July 27, 2010
Vogue Theatre
6259 N College Ave, Indianapolis
$45, non-smoking, 21+
I love purchasing tickets to shows at the Vogue in their up-the-stairs box office (open noon – 5:30, M – F). It feels special – and a little naughty, to open the door in the daylight, watch the clean-up or set-up activity happening on the floor as I walk up stairs to buy tickets. There is an exciting feeling to handing over my cash and getting a real ticket from a real-live person. And when you buy the ticket at the venue you avoid the service fees.
I was buying a fist-full of tickets last month – Ingrid Michaelson, Cake, Bodeans, Blitzen Trapper, Billy Bragg and Toad the Wet Sproket – when talent booker, Matt Schwegman, popped out of his office and asked if I’d pay $45 to see DEVO. It was easy to say, YES!
DEVO has been playing sporadically since their break-up in 1991, but have continued to be an underground favorite. They are touring in support of their new record that was released last month. Everything I hear about the tour and record is wonderful.
There are still tickets left, either at the box office, on-line or at the door. The show promises to be a night of post-punk energy and pogo dancing with a dash of silliness thrown in.
I just hope they are selling energy domes at the merch table. I want a red one. I’ll see you there!
www.clubdevo.com
www.thevogue.com
Cara Jean Wahlers and Grover Parido CD release concert
(+ openers Evan Slusher and Tonos Triad)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Riverfront Ampitheatre - Indianapolis Art Center
(rain location inside the Art Center)
7:00pm door, 7:30pm show, $10, family friendly, non-smoking, children under 12 free
I’ve been like a little kid waiting for my birthday and been counting down the days in anticipation of the Good Night Charlotte CD release show. Cara Jean Wahlers and Grover Parido will celebrate the release of their first album with an outdoor show on at the Riverfront Ampitheatre at the Art Center. The river is the perfect back drop for these two songbirds.
Cara Jean Wahlers is a fourth generation musician. As a youngster she studied piano and double bass with an eye on classical music. In her early twenties she found her voice as in songwriter, drawing from lessons learned by listening to her parents’ record collection. Simon and Garfunkel gave her an understanding of storytelling, which combined with current day influences – Steve Poltz, Vic Chesnutt, Phil Collins, and Joni Mitchell helped her develop her unique style of songwriting. Wahlers songs reveal a the balance of personal experience and human truth.
Grover Parido is a classically trained cellist who is also well versed in rock and roll, hip-hop and folk music. He is a composer, performer, producer and educator – in his spare time he plays and records with The Maple Trio, Chad Mills and Bill Price – just to name a few.
Cara Jean and Grover connected when she saw him perform with Blueprint Music. She felt that his style would compliment her songs. She was beautifully right. Their collaboration has resulted in amazing music.
The duo recently finished composing the musical score for the feature-length independent film, Paradise Recovered, scheduled to release this fall.
Here are Cara’s words about the new record, “Goodnight Charlotte, is a collection of ten songs written between 2005 and 2009. I wrote most of this album in my head, probably while I was randomly walking or driving somewhere, so it makes sense to me that the cello travels and weaves through it a bit, exploring different terrains, while still remaining familiar and human and guiding you through. It was important to us to create different soundscapes for our listener, while staying true to the general sensibility of our live show. I like driving on the highway - little towns pop up every half and hour or so. Kind of like how memory works - something appears though the windshield, you follow it for a little while and then all of a sudden, you're looking at it getting smaller behind you. That's how things enter and leave my head, I think. The album was born out of rainy afternoons spent walking through antique shops, driving through the woods or simply walking across hardwood floors playing guitar around the house.
"I wrote these songs almost in a woodshedding kind of situation, where I sort of shut out all the noises that aren't coming from inside of me. It's very personal and I think that intimacy is reflected in the album. I feel like Grover's cello arrangements create the room where these songs exist and give them a lot of color and texture."
Dress casually and bring a lawn chairs. The show will be in the Art Center if it rains.
Broad Ripple Brewpub will provide craft beers for purchase. Don’t forget your ID – as of July 1, you can’t be served without it – no matter how old you are.
Check Cara Jean’s Web site for a sneak peek at the new record.
Evan Slusher http://www.myspace.com/evanslusher
Tonos Triad http://tonostriad.com/home.cfm
www.carajeanwahlers.com
www.indplsartcenter.org
Monday, 19 July 2010
Prom 1 - Mahler's 8th Symphony
Mahler's 8th symphony is a work that would seem to be ideal for the Royal Albert Hall. Mahler uses a huge orchestra, with quadruple wood-wind, a childrens choir plus two adult choruses. At its premiere in Munich it was claimed that 1000 people took park, where on earth did they put them all. At Friday's opening Prom there the members of the adult choruses numbered around 400 with 60 children and they just fitted comfortably into the choir areas behind the stage. Even then, the rear choristers would be a long way from conductor Jiri Belohlavek (I know, I sat there when, as part of the London Philharmonic Choir, I sang in Mahler 8 to open the 1986 Proms).
One of the glories of Friday's prom was the choral singing. The three choirs (BBC Symphony Chorus, Crouch End Festival Chorus and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs) sang with bright, clear brilliance, providing a keen focussed sound, with barely a hint of bawling. The tricky passages at the opening of part 2 were, as far as the foggy Albert Hall acoustic allowed, neatly and accurately placed. And the closing chorus mysticus was ravishing.
They were well supported by the orchestra, though Belohlavek seemed to have rather a no-nonsense, no time for lingering sort of attitude. This meant that the opening choral torrent worked well, but that the middle sections seemed to sag somewhat as they needed more cherishing. That said there was some lovely individual playing from the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Regarding the soloists, I have rather mixed views. I must confess that I have never heard a performance where they seemed ideal, and too often heard live the voices seem to be straining overmuch. Both sopranos Mardi Byers and Twyla Robinson seemed to press their voices too hard, so that one turned rather sharp edged and the other seemed to vibrate over much above the stave. I am sure that, in more relaxed surroundings they would have sounded lovely. Only mezzo Stephanie Blythe seemed to be able to combine beauty of tone with volume. Tenor Stefan Vinke was a last minute replacement but seemed a bit taxed by the part. The other two male soloists Hanno Müller-Brachmann and Tomasz Konieczny contributed some fine, passionate singing.
There was, of course, one other soloists. Malin Cristensson appeared by the organ at the very end, the ravishing embodiment of Mater Gloriosa.
If I found the performance less than engrossing first half of part 2, it was more than made up with the life enhancing conclusion.
One of the glories of Friday's prom was the choral singing. The three choirs (BBC Symphony Chorus, Crouch End Festival Chorus and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs) sang with bright, clear brilliance, providing a keen focussed sound, with barely a hint of bawling. The tricky passages at the opening of part 2 were, as far as the foggy Albert Hall acoustic allowed, neatly and accurately placed. And the closing chorus mysticus was ravishing.
They were well supported by the orchestra, though Belohlavek seemed to have rather a no-nonsense, no time for lingering sort of attitude. This meant that the opening choral torrent worked well, but that the middle sections seemed to sag somewhat as they needed more cherishing. That said there was some lovely individual playing from the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Regarding the soloists, I have rather mixed views. I must confess that I have never heard a performance where they seemed ideal, and too often heard live the voices seem to be straining overmuch. Both sopranos Mardi Byers and Twyla Robinson seemed to press their voices too hard, so that one turned rather sharp edged and the other seemed to vibrate over much above the stave. I am sure that, in more relaxed surroundings they would have sounded lovely. Only mezzo Stephanie Blythe seemed to be able to combine beauty of tone with volume. Tenor Stefan Vinke was a last minute replacement but seemed a bit taxed by the part. The other two male soloists Hanno Müller-Brachmann and Tomasz Konieczny contributed some fine, passionate singing.
There was, of course, one other soloists. Malin Cristensson appeared by the organ at the very end, the ravishing embodiment of Mater Gloriosa.
If I found the performance less than engrossing first half of part 2, it was more than made up with the life enhancing conclusion.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
ETO Autumn season
Having just put their recent Spring tour to bed, English Touring Opera have released full details of their exciting Autumn season. The most keenly anticipated item is the world premiere of Alexander Goehr's new opera (reputedly to be his last). Based on a text extracted from Shakespeare's King Lear by Sir Frank Kermode, Promised End sets 24 fragments of Shakespeare. Hearing Goehr's response to Shakespeare's tragedy is an excitement to come. ETO are performing the opera with a strong cast including Nigel Robson (Gloucester), Roderick Earle (Lear) and Lina Markeby (Cordelia/Fool), and the Aurora Orchestra conducted by Ryan Wrigglesworth, production by James Conway. The tour starts at the Royal Opera's Linbury Theatre on 9th October and continues to Malvern, Bexhill, Exeter, Crawley, Cambridge and Snape Maltings.
English Touring Opera – Goehr: Promised End – world premiere, operatic version of Shakespeare’s King Lear (edited by Frank Kermode). Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor), James Conway (director), Roderick Earle (Lear), Nigel Robson (Gloucester), Adrian Dwyer (Edgar), Lina Markeby (Cordelia), Julia Sporsen (Regan).
Keeping to the drama theme, the other main work in the tour is The Duenna, Sheridan's comic opera which was first produced with music by Thomas Linley (senior and junior). ETO are using newly discovered manuscripts to re-create the original 1775 version of this highly popular work, first premiered at Covent Garden. Many of the songs were taken from popular ballads of the day and though the music was commissioned from Thomas Linley senior, much of it was actually written by his prodigy son (who died at the age of 22). The performance will be directed by Michael Barker-Caven with Joseph McHardy conducting a period instrument orchestra. The cast is an admirably mixture of experienced hands such as Nuala Willis and Richard Suart, with younger singers like Damien Thantrey and Jonathan Gunthorpe.
Sheridan's text was re-used for operas by Prokofiev and Roberto Gerhard, but this will be a rare outing for the English original. The show previews in Poole before moving to Covent Garden on 13th October with subsequent visits to Bath, Malvern, Bexhill, Exeter, Cambridge, Harrogate and Snape.
English Touring Opera – Sheridan/Linley The Duenna – Directed by Michael Barker-Caven, conducted from the harpsichord by Joseph McHardy, and designed by Adam Wiltshire; Richard Suart (Don Jerome); Olivia Safe (Clara); Charlotte Page (Louisa); Nuala Willis (Margaret); Joe Shovelton (Antonio); Damien Thantry (Ferdinand); Adrian Thompson (Isaac)
Further ahead, they have released preliminary details of their spring 2011 tour, with Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, Puccini's Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, along with Tobias Picker's The Fantastic Mr Fox
English Touring Opera – Goehr: Promised End – world premiere, operatic version of Shakespeare’s King Lear (edited by Frank Kermode). Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor), James Conway (director), Roderick Earle (Lear), Nigel Robson (Gloucester), Adrian Dwyer (Edgar), Lina Markeby (Cordelia), Julia Sporsen (Regan).
Keeping to the drama theme, the other main work in the tour is The Duenna, Sheridan's comic opera which was first produced with music by Thomas Linley (senior and junior). ETO are using newly discovered manuscripts to re-create the original 1775 version of this highly popular work, first premiered at Covent Garden. Many of the songs were taken from popular ballads of the day and though the music was commissioned from Thomas Linley senior, much of it was actually written by his prodigy son (who died at the age of 22). The performance will be directed by Michael Barker-Caven with Joseph McHardy conducting a period instrument orchestra. The cast is an admirably mixture of experienced hands such as Nuala Willis and Richard Suart, with younger singers like Damien Thantrey and Jonathan Gunthorpe.
Sheridan's text was re-used for operas by Prokofiev and Roberto Gerhard, but this will be a rare outing for the English original. The show previews in Poole before moving to Covent Garden on 13th October with subsequent visits to Bath, Malvern, Bexhill, Exeter, Cambridge, Harrogate and Snape.
English Touring Opera – Sheridan/Linley The Duenna – Directed by Michael Barker-Caven, conducted from the harpsichord by Joseph McHardy, and designed by Adam Wiltshire; Richard Suart (Don Jerome); Olivia Safe (Clara); Charlotte Page (Louisa); Nuala Willis (Margaret); Joe Shovelton (Antonio); Damien Thantry (Ferdinand); Adrian Thompson (Isaac)
Further ahead, they have released preliminary details of their spring 2011 tour, with Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, Puccini's Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, along with Tobias Picker's The Fantastic Mr Fox
When a Man knows - next steps
On the one hand we are gearing up for the next concert performance of When a Man Knows as part of Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival. When we are performing at 3pm on Saturday August 21st, so if you missed the work's premiere, this is your chance to hear it.
But looking further ahead, plans are now well advanced to stage the opera in April 2011. Ian Caddy, himself a distinguished bass-baritone, will be directing the production which will have substantially the same cast as the concert performances, with Dario Dugandzic as the Man, conducted by David Roblou.
When considering staging the opera I had had fantasies of doing the production in a deserted warehouse, and perhaps we will achieve that one day. But for the work's premiere on stage we will be using a real theatre. More news soon.
But looking further ahead, plans are now well advanced to stage the opera in April 2011. Ian Caddy, himself a distinguished bass-baritone, will be directing the production which will have substantially the same cast as the concert performances, with Dario Dugandzic as the Man, conducted by David Roblou.
When considering staging the opera I had had fantasies of doing the production in a deserted warehouse, and perhaps we will achieve that one day. But for the work's premiere on stage we will be using a real theatre. More news soon.
Friday, 16 July 2010
Recent CD Review
My review of a disc of Magnificats by Cavalli is here, on MusicWeb International.
You won't quite get the crisp, vibrant music-making which this music deserves…
You won't quite get the crisp, vibrant music-making which this music deserves…
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Review of Manon
My review of Massenet's Manon from Covent Garden, with Anna Netrebko in the title role, is here, at Music and Vision (subscription site).
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Semele at the Barbican
On Thursday, Christoph Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques presented Handel's Semele at the Barbican. The performance was based on the staged performances at the Theatre Champs Elysees, directed by David McVicar. The Barbican performance was just in concert, but the singers made entrances and exits and sang without music, addressing each other and reacting. So the result was rather more dramatic than some performances.
Rousset gave us a rather comprehensive version of the opera, including the aria for Cupid from Act 2 and an aria from Act 1 for Athamas which is often cut. This, combined with a rather lax attitude to timing of intervals, plus Rousset's rather moderate tempi, meant that we had rather a long evening. Starting at 6.30pm and finishing nearly 4 hours later. Except that it didn't start at 6.30pm, Rousset finally lifted his baton at 6.40pm. And each interval was extended by a mysterious gap, with audience seated, waiting. There was obviously plenty of space for applause between arias.
What the performance lacked was impetus. Individual moments were lovely, but Rousset seemed too content to allow things to jog along, in a relaxed manner. You can import crispness and dramatic coherence to Semele, by keeping the dramatic flow going and/or cutting discreetly. Neither seemed to happen.
There was plenty to enjoy on the way of course, because the cast was extremely strong. The star should have been Danielle de Niese as Semele. De Niese is a singer who has bags of personality, which reaches both her stage persona and her voice, so that you get a complete package. She is undoubtedly attractive and popular. She worked hard. Too hard in fact. I was frequently too conscious of how much she was pushing her sexy persona, with wide-eyed appeals, sexy pouting, tantrums and contrived sulky behaviour. Her opening aria, The morning lark had a lot of business with her hands imitating a bird. And in Myself I shall adore her antics with a mirror, no matter how amusing, threatened to de-stabilise the aria. By the end of the evening I was having to work hard not to get annoyed
All this would not have mattered if her musical performance had been spot on. But though De Niese is talented and sexy, her coloratura was rather smudgy and no-where near as pin-sharp as that of some of her co-singers. She was best in the more lyrical items. In fact, one of the showpiece arias, Endless Pleasure was sung not by De Niese, but by
Rousset gave us a rather comprehensive version of the opera, including the aria for Cupid from Act 2 and an aria from Act 1 for Athamas which is often cut. This, combined with a rather lax attitude to timing of intervals, plus Rousset's rather moderate tempi, meant that we had rather a long evening. Starting at 6.30pm and finishing nearly 4 hours later. Except that it didn't start at 6.30pm, Rousset finally lifted his baton at 6.40pm. And each interval was extended by a mysterious gap, with audience seated, waiting. There was obviously plenty of space for applause between arias.
What the performance lacked was impetus. Individual moments were lovely, but Rousset seemed too content to allow things to jog along, in a relaxed manner. You can import crispness and dramatic coherence to Semele, by keeping the dramatic flow going and/or cutting discreetly. Neither seemed to happen.
There was plenty to enjoy on the way of course, because the cast was extremely strong. The star should have been Danielle de Niese as Semele. De Niese is a singer who has bags of personality, which reaches both her stage persona and her voice, so that you get a complete package. She is undoubtedly attractive and popular. She worked hard. Too hard in fact. I was frequently too conscious of how much she was pushing her sexy persona, with wide-eyed appeals, sexy pouting, tantrums and contrived sulky behaviour. Her opening aria, The morning lark had a lot of business with her hands imitating a bird. And in Myself I shall adore her antics with a mirror, no matter how amusing, threatened to de-stabilise the aria. By the end of the evening I was having to work hard not to get annoyed
All this would not have mattered if her musical performance had been spot on. But though De Niese is talented and sexy, her coloratura was rather smudgy and no-where near as pin-sharp as that of some of her co-singers. She was best in the more lyrical items. In fact, one of the showpiece arias, Endless Pleasure was sung not by De Niese, but by
Recent CD Review
My review of Rossini's Otello from the Rossini in Wildbad Festival, recorded live on Naxos, is here.
If you are curious about Rossini's version of Otello then you will not go far wrong with this Naxos recording ...
If you are curious about Rossini's version of Otello then you will not go far wrong with this Naxos recording ...
Review of Salome
My review of Salome from Covent Garden, with Angela Denoke in the title role, is here on Music and Vision (subscription site)
Friday, 9 July 2010
Broad Ripple Gazette vol 7 no 14
Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market
behind Broad Ripple High School
Saturdays, 8:00 – 12:30
behind Broad Ripple High School
Saturdays, 8:00 – 12:30
July 10: Robert Bruce Scott, July 17: Sensible Shoes, July 24: Cara Jean Wahlers
The John Denver Songbook and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Friday July 9 and Saturday, July 10, 2010
Symphony on the Prairie
$20 adults, tables available
Friday July 9 and Saturday, July 10, 2010
Symphony on the Prairie
$20 adults, tables available
I have to admit that I’ve never been to Symphony on the Prairie. I’ll totally confess to falling asleep at plays, especially musicals, and sit-down concerts with beautiful music. I can’t help it. I try biting my lower lip, curling my toes and counting backwards to stay awake but nothing helps. Outdoors, pretty music and sitting on a blanket is the perfect recipe for a nap.
This is one concert I’m sure I could stay awake for this one; after all it’s the songs of John Denver! My best friend since we were six, Ann loved John Denver (Randy Mantooth and Donny Osmond rounded out the top three) so I first heard about John from her. John Denver was the sound track to our teenage years.
Musician Jim Curry will be playing and singing the John Denver tunes. I saw a video on YouTube and Jim sounds exactly like John and when I took my glasses off he looked like him too. I don’t think you can go wrong with this show.
Detholtz!, God Made Robots
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Birdy’s
2131 E. 71st Street
8:00, 21+
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Birdy’s
2131 E. 71st Street
8:00, 21+
This is a Full Blown Productions concert, so know it will be good – Kim Oskins always puts on a great show. The lineup also includes The Daredevil Christopher Wright and Montauk Monster.
I first heard Chicago’s Detholtz! at the Melody Inn several years ago and was smitten. They play clever rock with a new-wave-ish twist. Indy’s God Made Robots are also good quirky fun.
Homespun - Modern Handmade
Saturday, July 10, 2010
5624 E. Washington Street
Saturday, July 10, 2010
5624 E. Washington Street
Homespun is the brainchild of Neal and Amanda Taflinger and the winner of a Pepsi Refresh Grant to help launch the project. I’ve had the pleasure of watching this project unfold and am thrilled for them.
The store’s mission is four-fold: to provide a brick-and-mortar retail outlet for contemporary artists, artisans and crafters, offer low-cost art and craft classes for people of all ages and skill levels, serve as a gathering place for the contemporary craft community, and inspire further development and renewal along the E. Washington St. corridor. They want to help people earn a living wage for meaningful work and spread the message that our lives are what we make of them.
The shop will open for business on Saturday, July 10. I can’t wait to see the handmade craftwork they will have for sale and to see the class roster.
The Pepsi Refresh Grant not only gave them a good dose of cash, but also featured them in a television spot that ran nationally on MTV.
Reviews:
Mumford & Sons
June 14, 2010
Bluebird, Bloomington, IN
June 14, 2010
Bluebird, Bloomington, IN
Road trip! As you all might gather, I’m pretty neighborhood-centric. As a Purdue graduate my trips to Bloomington have been few and centered around Oaken Bucket football games and helping friends move to grad school.
I had no idea who Mumford & Sons were, but when Kristofer Bowman, keeper of all things cool, sent me a text asking if I wanted to go, I said yes, without question. I knew I’d love the band.
After years of driving a truck I now have a vehicle with fancy stuff like backseats, power locks and XM radio. The drive down was fun and fueled by sandwiches from Mass Ave Wine Shop and truffles from The Best Chocolate in Town.
The sky got darker and darker as we drove and heavy rain hit and the tornado sirens were blaring by the time we parked. We ducked into a restaurant and the first thing I asked the bartender was where the walk-in cooler was – generally the walk-in is the safest place in the restaurant if a tornado hit. I don’t know if my new friends were impressed or frightened by my safety concerns. If anything ever happens, follow me. I’ll do my darndest to get us out of harms way.
Luckily there was no tornado, although we did see a small tree fly by, but it was a soggy walk to the Bluebird. The show was sold out and the venue was packed with damp people. I swear you could see steam rising from the crowd.
I really enjoyed the opening musician, singer-songwriter, Adam Stockdale and the fact that he is the band’s guitar tech made me dig him even more.
After a half an hour wait a second opening band took the stage, the duo French & Indian War. Regular readers of this column know that I’m mostly sunshine and ponies in my recaps of bands and events. If something is not great, I usually don’t write about it or talk about the scenery or something else.
French & Indians Wars created the perfect storm of an awful opening band scenario. The audience was restless, the band took too long to set up and break down (I was ready to jump up and wrap cords and carry monitors off of the stage) and quite frankly, and they weren’t good. I’d wedged myself next to door where the bands were entering and leaving. At one point the lads from Mumford & Sons were standing next to me ready to take the stage and they finally gave up and walked back down the hallway.
But it was all worth it! Mumford & Sons were fabulous and worth the wait and the rain and tornado warnings. The London folk band is delightful and talented. The members switch instruments and trade vocals. They have some bluegrass sensibilities – banjo, dobro, mandolin and accordion play a big part in their music. The songs are great and the harmonies lovely. If you’re a fan of the Avett Brothers, you’ll like Mumford & Sons.
Sunday, 4 July 2010
On Thursday we went to a private recital given by The English Concert celebrating the end of their season and the launch of their new season. They played Handel's Concerto Grosso Op. 6 no. 6 in G minor, Marcello's Oboe Concerto in D minor and Vivaldi's Concerto in D, RV208, Il Grosso Mogul. The beautifully expressive soloist in the Marcello was Katharina Spreckelsen. In the Vivaldi, the solo part with its amazing cascades of notes was played with aplomb by Nadja Zwiener.
Hearing such a group in a smaller, private surroundings brought to mind the private nature of much baroque music. Written at a time when public concerts were relatively unknown, concertos, concerti grossi and cantatas were written for private performance in patron's salons. Something that we can only experience rarely today.
The English Concert's new season includes such delights as Alice Coote singing Dowland at the Wigmore Hall, Anna Caterina Antonnacci and Sara Mingardo in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Laurence Cummings directing an evening of contemporary arrangements of Scarlatti keyboard sonatas. The group will also be performing at the Spitalfields Festival, collaborating with I Fagiolini on Purcell's King Arthur
Hearing such a group in a smaller, private surroundings brought to mind the private nature of much baroque music. Written at a time when public concerts were relatively unknown, concertos, concerti grossi and cantatas were written for private performance in patron's salons. Something that we can only experience rarely today.
The English Concert's new season includes such delights as Alice Coote singing Dowland at the Wigmore Hall, Anna Caterina Antonnacci and Sara Mingardo in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Laurence Cummings directing an evening of contemporary arrangements of Scarlatti keyboard sonatas. The group will also be performing at the Spitalfields Festival, collaborating with I Fagiolini on Purcell's King Arthur
Friday, 2 July 2010
Concert of Music for Life
Tonight Japanese pianist Reiko Fujisawa will be giving a piano recital at St. Michael's church, Highgate. The recital is in support of Music for Life, a project which has pioneered and developed interactive, creative music workshop programmes for people living with dementia. Music for Life was founded in 1993 and is now managed by Wigmore Hall in partnership with Dementia UK. More details can be found on here Reiko Fujisawa's web-site.
The programme includes Bach English Suite BWV 807, Beethoven Waldstein Sonata op. 53, Schubert Impromptus D. 899 and Albeniz Suite Espagnole.
The programme includes Bach English Suite BWV 807, Beethoven Waldstein Sonata op. 53, Schubert Impromptus D. 899 and Albeniz Suite Espagnole.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Recent CD Review
My review of the Brabant Ensemble's disc of sacred music by Pierre Moulu is here, on MusicWeb International.
Fascinating and rather enchanting ...
Fascinating and rather enchanting ...
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