A scene from American Ballet Theatre's “The Bright Stream.” (Rosalie O’Connor)

‘The Bright Stream’–American Ballet Theatre

This comedic 1935 ballet tells the story of what humorously unfolds when a sophisticated Moscow dance troupe arrives to bring culture to a Russian farm. Set to folk music by Dmitri Shostakovich and featuring new choreography by the acclaimed Alexei Ratmansky, formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet. Two acts. One hour and 51 minutes.

The Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Now through June 2, times vary
Tickets: $20–$190
www.abt.org

‘The Musicians with Day Jobs’

Pianist Justin Levitt, pianist Bruce Maxwell, and cellist Howie Lee perform works by Bach, Chopin, Fauré, Massenet, Justin Levitt, and Bruce Maxwell.

Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall
Friday June 1, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $28–$35
www.carnegiehall.com

Pinchas Zukerman Plays and Conducts Bach, Mozart, and Stravinsky

Featuring the highly respected Pinchas Zukerman as violinist and conductor, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London performs Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 (“Turkish”), Stravinsky’s Concerto in D, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
June 6–9, times vary
$45–$137
nyphil.org

FINE ARTS

Casting the Divine
Highlighted by 15th and 16th century Buddhist sculptures from the Himalayas and nearby regions, this exhibition of more than 100 works represents the entire Nyingjei Lam Collection. The name Nyingjei Lam translates to “Paths of Compassion.”

Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17 St.
Now through July 30
Admission: $10, children under 12 free
www.rmanyc.org

Old Master Paintings at Christie’s

An exhibition and sale of old masterpieces from Europe highlighted by Girolamo Romanino’s (Brescia 1484/7–1560) “Christ Carrying the Cross” (estimate: $2.5 million–$3.5 million) and a pair of masterpieces by French 18th century landscapist Hubert Robert, “The Ruins” and “The Old Bridge” (estimate: $800,000–$1.2 million).

Christie’s, Rockefeller Center
Exhibition: June 2–5, Sale: June 6, 5 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.christies.com

Jakob Philipp Hackert’s 1783 painting “A View of Giornico from the St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland.” (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

Old Master Paintings at Sotheby’s

An exhibition and sale of old masterpieces from Europe highlighted by an awe-inspiring landscape, Jakob Philipp Hackert’s 1783 painting “A View of Giornico from the St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland” (estimate: $150,000–$200,000), and the “Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels” by The Pseudo Dalmasio degli Scannabecchi, an artist working in Italy in the 14th century (estimate: $250,000–$300,000).

Sotheby’s, 1334 York Ave.,
Exhibition: May 31–June 5, Sale: June 6, 10 a.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.sothebys.com

Egyptian, Classical, and Western Asiatic Antiquities

An antiquities auction with 79 lots, featuring a nearly life size marble statue of the goddess Aphrodite, circa 2nd century (estimate: $300,000–$500,000), and an Egyptian Limestone Block Statue of the Transport Official Karo, from around 1187–1156 B.C. (estimate: $250,000–$350,000).

Sotheby’s, 1334 York Ave.,
Exhibition: May 31–June 6, Sale: June 7, 2 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.sothebys.com

Antiquities at Christie’s

An exhibition and sale of 260 antiquities lots highlighted by a 9,000-year-old limestone mask from the Judean desert (estimate: $400,000–$600,000) and a Roman marble portrait head of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, reign 138–161 (estimate $150,000–$200,000).

Christie’s, Rockefeller Center
Exhibition: June 2–7, Sale: June 8, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.christies.com

FAMILY

Elizabeth Mitchell and her band. (Laura Levine)

Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower

Take a trip on the Staten Island ferry to see Elizabeth Mitchell perform kid-friendly folk music, accompanied by her musical husband and daughter, and violinist Jean Cook. Designed for children ages 3–6.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden,
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301–1199
Saturday, June 3, 2–4 p.m.
This event is free.
www.snug-harbor.org

Free Art Island Outpost

Take your children, ages 1–12, on a ferry to Governors Island where they can choose from a variety of hands on art projects and art-viewing experiences, including artist-led workshops, self-guided art stations, large collaborative projects, sound design, and animation.

Governor’s Island, inside and surrounding buildings 11 & 14 in Nolan Park
Every Saturday and Sunday, Now through Sept. 30
11 a.m.–3 p.m.
This event is free
www.cmany.org

Submit Arts Events

The arts at their best are not purely for entertainment or the reinvention of art itself. Rather, they strive forward with traditional forms, toward technical mastery, and place the highest value on virtue and the spiritually sublime.

Email events for consideration to NYC_news@epochtimes.com

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Maestro Dirk Brosse. (Courtesy of Dirk Brosse)

Music is structured sounds built around universal laws, and has the power to influence the moods and emotions of human beings, says Dirk Brosse, one of Europe’s finest composers and conductors.

Maestro Brosse has since extended his work beyond his Belgian homeland. He is the principal conductor of America’s world-famous Star Wars concert and also the Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia, “a wonderful place for classical music”, Maestro Brosse talked with The Epoch Times about his wide-ranging, multi-faceted musical endeavors which include marrying his music with lines written by Nobel laureate, Gabriel García Márquez, and composing soulful music for ancient Chinese instruments such as the Erhu. 

Retrieving the original beauty of classical music – A European Approach

When asked about his approach to directing an American chamber orchestra, Brosse said he wanted to introduce a new voice to refresh Americans’ experience with classical music. Bringing the European tradition to America is his artistic goal and he has applied that to his role as the musical director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia – a post he has held since 2010.

“The musicians (here) are top, they play as no one else. They are all graduates of Curtis and Julliard, the best musicians,” he said.

“I cannot teach them to play better,” he added. “The only thing I can bring is a different view. Putting on a different pair of glasses and say ‘well, let’s look at it that way, let’s do it that way.”

As a result he believes the level of the orchestra went up. “Every time we play, it is better and better and better.”

“As conductor, Maestro Brosse brings with him much experience. He’s conducted major orchestras around the world, including the London Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras, the World Symphony Orchestra (Japan), the Camerata St Petersburg, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Orchestras of Venezuela and Ecuador.

He believes the artistic goal of a conductor is “to recreate and reproduce the music written by the composers at the best possible level.”

“It is not like in jazz music where everything has to come from the performer. As re-creators of classical music, we (conductors) receive a printed piece of music and all the information is already there. So, the percentage that we can be different from other orchestras is quite small, but at the same time we have to use it to distinguish ourselves.”

Modern music owes much to the great European composers, he says.

“Without Johan Sebastian Bach, there would never be a Michael Jackson, there would never be the Beatles, there would never be Madonna. Because if you analyze their music, you go back to the principles of Johan Sebastian Bach—in the chords, the relation between the chords, the structure of a melody, and the structure of the rhythm.”

But people forget, not only modern musicians but also classical aficionados. In doing so, he warns, performers can lose the composer’s original vision of the music.

“When Beethoven wrote his symphony, he did not use 80 musicians. In Beethoven’s time there were 33 musicians. So, if you play a piece of music with 80 musicians, instead of 33, it is a world of difference.”

Sounds produced by orchestras using modern instruments is also completely different from those made by authentic instruments for which the classical music was originally created.

“Going back to the history and trying to come closer to the original idea of the composer” offers a source of new experience with classical music, he said.

Creating your own destiny—An American approach 

Maestro Brosse says American music culture is very different to that of Europe, the latter government- subsidized and the U.S. private sector supported. He is enjoying American culture, which he says puts the connections between musicians and community on a different level. The music industry in the U.S. has to constantly find new ways to attract and retain patrons in order to receive donors’ support. 

“In Europe you know you will always have your salary regardless of how many (audience members) are in the hall,” he said, “In the U.S. you have to create your own destination and your own tomorrow.”

Continued on the next page: Maestro Brosse’s destination becomes Star Wars: In Concert

Hera singing with the theorbo during a concert in Timisoara. (Courtesy of Caius Hera)

Romanian lute player Caius Hera’s love affair with the lute began in his room in Timisoara, Romania where he imitated the sound of the lute on his guitar. His passion led him to Basel, Switzerland and there, under the tutelage of the famous lute master Hopkinson Smith, young Hera reached the level of lute mastery that he’d always dreamed of.

Currently, Hera is working on projects with Hungarian singer Judit Andrejszki, with most of their concerts performed in Eastern Europe. In May, Hera will perform Renaissance music with Judit Andrejszki and the famous Hungarian folk singer Márta Sebestyén in Budapest. At the end of August, he is preparing a big tour in Romania, Hungary, and other nearby countries.

His First Lute

Hera had already studied classical guitar and music theory on his own in high school and only became acquainted with the lute in 2000 at the West University of Timisoara. It was then that he started experimenting with his guitar, trying to make it sound like a lute.

“I simply liked it and tried to see how it would sound on my guitar. It sounded good, but I felt that it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. Lute strings are thinner, and there are some things about the instrument’s construction [that differs]. The tensions are different. The overall sonority of the instrument is far lower than that of the guitar. The guitar sounds loud and aggressive; the lute sounds soft, very soft,” he said.

After searching for years, Hera found, in a small Romanian town, a violin maker able to make a lute for him—his first lute.

The violin maker wasn’t what Hera was prepared for. “‘What do you want, kid? You want to ruin yourself?’ was the answer to his order for a lute, Hera recalled. ‘You better go do some pop music. You want to go down the road of no return? It’s like a disease, kid. When you get one lute, you’ll want another, and another.’”

But Hera replied, “Give me a break, sir. Don’t depress me. I want a lute! I’ve dreamed of having my own lute for years. Now I finally found you, so please make one for me.”

“The man said, ‘Okay, kid. I’ll make a lute for you.’”

On New Year’s Eve, 2004, Hera had his first lute in hand. But when he started to pluck the lute strings the next day, he was totally disappointed. The sound had no color.

He called the violin maker, “‘Sir, what have you given me here? This doesn’t sound right!’ and the man replied, ‘Kid, you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. It doesn’t work that way—switching from a guitar to a lute, and that’s it? You need a specific technique. You have to study the technique of interpretation, as if you were going from the piano to the harpsichord. You must realize this is another tool. You must take master classes.’”

Unwilling to renounce his dream of mastering the lute, Hera went to Lake Balaton in Hungary. There was a music festival that year and the great lute master, Hopkinson Smith, was invited. Hera met him and arranged some master classes with him and then he said to himself, “This is good! I’m finally on the right track.” But he wanted more. He wanted to sit there and study everything from the beginning. Hera remembers: “Hopkinson said, ‘No problem, you can find me in Basel.’”

With extraordinary guts, Hera took all of his savings, booked a train ticket and—bang!—he went to Basel. He studied with Hopkinson Smith for two years. And, although he wondered about it, because it was enormously expensive, he ended up studying with the greatest and the most famous musicians of early music—with Crawford Young, studying Medieval to early Renaissance lute playing, and with British lutenist Anthony Rooley.

Hera went to Basel with one lute, but he returned with many other old instruments. In addition to the Renaissance lute, he mastered the vihuela da mano, a baroque lute with 13 strings; a theorbo, or long-necked lute; an oud, a pear-shaped string instrument; a Baroque guitar; a Renaissance lute and many other instruments with six, seven, and ten strings.

“It was just as the violin maker said, ‘That thing will get you, kid. You won’t be able to stop. You’ll always want new instruments and you’re always going to call me and tell me that you need a tool shank with this or that, or another with—I don’t know what—and in the end you will end up with four or five instruments that are the same, with only small differences between them.’”

‘Musical Archaeology’

What is it that drives Hera to devote all the time and effort he puts into his concerts and collaborations? A desire to perform music from past ages—Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque—as authentically as possible, through instruments and techniques.

“In fact, what I do is a kind of ‘musical archeology’ because I basically do not dig in the ground. I don’t take the shovel in one hand and dig to see what others have left behind them. No. What I do is take the old scores and dig in them. I try to discover how they were composed, why they were composed that way and how they were interpreted.”

Hera explains that he does not venture into the realm of the super avant-garde because when he sees what’s there, he gets quite scared. He sees it as something we cannot control, catalogue, or know its value.

Hera believes that “You must know where to start and where you want to go.”

“That’s why I was most interested in presenting this kind of music as authentically as possible. It was for this that I purchased all the instruments and strings required for the tunings used at that time; the plucking techniques of the right hand and holding for left hand—absolutely all the techniques I use are authentic and very well documented. Nothing is invented,” Hera said.

The Future

Caius Hera doesn’t know which direction music is heading, but he is sure of one thing: “Classical music is stagnating or declining. But this is not true for pop music. Pop music has no way to stall because it is not profound enough to be put in this problematic situation. It is the background music that no one hears, and no longer understands. It is that noise.”

Hera thinks that musical creation is linked to the morality of a civilization or a composer. “I remember a very interesting thing the great guitarist Andrés Segovia said, ‘the guitar is kept by the heart and sang from the heart.’ So, as an interpreter you are already a creator; and even more so for a composer. If you do not have an intense experience and you are not sincere in what you write, it is useless.”

Caius Hera exemplifies the proverbial artist who lives for his art. He is an example of courage, perseverance, and authenticity that can inspire any artist who follows in his footsteps to say “Indeed, now I am on the right track!”

To discover more about Caius Hera, subscribe to his YouTube channel HERE, or listen samples of his music on his MySpace account.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Rock band Van Halen perform during their 'A Different Kind of Truth' tour on Feb. 18 in Louisville, Ky. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

The Pasadena, Calif.-based hard rock band Van Halen on Thursday abruptly postponed more than 30 concert tour dates, following their June 26 concert in New Orleans, according to MTV.

The band gave neither explanation nor any word on refund or rescheduled dates of the postponed performances. The tickets to their postponed concerts are still on sale on Ticketmaster. 

The cancelled city dates include Milwaukee, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, and El Paso. Thirteen shows, including Saturday’s concert in St. Paul, Minn., will take place as scheduled. 

No word has been said about the tour and the cancellation on the band’s website, Twitter page, and Facebook page. 

The four-member band, formed in 1974, is on tour to promote its new album, “A Different Kind of Truth,” the first complete album with original lead singer David Lee Roth since its last “1984.” “1984” was released on New Year’s Eve of 1983.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Michael Kang (L) of String Cheese Incident performs at the fourth annual JAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on March 16, 2004 in New York City (Roberto Rabanne/Getty Images)

After a long history of confrontations with Ticketmaster, the Colorado-based jam band String Cheese Incident organized 50 fans and friends to buy $20,000 worth of tickets from the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

With cash advanced by the group, each person bought an average of eight tickets at $49.95 each for the band’s concert in July at the theater. After collecting nearly 400 tickets, they sent the tickets back to the String Cheese Incident headquarters in Colorado and are reselling them for $49.95 with no extra “convenience charge” imposed by Ticketmaster, The New York Times reported.

As of Thursday evening, both the String Cheese Incident’s website and Ticketmaster are selling the band’s tickets, at $49.95 and $62.85 respectively. Ticketmaster charges the listed price of $49.95 as well as a convenience charge of $12.90.

String Cheese Incident is only one of the latest groups to confront Ticketmaster for overcharging. Over the past year, several New York-based world-touring groups have switched from Ticketmaster to a new New York-based Web ticketing system, Ticketingbox.

The String Cheese Incident, formed in 1993, is launching its tour on June 28 in Rothbury, Mich. and finishing off on July 22 in North Plans, Ore.

Recording artist Talib Kweli performs on stage at the "Rock The Bells" tour on Randall's Island in New York City in 2007. (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Touring hip-hop festival Rock the Bells announced late Tuesday this summer’s line-up for the three host cities: San Bernardino, Calif., Mountain View, Calif., and Holmdel, N.J. The festival will stop by for two days in each city.

Rock the Bellsl will feature new talents while honoring revered mainstream and alternative hip hop artists of the past at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino on Aug. 18 and 19, Amphitheatre in Mountain View on Aug. 25 and 26, and PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J. on Sept. 1 and 2. 

The lineup includes a wide assortment of artists, including Missy Elliot, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, 2 Chainz, Atmosphere, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, J. Cole, Naughty By Nature, Wiz Khalifa, Salt-N-Pepa, Kid Cudi, Murs, Redman, and Fashawn.

Missy Elliott is making a much-anticipated comeback after she has been away from the music scene for a few years while struggling with an autoimmune disorder known as Graves disease. 

A pre-sale to all three cities is set for this Friday at 10 a.m., with tickets on sale to the general public on Saturday.

 Janina Fialkowska, with husband Harry Oesterle, at Governor General's Performing Arts Awards gala . (Photo by GioVanni)

Montreal-born pianist Janina Fialkowska, shown here with husband Harry Oesterle, received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards at the National Arts Centre on May 5.

Fialkowska, who started playing piano when she was four, had just released her latest recording, “Chopin Recital 2,” the week before. The internationally renowned musician is seen as one of the best interpreters of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt.

Fialkowska’s career has spanned over 35 years of solo recital tours and guest appearances with the world’s finest orchestras and conductors. A rare form of cancer that required surgery affected her right arm in 2002, but by 2004 she was able to get back to playing the music of her favourite classical composers.

CD cover to “Nicolai Gedda Sings Arias & Lieder” (Courtesy of Hänssler Classic)

I remember listening to the radio program “The Vocal Scene,” and the knowledgeable host George Jellinek played a number of recordings of the same difficult aria by some of the most famous tenors of the 20th century. Finally, he said here is the one recording where the aria is sung exactly as written: the artist was Nicolai Gedda.

Born in Stockholm in 1925 of a Russian father and Swedish mother, Gedda had a gift for languages and music. He speaks about a dozen languages and has superb diction in each of them. In the recording of Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa,” his enunciation is clearer than some of the Americans in the cast.

Now retired, Gedda sang on the world’s opera and concert stages until he was in his 70s and is considered to be the most recorded tenor in history, in part because he mastered so many vocal styles.

A new collection, “Nicolai Gedda Sings Arias & Lieder” (on Hänssler Classic), is an invaluable collection of recordings made between 1954 and 1965 when he was in his prime. The first aria is The Coachman’s Song from Adolphe Adam’s “Le Postillon de Lonjumeau” (the role in which he made his debut in 1952).

The piece not only shows off his impeccable French style and diction, but also his brilliant high D. Pavarotti once said, “There is no tenor alive with a greater ease in the upper register than Gedda.”

On the CD, in addition to the Adam piece, Gedda performs arias by Gluck, Mozart, Rossini, and Glinka. He then shifts gears and sings an array of songs by Schubert, Poulenc, Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Nin, Respighi, Pratella, Casella, and Carnevali, with piano accompaniment by Werner Singer and Erik Werba.

Aretha Franklin

Another artist who combines greatness with vocal longevity is Aretha Franklin. She recently celebrated her 70th birthday and performed at Radio City Music Hall. In honor of the “Queen of Soul’s” birthday, Arista/Legacy released a collection of highlights from her collaboration with producer Clive Davis and Arista Records: “Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin 1980–1988.”

Though Franklin had triumphed in her earlier Atlantic years, changing public tastes and disappointing sales for her later recordings led her to leave the label. At Arista, Davis combined her with some of the best pop, soul, rock, dance, and jazz artists on the scene.

On the collection, Franklin can be heard singing duets with Annie Lennox, Elton John, Whitney Houston (Franklin’s goddaughter), George Michael, Michael McDonald, and George Benson and had guest instrumentalists such as Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood on “Jumping Jack Flash” and Clarence Clemons on “Freeway of Love.”

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

Acclaimed cellist Mischa Maisky returns to Toronto after 34 years. (Hideki Shiozawa)

Classical music fans have a May 3 concert to look forward to as Latvian-born cellist Mischa Maisky, acclaimed as one of the best cellists of our time, returns to Toronto for the first time in 34 years. 

The occasion is a special one. It is Maisky’s friend Yuri Bashmet’s 60th birthday this year and the 20th anniversary of the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra.

Bashmet, one of the greatest contemporary viola players and the director of the Symphony Orchestra of New Russia, is also a leading conductor and the founder of the Grammy-winning Moscow Soloists.

Renowned conductor and violist Yuri Bashmet leads the Moscow Soloists on their 20th anniversary tour. (Courtesy of Show One Productions)

The concert, featuring works by Schubert, Brahms, Haydn, and Tchaikovsky, is part of a North American tour by the Moscow Soloists to several U.S cities, including Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. Toronto is the only Canadian stop. 

“They play a lot together and I think the understanding between them is really really good,” said producer Svetlana Dvoretskaia, who brought the Moscow Soloists to Toronto. 

The communication between artists is highly important, explains Dvoretskaia, saying that only when the artists communicate, can they produce beautiful music. 

“There’s a huge difference between playing notes and playing music. It either happens, that magic moment on stage, or it doesn’t,” says Dvoretskaia, who, as the daughter of late Russian pianist Annetta Maizel, has grown up with music. 

After immigrating to Canada, she founded Show One Productions and has helped bring many talented artists to Toronto. 

“You can go to a concert and it can be a wonderful performance, but you’ll forget it in no time,” says Dvoretskaia. 

“But sometimes you go to the concert and it stays with you. It stays with you for a long time and in some cases, it stays with you forever. This is I think what differentiates the true artist from just someone who can play.”

She believes that both Maisky and Bashmet have that special quality. In addition to their high calibre, the two artists have a strong personality that comes through in the music.

“Artistic personality at its best,” she says.

Daniel Barenboim will conduct the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in a complete Beethoven symphony cycle culminating on July 27, the opening night of the London Olympics. (Daniel Barenboim)

The lineup for the London 2012 Festival—a major celebration to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics—was announced on Thursday, April 26.

Stars and artists including singer Damon Albarn, conductor Daniel Barenboim, actress Cate Blanchett, dissident Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, and American singer Rihanna are to feature in a UK-wide festival.

More than 25,000 artists from all 204 competing Olympic nations are set to appear at the festival, which runs from June 21 to September 9.

Organisers said that there will be over 10 million free tickets for 12,000 events, covering a range of arts from music, theatre, fashion, dance, installations, comedy, and literature.

Stephen Fry said in a statement: “The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an astonishing event, and it’s only right that we use the opportunity to showcase our world-leading arts and culture when the eyes of the world are on us.”

Highlights of the festival include BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend starring musicians Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Jack White performing to 100,000 fans, while London’s newest landmark designed by internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond, the 115-foot-high The Orbit, will be launched in May.

Daniel Barenboim will conduct his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in a complete Beethoven symphony cycle culminating on July 27, the opening night of the London Olympics.

“The London 2012 Festival will be the largest cultural celebration in our lifetime,” said Ruth Mackenzie, director of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival, in a statement announcing the launch.

“With new work from the best musicians, comics, artists, film makers and more, there will be arts events taking place in unusual places all over the UK that will showcase the best in international culture when the eyes of the world are on us this summer.” she said.

The festival will be launched on Midsummer’s Night, June 21, with an open-air concert featuring star conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela playing at Stirling Castle in Scotland. Other spectacular events will take place at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and Lake Windermere in Cumbria.

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, said in a statement: “The 2012 Games provides a unique chance to showcase Britain to the world. The London 2012 Festival highlights the enormous wealth of world class culture that this country has to offer, providing opportunities for everyone, everywhere to get involved and be inspired.”

Van Cliburn, the great American pianist. (Courtesy of Christie’s)

NEW YORK—Christie’s will present extraordinary works from the personal collection of Van Cliburn, one of the greatest pianists in history, on May 17.

In a conversation with Paul Holdengräber at the New York Public Library (NYPL) on May 15 at 7 p.m., Van Cliburn will reflect on his long and fascinating career, as well as expound on the fine points of his collection for sale. Tickets are available at livefromthenypl.showclix.com.

Born in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Harvey Lavan (Van) Cliburn Jr. started playing piano at the age of 3. His family moved to Texas when he was 6, and by the age of 12, the young prodigy won every major competition he entered. He went on to study at The Juilliard School in New York when he was 17.

Cliburn’s skyrocket to fame was launched in 1958 after his victory at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. The world-renowned pianist was then dubbed “the Texan who conquered Russia” by Time magazine.

Cliburn’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s “First Piano Concerto” was the first classical recording ever to sell a million copies, and since has gone triple platinum.

One of the judges who awarded Cliburn the top prize in Moscow in 1958 said at the time, “His inborn artistry and subtle musicianship ennoble all that he plays.”

An honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in London, Cliburn is the recipient of more than 20 honorary doctorate degrees. He has received multiple awards from Russian and American governments and has played for every U.S. president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Barack Obama, as well as royalty and heads of state from dozens of other countries.

The Van Cliburn Collection

“After a concert, I would buy something to give me a tangible memory, for music and memory are indestructible,” Van Cliburn once said, according to Christie’s.

The highlight of the sale is the Steinway concert grand piano, which has always been at the center of the Cliburn home. It was his mother’s, Rildia Bee’s, and Cliburn spent considerable amount of his musical life practicing and working on it.

This piano is being sold to honor Rildia Bee, and proceeds will benefit The Juilliard School and The Moscow Conservatory, Van Cliburn’s alma maters.

Estimates range from $1,000 to $250,000. The total sale is expected to achieve in excess of $3 million.

Live at the NYPL: A conversation with Van Cliburn, May 15, 7 p.m.

Auction: May 17

Public Viewing: Christie’s Rockefeller Galleries, May 12–16

In this file photo, US singer Axel Rose performs with Guns N'Roses in Brazil. Guns N Roses and two other bands were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. (Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images)

The Class of 2012 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium in a ceremony that saw 6,000 people in the audience and stretched into the early hours of the morning. This class included well known names in the rock and roll world, such as Guns N Roses, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Beastie Boys, Donovan, The Small Faces and Faces and Laura Nyro.

Sadly, controversy and Guns N Roses are never apart. Front man Axl Rose created controversy when he announced that he would boycott the Rock N Roll induction ceremony, and ended up being absent from the event. When the band were received on stage and the names were announced, Rose’s name was booed. Green Day’s Billy Armstrong, who introduced and inducted the group, tried to drown out the protests by saying that Axl Rose was “one of the best frontmen to ever touch a microphone.”

The rest of the Guns N Roses band, including McCagan, Slash and Adler, got together to perform three of their most famous hits from their debut album “Appetite For Destruction” including “Sweet Child Of Mine”, “Paradise City” and “Mr. Brownstone” with vocals handled by Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge.

Guns N Roses, after making a splash with their debut album in the 1980s and becoming a global phenomenon, fell apart due to their constant bickering. They came together for one final album release, their sixth one, titled “Chinese Democracy,” which was released in November 2008. That last album debuted at number three on the Billboard 100 charts, was certified Platinum by the RIAA and went on to achieve international success.

Comedian Chris Rock inducted the Red Hot Chilli Peppers who also played a four song set starting with one of their most famous songs “By The Way”.

The Beastie Boys became just the third act to enter the prestigious hall of fame after Run DMC and The Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five. The ceremony closed with an all-star jam with Slash, Ron Wood, Billy Armstrong and George Clinton performing Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”.

While hardcore rockers missed Axl Rose, the rest of the audience seemed to have no problem enjoying the rest of the night and the 5 and a half hour program. 

French soprano Sandrine Piau on the cover of her album 'Après un rêve.' (Courtesy of Naïve Classique)

During April, soprano Sandrine Piau will perform at Zankel Hall, and actresses Irène Jacob and Bernadette Lafont will appear at the French Institute Alliance Française. Jacob will make her U.S. debut as a singer, and Lafont will be on hand for a celebration of her film career.

Sandrine Piau

French soprano Sandrine Piau is best known for her work in Baroque operas, though she occasionally steps into roles from the 19th century (Sophie in Massenet’s Werther) and the 20th century (Titania in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Her latest album, Après un rêve (on Naïve), with her superb piano accompanist, native New Yorker Susan Manoff, shows that she is also a superb recitalist.

The album is a thoughtful mix of songs in German, French, and English on sleep, dreams, and waking.

The title piece (After a dream) is a song by Fauré in which the singer enjoys her dream so much that she doesn’t want to wake up.

Night is more insidious in Richard Strauss’s song in which the darkness “takes everything that is lovely,” according to the CD’s liner notes. The morning is more hopeful in the same composer’s Morgen (Tomorrow) when the singer expects to be reunited with her lover.

Mendelssohn’s Neue Liebe is more ambiguous. The queen of the elves rides by with a smile on her face, leaving the singer to wonder whether her expression presages a new love or death.

One of the Chausson pieces recalls a love of yesteryear (“in the pale rays of April’s past/do you feel the flower of your dreams unfold”), while another conjures up The Forest of Dreams and Enchantments.

The four Poulenc songs on the album are settings of poems by surrealist poets Apollinaire and Aragon. In the former’s Hyde Park, “the religious propagandists/Were preaching in the fog”—a century later, they probably still do.

Poulenc’s setting of Aragon’s Fêtes galantes races through a startling array, from “marquises on bicycles” to “shoe sellers out of work” and “solid values collapsing.”

By contrast, the heartrending C conveys the destruction of war from the “overturned cars and disabled weapons” to the poet’s “ill-dried tears” for his devastated country.

The four contemporary pieces by Vincent Bouchot, Galgenlieder, are quite unsettling, especially the lullaby that urges a child to sleep, while conjuring up a sheep in the sky that is devoured by the sun. (“The sheep is made of water vapor and fights to survive, just like you.”)

Piau shows off her flawless English enunciation in the four songs by Britten, starting with his lovely setting of Yeats’s Down by the Salley Gardens, in which the singer recalls her youth when she was foolish and gave up her true love.

Throughout the album, the singer and pianist perfectly convey the meaning of each piece, all beautifully sung and played.

Piau and Manoff will perform songs from the album plus others at Zankel Hall (the intimate hall in the Carnegie Hall complex), on April 26 at 7:30 p.m. Call 212-247-7800 for tickets.

Irène Jacob

One venue that always presents high caliber artists from France is the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), which recently presented the singer-songwriter Arthur H.

Irène Jacob is a prominent actress (winner of the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1991), but she is about to release her first album as a singer, accompanied by her jazz musician brother Francis. She is going to preview her album at FIAF (22 East 60th St., 212-355-6100) on Monday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m.

Bernadette Lafont

A Very Curious Girl, April 10, 12:30, 4, & 7:30 p.m.
The Mischief Makers (a short) and “Such a Gorgeous Girl Like Me,” April 17, 12:30 & 4 p.m.
Stolen Holidays, April 24, 12:30, 4, & 7:30 p.m.

Bernadette Lafont will introduce the two films she made with Truffaut on April 17 at 7 p.m. and read a selection of his letters on April 18.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

This gig will reflect the global nature of Trócaire’s work. It will give people a chance to sample elements of different cultures, while enjoying top-class Irish acts…

TrócaireLive will take place at The Grand Social, 35 Lower Liffey Street, Dublin 1 on Saturday, April 28th (doors open at 7.30pm). The gig will showcase Irish and world music, and place a spotlight on Trócaire’s campaigning work.

Fred, The Hot Sprockets and Katie Kim will headline TrócaireLive and will be joined by the Dembe Troupe dancers from Uganda; Talking Drums, a Nigerian drumming duo; and Manila Rhythm, a Filipino acoustic band. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Daniel Scannell, will also perform; Groovement Soul will close the gig with a DJ set; and the event will be MC’d by Today FM’s Paul McLoone, himself a well-known musician and lead singer with The Undertones.

Announcing details of TrócaireLive on Tuesday, Joanne McGarry, Campaigns Officer with Trócaire, said: “Trócaire works in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. This gig will reflect the global nature of our work. It will give people a chance to sample elements of different cultures, while enjoying top-class Irish acts. 
“The night will kick off with Nigerian folk drummers performing outside the venue. Inside, people can enjoy Middle Eastern food and soak up the atmosphere in the rooftop garden as they listen to the laidback surfer sounds of Daniel Scannell.

“Anyone who likes dancing will find it impossible to resist the mariachi-inspired music of Manila Rhythm and the awe-inspiring moves of the Dembe dance troupe. And, on top of all this, we’re offering the chance to see three of the most exciting contemporary acts on the Irish music scene: Fred, The Hot Sprockets and Katie Kim. This truly promises to be a gig with a difference.”

Childhood Memories of Trócaire

At today’s launch, some of the musicians who will perform at TrócaireLive shared their childhood memories of the charity. Trócaire is the Irish word for ‘mercy’.

Joseph O’Leary, lead singer with Fred, said: “Growing up, the Trócaire box always appeared in our house the first or second week of Lent and was usually full by Easter, sometimes topped up by our folks. However, one year, to break from formula, it was decided that my three siblings and I would all receive our own Trócaire box. All hell broke loose at the end of Lent that year, as some of us had nothing in our boxes and claimed to have been robbed! … Good, honest times.”

Hailing from Cork, Fred are one of Ireland’s best-loved bands and have just returned to the country after a Canadian tour, which included a number of performances at Canadian Music Week, one of the premier music conferences and festivals in North America. Fred have been together – in various line-ups – since 1999, and their reputation as a great live music act has increased on the back of constant touring and festivals, both at home and abroad. The band recently released their fourth studio album,Leaving My Empire, which has been hailed as their finest record to date.

The Hot Sprockets, meanwhile, are five friends who came together with a shared love of blues and rock’n’roll. They released their debut album, Honey Skippin, last year and, since then, their music has been used on everything from Bulmers’ ad campaigns to a BBC comedy and various RTÉ programmes. A phenomenal live band, the past two years have seen them play over 200 gigs, including support slots with The Zutons, The View, The Divine Comedy, Ida Maria, Peter Hook, Republic of Loose and BP Fallon.

Sharing his childhood memories of Trócaire today, Franky Kelly from The Hot Sprockets said: “When I was in primary school, I got the Trócaire box to bring home for Lent. I was only six or seven at the time and didn’t really know what the money I kept putting in the box was for. But when Lent was over and it was time to bring the money in, I got really upset – I thought it was mine to keep! Since then, I’ve fasted for Trócaire and raised money for them a few times.”

Further information about all of the acts performing at TrócaireLive is available at: www.trocaire.org/blogs/trocairelive-grand-social. Tickets for the gig cost 10 euro, and are available now from Entertainment.ie, and will also be available – on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – at the door on the night. 
Further information about Trócaire is available at: www.trocaire.org. 

Philip Cole at work on a violin. (Courtesy of Phillip Cole)

The special wooden box called the violin is crafted not only for the eyes but for singing its song for ears as well. It is no doubt an inspiration for any violin maker, therefore, to be raised in a family of both visual artists and musicians.

In the case of the family of American violin maker Philip Cole, now 36 years old, music and art run deep, indeed. “There is great tradition of music, art, and craft in my family. There is a famous wood engraver, Timothy, and his children: a painter, a glass blower, a violinist, and his grandson (a cellist) Orlando Cole,” Cole said.

Timothy Cole (1852-1931) was, according to Princeton’s website, a wood engraver who reproduced art for Scribner’s Monthly.

Orlando Cole, who recently passed away at 101 was on the faculty at the Curtis Institute for 75 years and essentially founded the New School of Music in Philadelphia now affiliated with Temple University. 

“Most people I come in touch with are in some way artists. Both my parents are great musicians, and my sister Tatiana, 29 years old, is restoring famous paintings and, as well, attends to rare photograph restorations,” Cole said.

Read: Reflections on a Great Musician

What inspired Lipo (as he is known to friends and family) to make violins? The Cole family lived in Italy for well over a decade, where they gave concerts and taught. Since Italy was the real birthplace of violin making and the land of so much great art in general, it is only fitting that Cole would be inspired by the auditory and visual delights surrounding him there.

More specifically, as a child he accompanied his parents to the home of Yukio Osaki, a violin maker living in Philadelphia and one who had studied the art of violin making in Cremona, Italy. Cremona is the birthplace of the greatest Italian violin makers.

At that meeting someone asked young Philip what he wanted to do when he grew up. Seeing so many of Yukio Osaki’s tools and woods and fiddles at his workshop and being in a kind of candy shop atmosphere, he said—a violin maker, Cole recalls.

Everybody laughed said Cole, but Yukio told him: “Do other things first, and if you want to make violins when you’re old, then do that.” These were wise words since it takes a great deal of patience to craft a cello or a violin. One must be seated at a bench, honing shapes and gauging thicknesses of woods for hours. Love for one’s craft and, above all, an attitude of patience must be keenly developed, for the craft requires as much caring as a parent for a beloved child.

Developing Patience and Humility

One means that Cole used to develop the discipline required to build a beautiful violin or viola was to study Tae Kwon Do. He studied with a Korean grand master in North Miami. This discipline developed willpower, in addition to other mind disciplines, so essential to his chosen career.

But what separates master violin maker Phillip Cole from so many other luthiers, in addition to his refined skills, is his absolute humility.

Some luthiers tell players how the instrument should sound and impose their own preferences upon the player. But this approach is backwards since it is to the luthier we players confide, in hopes of giving our instrument its best voice.

Cole, on the other hand, listens very carefully to what is being asked of him and responds with the best of his spirit and talent. Humility in the face of art, and dignity and respect for other human beings comes quickly to mind here.

This is no little task and those artists who are able to work from this premise glow in the field. In short, Cole’s love of violin making comes out in his work.

Eric Shumsky is a concert violist. For more information, see www.shumskymusic.com

New Artist of the Year Dan Mangan at the 2012 Juno awards held in Ottawa over the weekend. (Photo by GioVanni)

Hundreds converged at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, on the weekend for the 41st annual Juno Awards gala.

Among the much-loved Canadian performers was Dan Mangan, Vancouver folk rocker and indie singer-songwriter who won two of the awards he was nominated for: New Artist of the Year (presented on Sunday) and Alternative Album of the year for “Oh Fortune,” which he received the night before.

Born in Smithers, B.C., in 1983, Mangan now tours with a group of musicians from Vancouver and Toronto. Look for him at folk festivals and other venues this summer as this independent musician could land in your town.

Adam Lambert and Brian May of rock band Queen perform at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast. Sonisphere, a major British music festival that was to be headlined by Queen, has been cancelled. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

Hard rock festival Sonisphere has become the first major UK music festival to be cancelled in 2012, amid what the organisers called a “very challenging year”.

The festival was due to run from July 6-8 at Knebworth Park in southern England, with headline acts including Queen, Kiss, Marilyn Manson, and Faith No More.

Rock band Queen was to perform with “American Idol” singer Adam Lambert.

Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen expressed their disappointment in a statement: “We were very much looking forward to performing with Adam Lambert and particularly as the venue was Knebworth, our last stand with Freddie. We apologise for the disappointment to all those who were looking forward to seeing us. We are working to see if we can redress the situation at some other venue.”

It is unclear the reasons the festival has been cancelled, but organisers said that they had “spent the last few months fighting hard to keep Sonisphere in the calendar”.

“Unfortunately circumstances have dictated that we would be unable to run the festival to a standard that both the artists and that Sonisphere’s audience would rightly expect,” they said in a statement on the festival’s website.

Ticket holders have been promised a full refund from their ticket agents.

According to music news website CMU, rumours of the cancellation began to circulate earlier this week, with many agents angry that, having agreed to exclusivity deals with the festival, their artists are now without UK festival dates this year.

CMU also speculated as to the reasons for the festival’s demise, saying that it could be to do with the lineup, which last year boasted the “big four” of metal: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax.

A scene from “Macbeth” with Nadja Michael as Lady Macbeth. (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—Over 200 operas have been derived from Shakespeare’s plays, but the composer who best plumbed the playwright’s depths was Giuseppe Verdi. Although “Macbeth” has never achieved the popularity of Verdi’s late masterpieces based on the Bard’s plays, “Falstaff” and “Otello,” it is a work of undeniable power.

Now, the Metropolitan Opera has revived the 2007 production directed by Adrian Noble. Since he is the former head of the Royal Shakespeare Company, one would expect him to realize the dramatic potential.

He does to some extent, though he makes the odd choice of moving the action to post-World War II Scotland and making the trio of witches into a female chorus that looks like they stepped out of a “Harry Potter” movie.

The set and costume designer, Mark Thompson, achieves Noble’s vision, but whether it fits Verdi’s or Shakespeare’s conception is another matter. Fight director Malcolm Ranson merits special praise; the battles are as realistic as anything I’ve seen on the Met stage.

The intensity of the opera is maintained through the strong performances of Thomas Hampson in the title role and a striking Met debut by German soprano Nadja Michael as Lady Macbeth.

Michael certainly looked terrific, whether wearing a white nightgown or a skintight red dress. Her singing was also a standout; although not technically flawless, her voice soared over the orchestra and fit the character’s steely resolve.

Hampson has won praise around the world for his performance as Macbeth—including with Ms. Michael at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2010—and he did not disappoint. His emotional aria “Pieta, rispetto, amore” (“Honor, respect, and love,” in other words, all the things Macbeth will never have in life or death) was one of the high points.

Native New Yorker Dimitri Pittas made a strong impression with Macduff’s mournful aria about his murdered family members, and bass Günther Groissböck was effective as Banquo, who returns as a ghost.

The conducting was in the capable hands of Gianandrea Noseda. George Gagnidze, the outstanding baritone from the Republic of Georgia, will fill in as Macbeth for the March 29 performance.

“Macbeth” runs through April 9 at the Metropolitan Opera. Lincoln Center; 212-362-6000, or metoperafamily.org.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir is currently touring North America (Lorenzo Di Nozzi)

Africa’s gem has arrived. Adorned in vibrant colours, the Soweto Gospel Choir has been channelling the energy of South Africa to rave reviews on their North American tour—and they’re just getting started.

Their upcoming performances will showcase songs from their latest album “Grace”, as well as hits from the past. “Grace” is unique in that it features different types of music, from pop, to rock, to African and reggae. 

“It’s a beautiful show,” says Simmy Jiyane, choirmaster of the group. 

“It’s a very high energy show—very vibrant, very inspiring, and very, very motivating. There’s very beautiful music that comes from the continent of Africa, and South Africa. [Audiences] can come enjoy the beauty of all of the rainbow nation.”

The choir came together in 2002 through auditions held in South Africa in Johannesburg. In the early stages, no one foresaw the magnitude of success they had in store. 

A month after the group formed, their first album “Voices of Heaven” went straight to the number one spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart. A year later, they won their first major award, Australia’s Helpmann Award for “Best Contemporary Music Concert.” 

Since then , the choir has received international acclaim, including two Grammys, an Emmy, and two American Gospel Awards. 

They have performed alongside the likes of Bono, Bebe Winans, Celine Dion, John Legend, Josh Groban, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and have generated a strong fan base consisting of reputable figures such as Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. 

The Soweto Gospel choir (Lorenzo Di Nozzi)

Despite their outstanding success, the choir still aims to captivate the spirit of the people. 

“Since 2002 to now, 2012, we’ve been making people happy, putting smiles on people’s faces. That’s what we want to accomplish as a choir, and that’s what we are doing right now.” said Jiyane.

“Sometimes we get people who follow us, wherever we go. After the show, I hear people say, ‘I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve had music, I’ve had choirs sing, but I’ve never had anything like this. This is pure class.’”

Charitable efforts

Social activism makes up a notable portion of the choir’s efforts to uplift people through music and art. They’ve participated in charity events such as Nelson Mandela’s 46664 AIDS Awareness Concerts, and projects like their collaboration with rock legend Robert Plant to support the victims of Hurricane Katrina. 

A portion of the funds they raise go to communities in South Africa, with an emphasis on education, nutrition, and helping families affected by HIV and AIDS. Their outreach initiative, Nkosi’s Haven/Vukani, has raised over $600,000 from concert revenue alone. 

Collectively, the choir has raised over US$1.5 million for charitable causes around the world. 

Jiyane believes music can be a powerful healing tool.

“You heal through music because once you get stressed out, you go to a very quiet place. What comes to your mind first? It’s a humming tune,” he said. 

“It’s having something that’s not going to distract you. It’s having something that’s going to go through your soul, that goes through your spirit. That’s music. That’s why they say it’s food for the soul.” 

Indeed, that seems to be a mantra the choir communicates through their performances. With a 24-member ensemble, a 4-piece band, 2 drum players and 6 dancers, they redefine the traditional choir. Audiences have often described the group’s harmonies as one “angelic voice,” rather than a combination of many. 

With an impressive résumé that reads, “Best world music ensemble, celebrated award winner, and devoted philanthropist,” the Soweto Gospel Choir really is a gem the world can cherish. 

Then Soweto Gospel Choir will continue their North American tour with stops in Vancouver on April 7 and Edmonton April 9. For more upcoming show dates, please visit:http://www.sowetogospelchoir.com/Performances_Current.html.

Recording artist John Mayer. (Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images)

John Mayer Cancels Spring Shows

John Mayer has canceled his upcoming spring tour and taken an indefinite leave from performing due to a medical condition. The seven-time Grammy-winning singer/songwriter posted to his website Friday, March 9, that a scope of his vocal chords revealed, “the granuloma has grown back where it had mostly healed.” 

“Because of this, I have no choice but to take an indefinite break from live performing … it [granuloma] will sideline me for a longer period of time than I care to have you count down.”

Along with his spring tour, Mayer also had to cancel his headline set at the South by Southwest Music Conference this Saturday, and an April appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. His forthcoming album Born and Raised is still on track for its May 22 release date.

Jack White Kicks Off Solo Tour

In the 15 years since Jack White formed the White Stripes, he’s gone on to grace the cover of Rolling Stone, made it to No. 17 on its “Greatest Guitarists of All Time” list, formed The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, and record label Third Man Records (TMR), and collaborated with everyone from Loretta Lynn to Alicia Keys.

He’s now embarking on his first solo tour in support of his new album Blunderbuss. The first four shows have sold out leading up to his appearance at the TMR showcase at the South by Southwest Music Conference on March 16. His tour continues, including stops at the Hangout Music Festival in Alabama, Sasquatch! in Washington, and Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. The release date for his new album is April 23.

Actor and singer Jason Donovan. (Dan Kitwood/ Getty Images)

Jason Donovan’s New Disc Customizable

Platinum-selling Australian musician, actor, and dancer Jason Donovan released his new album Sign of Your Love on March 12. What makes the release stand out is that it’s customizable. 

Donovan’s label, Polydor, paired up with MixPixie to allow fans to customize the release with text and photos. The track listing will remain the same, however, including the first track “I Won’t Dance” which may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to his appearance on “Strictly Come Dancing,” the U.K. version of “Dancing with the Stars.” The 11-track, customized discs are currently available online, just in time for Mother’s Day.

‘Disco Inferno’ Singer Jimmy Ellis Passes

Jimmy Ellis, the unmistakable tenor voice from the Trammps, passed away on March 8 in Rock Hill, S.C., at the age of 74. The Trammps, an American disco band, were most recognized for their signature tune “Disco Inferno” but also had hits with “Hold Back the Night” and “That’s Where the Happy People Go.” 

The band continues to perform with a rotating lineup, but the original members, including Ellis, reunited for their induction to the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York in 2005. Ellis continued to work with the band until his retirement in 2010. According to BBC.com, Ellis passed from complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Compiled by Stacy Fogarty.

An account of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones’ live performance may contribute towards answering that question.

Led by banjo player and composer Béla Fleck, the Flecktones’ current lineup includes harmonicist and pianist Howard Levy, percussionist Roy “Future Man” Wooten, and bassist Victor Wooten. Their latest album, “Rocket Science” was released in May of 2011. The group kicked off their spring tour on March 1, 2012 at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Madison, WI.

In a music industry obsessed with the pursuit of niche markets, the Flecktones’ musical style is hard to pin down. Throughout the evening’s performance the group drew on an eclectic array of musical styles including jazz, bluegrass, Latin, and gospel, blending these genres seamlessly without appearing inauthentic or touristy. Percussionist Roy “Future Man” Wooten provided a steady and continuous groove, smoothing transitions between songs. Musical numbers were interrupted as each musician performed multiple lengthy improvised solos. Sometimes a thin spotlight extended from the ceiling to bathe the current soloist in brilliant white light. Audience members added hearty cat calls at regular intervals.

Howard Levy’s harmonica solos stood out as being particularly noteworthy. Although an original founding member of the group, Levy left the Flecktones in 1992. After an 18-year hiatus, Levy permanently reclaimed his post in 2011 when he contributed to the album “Rocket Science.” On harmonica, Levy is a force of nature. Mellow at times and brassy at others, his harmonica successfully imitated the tonal qualities of the fiddle and saxophone. During one extend solo, Levy expanded on the melody to the band’s popular tune “Sunset Road” while working in passages from “On Wisconsin!” (the fight song of the Wisconsin Badgers) and even J.S. Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”

Bassist Victor Wooten proved a crowd favorite. Wooten is known for his skilled use of slapping, tapping, and popping, three percussive techniques available to bass guitar players. Although his solos were introverted in character at first, the crescendo of slaps, taps and pops gradually built to a thrilling finale.

Guest fiddle player Casey Driessen joined the band on stage for two numbers. Like Wooten, Driessen demonstrated an uncanny talent for bringing out the percussive qualities of his instrument, bouncing his bow on the string at fantastic speeds to accomplish dizzyingly complex rhythms.

There can be no doubt that each of the Flecktones’ four members are skilled improvisers, and indeed considered worldwide authorities on their respective instruments. The frenetic, even frantic pace of much of the music underscores the musicians’ technical ability while adding an element of adrenaline to the ensemble’s live performance. However, to a listener unfamiliar with the Flecktones’ body of work, this raw energy and spasticity can be overwhelming.

The group’s members play with a ferocity which, when coordinated, equals more than the sum of each member’s experience and musical gifts. That said, the most enjoyable moments of the Flecktones’ performance were when multiple members executed a rapid, complex melodic passage in perfect unison, or a musician traded improvised snippets rapid-fire with another musician on stage. It was in these moments of collaboration that the unique magic of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones was on most full display.

Gerald Finley as the title character in Mozart's "Don Giovanni." (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—Mozart considered “Don Giovanni” an opera buffa (a comic opera) but with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, it is a sublime mixture of the comic and the tragic.

With its entrancing melodies, the opera begins with a fatal duel in which Giovanni kills the father of one of his intended romances and the opera ends with the unrepentant libertine being consumed by the flames of hell.

The new production, directed by Michael Grandage, is dramatically alert, and under the baton of Andrew Davis, musically satisfying. The downside is the drab set by Christopher Oram.

The cast has gone through some changes over the course of the season. The current Giovanni, Gerald Finley, is silky-voiced, energetic, and convincingly seductive. Finley is highly versatile and always worth catching, whether in a modern opera like “Dr. Atomic” (the recording of which recently won a Grammy Award) or in traditional operas or songs (such as his highly praised CD of Britten songs).

Kyle Ketelsen was a delightful Leporello with a standout rendition of the “Catalogue Aria,” in which the Don’s servant reels off a summary of the thousand-plus conquests by his master.

As Ottavio, tenor Matthew Polenzani showed off a sweet tone in “Dalla sua pace” and commendable breath control in “Il mio tesoro.”

Sopranos Marina Rebeka as Donna Anna and Ellie Dehn as Donna Elvira were impressive. Isabel Leonard was utterly lovable as Zerlina and bass Shenyang was likeable as the cuckolded peasant Masetto.

Bass James Morris was stern as the Commendatore (who is murdered in the first act and returns as a ghost to extract his revenge).

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

(L-R) Violeta Urmana as the title character and Stephanie Blythe as Amneris in Verdi's "Aida." (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—In Verdi’s “Aida,” the Egyptian princess Amneris loses in her romantic rivalry for the love of the warrior Radames to the title character Aida, an Ethiopian slave.

Actually, Radames and Aida do not live happily ever after. They are buried alive in a vault inside a temple.

In performances, Amneris often comes through as the most vivid vocal personality and this happened again when the splendid mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe took on the role for the first time at the Met.

As Aida, soprano Violeta Urmana was struggling with a cold, which made her performance more effortful. (An announcer alerted the audience to her health problem and she cancelled later appearances). Nevertheless, she managed to win the audience over with “O patria mia.”

Tenor Marcelo Alvarez’s singing was also uneven. He had some difficulty with “Celeste Aida” (his demanding aria at the beginning of the opera) but did better with the softer passages as in the Tomb Scene.

The indefatigable James Morris (who had appeared in “Don Giovanni” the previous night) was powerful as the High Priest Ramfis.

As usual, the chorus under Donald Palumbo was excellent and so was the orchestra under Marco Armiliato.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

Angela Meade and Marcello Giordani as Elvira and Ernani in Verdi's 'Ernani.(Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—Everybody loves Elvira in Verdi’s Ernani—she has a tenor, baritone, and bass vying for her affections—but the only victor in this melodrama is the Spanish code of honor.

Enrico Caruso once quipped that it is easy to put on Il Trovatore. “All you need are the world’s four best singers.” The same might be said of this earlier Verdi work.

The plot is so absurd that modern audiences might wonder how the opera and the play from which it was derived (by Victor Hugo) stirred up such political passions. Nowadays, all we can see is a spectacle about the rise of the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in the 16th century while the three suitors (one of whom is the future Emperor) try to gain the hand of lovely Elvira in marriage.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Don Carlo in Verdi's 'Ernani.' (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

Ernani, the fifth of Verdi’s operas, was his first collaboration with Francesco Maria Piave, who later provided the librettos for Rigoletto and La Traviata, among others.

The title character is a bandit who lost his title and wealth during a civil war. At the beginning of the opera, he outlines a plan to his band of outlaws to save his beloved Elvira from her impending marriage to her elderly uncle, Don Ruy Gomez de Silva.

While she waits for Ernani in her room, Don Carlo (the king of Spain) appears, declares his love and tries to abduct the young woman. She fights him off with a knife until Ernani arrives. He is about to start a duel with the ruler when Silva shows up, surprised to find he has so much competition.

As soon as he learns the identity of the king, the old man apologizes—Don Carlo accepts since he needs Silva’s help in his upcoming election for Holy Roman Emperor—and Ernani makes his getaway.

In the second act, everyone is preparing for the marriage of Elvira and Silva. Ernani arrives, disguised as a pilgrim. Again, Silva appears at an inopportune time; the couple is embracing. Though he is furious, Silva hides Ernani from Don Carlo. The ruler Don Carlo, in turn, is angry that Silva won’t turn over Ernani and takes Elvira as a hostage.

Silva and Ernani pledge to take vengeance against the king. The outlaw says that after they accomplish that goal, Ernani’s life will be in Silva’s hands.

But before they and the other conspirators can assassinate Don Carlo, at the site of Charlemagne’s tomb, he is elected Holy Roman Emperor. He initially orders the conspirators executed, but in response to Elvira’s pleas for mercy, he relents and pardons everyone, approving the marriage of Elvira and Ernani.

In the last act, the lovers are alone when Ernani senses something is wrong. Silva intrudes on the romantic scene, demanding that Ernani comply with his promise of committing suicide upon his rival’s request. The bandit then stabs himself and Elvira does the same.

Verdi typically makes things hard for singers by giving them a demanding aria as soon, or shortly after, they first appear. Soprano Angela Meade, playing Elvira sings “Ernani, Ernani, involami (Ernani, Ernani, save me).”

Meade has been racking up awards, most recently the Beverly Sills Artist Award for young singers and the Richard Tucker Award. Her singing confirms that she is special, with high notes and trills her rendition of the aria brought the house down.

Veteran bass Ferruccio Furlanetto was dramatically scary and vocally rich as Silva. (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

In the title role, Marcello Giordani’s bright voice cut through the orchestra and was mostly winning, if occasionally monochromatic.

As Don Carlo, baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky delivered a highly polished performance, again confirming that he is one of the world’s leading baritones. Veteran bass Ferruccio Furlanetto was dramatically scary and vocally rich as Silva.

In any event, the thrills, under Marco Armiliato’s impassioned conducting, were all musical and on this the Met did not stint.

The Met’s Live in HD performance of Ernani with this cast will be broadcast at various movie theaters on March 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

The version that is now being performed at the Metropolitan Opera was orchestrated by Dmitri Shostakovich with a final scene by Igor Stravinsky. (Rimsky-Korsakov previously revised the orchestration and Ravel later helped Stravinsky.)

The opera is an epic—Mussorgsky called it a “national music drama” —about turbulent events in Russia during the late 17th century. There are assassinations, revolts, and religious zealots who commit mass suicide.

Ably conducted by Kirill Petrenko, the production contains a terrific Russian cast. The key role of Marfa is performed by mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina, and her real-life husband bass Ildar Abdrazakov plays the spiritual leader of the True Believers.

Other terrific performances are given by Vladimir Galouzine, George Gagnidze, Anatoli Kotscherga, and Misha Didyk, among others.

Khovanshchina is not revived often, so the Met production should not be missed by lovers of Russian opera. The work will return on March 10, 13, and 17.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

Dancer and choreographer Seeta Patel is trained in Bharatanatyam, the most popular of the Indian classical dance forms in South India and the most ancient of all the classical Indian dance styles in the entire India, seen here in Greenwich Park, London. (Pete Schiazza, AKADEMI)

For many people, what they know about dance from India and Pakistan doesn’t extend much further than Bollywood. In fact its culture is vast, spanning thousands of years.

Christopher Bannerman, Professor of Dance at Middlesex University, has an extraordinary knowledge of South Asian dance. It’s unusual for any Westerner to be so well-schooled in another culture, and, says Bannerman, it partly stems from his upbringing.

“Although I wouldn’t have said this a few years ago, in the fullness of time one realises that one has had certain experiences in life that set something in place, so that I had a feeling for Asia and for the East. I didn’t realise it so much at the time thinking back on it,” he admits.

When he was growing up in Canada, he trained in the Canadian National Ballet. His father was doing a PhD in Chinese philosophy, and his house had many Chinese artifacts, his grandfather had apparently been a sea captain in Japan, and his family had some friends from India.

During his year out in South Asia, he absorbed the wonders of South Asian dance, practised yoga, and spent time in North India with the Tibetan community. In fact he watched the dance more than he performed it, when he realised how difficult it was.

The years of training dancers go through is most commendable. Dance is a tough discipline. It requires hard work, flexibility, strength, coordination, and proprioception -- which Bannerman describes as “the internal feeling in your joints that allows you to sense where your arm is in space”. “That coordination, that proprioception of knowing where you are in space, that makes you a literate body, very watchable, very compelling.”

 “When you see the dancing body you see the effort… although it may appear effortless”

— Christopher Bannerman

“When you see the dancing body and one that’s crafted and trained, you see the effort in a sense although it may appear effortless, you can see that decades have gone into making that effortlessness.” The most graceful and effortless poses have perhaps had the most amount of hard work behind them.

Bharatanatyam, classical Indian dance, has a divine origin. The Hindu god Brahma created a form of entertainment that would be understood at a time when the universe was overcome by desire, greed, jealousy, and anger, and when people could no longer understand the mystic and ambiguous scriptures. Dancer Munisha Sevani performs in “Waterscapes” at Somerset House, London. (Allan Parker, AKADEMI).

It is interesting to know that ballet and Indian dance have some similarities. One of the several styles of dance originating from India is called Bharatanatyam. “Bharatanatyam is very geometric, and you could say ballet is geometric, they both have a concern for shape in space,” explains Bannerman; it also shares the demi-plie position found in ballet. What’s different is the use of weight: “People are stamping the floor, there’s quite a heavy use of weight and … ballet is usually designed to look ethereal and light.”

Bharatanatyam is closely associated with the Natya Shastra, one of the oldest and most fundamental books about Indian dance and theatre thought to have been written around 1 BC. It is an extraordinary and exhaustive analysis consisting of around 36 chapters. “They partly divided dance and drama into three forms: one was the pure dance, Nritta, the other was dance drama, Narittya, and the third was emotional postures called Abhinaya,” explains Bannerman.

Abhinaya can literally be translated as “carry towards”, implying carrying the audience towards the meaning of the dance. In the Natya Shastra, the concept of Abhinaya is defined into a further four types: expression through body movements, through speech, through costume, hairstyles and stage props, and the change of emotional states.

Perhaps the Natya Shastra is but one of the marvels of the East that we in the West may not be aware of. “More things come from Asia than we realise … everything from the printing press, from paper to gunpowder all came from China,” remarks Bannerman.

Christopher Bannerman is Head of ResCen (Centre for Research into Creation in the Performing Arts), and was chairing a symposium on dance held by Akademi at The Place, London.

Menahem Pressler (Courtesy of Menahem Pressler)

CHICAGO—I just witnessed beautiful master classes given by the legendary pianist Menahem Pressler.

Menahem Pressler has played thousands of concerts all over the world as a soloist and also in the magnificent setting of the Beaux Arts Trio, possibly the most famous piano trio that ever existed.

Pressler was an original founding member of this trio for piano, violin, and cello and played with it for more than 50 years. He is also a peerless teacher at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington where he has so profoundly touched many lives in the music world.

I attended two sessions, one Friday evening the other Saturday morning. Among the many musicians and works featured in the evening performance at the Music Institute of Chicago, I heard two fine trios. Playing Beethoven’s piano trios Op 70/1, “Ghost,” was Trio Fantastico and playing Op. 1, No. 1, First Movement was Trio Giacoso. I particularly admired the lovely bow arm of violinist Serena Harnack.

Another extremely fine and sensitive performance was given by Kate Liu, a student of Alan Chow. Ms. Liu played Chopin’s Polonaise No. 7 in A flat major, Op. 61.

On Saturday morning I heard Dvorak’s Dumky Trio performed by the Cardinal Trio who played the first movement very well. But the highlight came with the last performance of the morning—a fine performance of Dmitri Shostakovich. Natalie Nedvetsky performed with Amber Scherer, so beautifully supporting her on the second piano part. Notable for her stamina and brilliance, the very fine Natalie Nedvetsky also performed Chopin’s Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 opening up the mornings coaching sessions by Pressler.

All the musicians were very well prepared, yet after performing their respective movements, Pressler went to work bettering them. It was a great reminder that good teaching really makes a difference and that every detail and consideration to nuance contributes towards the whole.

Pressler made clear that music is an encapsulated tablet of life—if only one knows how to really read the whole life of the composer embedded into his secret code of the music at hand.

Throughout the master class was the theme that music is a unique language that expresses great meaning behind every phrase. Life experienced through music—like life viewed through beautifully colored glass—is questionably one of the most profound ways in which to discover its essences.

The young musicians, beautiful in their desire to better themselves, played as though they spoke words from a play—a play which they did not yet understand. But music can be interpreted on many levels, and notes played for their own beauty is playing at a certain stage and a beautiful one, too.

Yet when a phrase becomes a portrait of a moment of life, the notes jump off the page and into your heart. Pressler was constantly after this kind of playing.

He stood at another piano right along side of the performance piano and etched out the lines of structure which led the way for the young artists’ playing. After even a short time, the kids sounded much better and the music began to take shape. It would not at all be fair to dismiss the excellent training these players had from the Music Institute of Chicago.

The Touch of a Master

Pressler’s wonderful personality is intense and direct. His superb musicianship is relentless in its ability to illuminate the essences of meaning.

Pressler made it clear it was essential that the tempo of the work be played so that the thematic material could sing. This gauging of tempo to make a piece sing is of paramount importance and where so many groups lose the whole point of the work.

The trend today is generally to play too fast and with notes having little meaning or feeling—like eating a four-course meal at a drive-through hamburger joint in just eight minutes.

The wonderfully gifted young pianist playing Chopin was helped much by Pressler’s constant attention to structural details. In this case if the Polonaise rhythm does not have the right tempo and rhythmic incisiveness, the whole work suffers and becomes more or less a poetic scramble with a bunch of beautiful shapes and colors.

However, with a Polish dance, in this case the “Polonaise” (defined actually as the old-fashioned tight-fitting dress, which was so popular in Marie Antoinette’s time), the tempo cannot be performed too fast. It must be performed with exactly the right tempo and feel—just as with a waltz written by Johann Strauss.

Included in the arsenal of interpretative skills for a pianist is the importance of a structured left hand that dictates tempo rather than always following the right hand.

When these attributes of a fine performer and artist come into play, the symbols on the page begin to take shape —and what a glorious shape and largess the Polish composer had in his marvelous works for piano. The young pianist was immediately able to embody the masterful interpretations of Pressler and the result was instantly magical.

Questions and Answers

When it came time for the question and answer period, those who did not really digest the profound message of the 87-year-old master were instructed directly. As, for example, the well-meaning mother who asked advice for her son, a would-be concert pianist, Pressler immediately spoke of the inherent dangers of well-meaning parents and tried to focus on what good music can do. It is so important not to ruin lives by pushing children too hard.

Several minutes later, a precocious little boy asked advice on his interpretation of Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto. Pressler looked at the little boy and did not even let him finish his question. “I already have the answer,” he said. “You, my young, friend are way too young to even approach this work. You need to play the other piano concerti of Beethoven and listen to his quartets and understand his symphonies and experience much of life in order to even begin to understand this work”—end of discussion.

Pressler’s response was not meant as a put down; his answer was directed towards gaining humility in the face of music. Most people have good intentions but are trapped in their limited and often immature thinking.

The essence among great master musicians is similar, and their message is loud and clear. Music is a profound medium that is able to touch something really special in the human makeup. It can transcend our little egos and encompass something so much larger—the message which the composer is trying to convey.

Music encompasses a never-ending journey in which we may temporarily forget our small selves to find a beautiful sunset—that interplay of auditory waves which bathe us in a different kind of sunshine.

Eric Shumsky is a concert violist. For more information, see www.shumskymusic.com.

Children assembled in a school yard play their cellos in Lima, Peru on Feb. 23, 2012, during the string instruments practice, organized by celebrated tenor Juan Diego Florez. Florez was inspired by the 'wonder' Youth Orchestras of Venezuela. Open to anyone between 8 and 16 years with musical interests, the system promotes the creation of “district clusters," where professionals provide free lessons for choral, string, wind and percussion instruments. (Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images)

This past November, Glinka’s “Ruslan and Lyudmila” was chosen as the first opera to be performed in the Bolshoi after its reopening. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images)

Who would have imagined that a chemist, two engineers, a soldier, and a state official would decisively mark the history of Russian music? This circle of composers, which has come to be known as “The Five” started in 1856 and lasted until 1870.

Self-taught, they demonstrated that cooperation, intuition, enthusiasm, and a simple desire to learn could lead to brilliant composing.

Why ‘The Five’?

Until the late 19th century, popular music in Russia was considered too lowbrow to inspire serious composers. Russian composers had to resort to the official style, internationally recognized, of Italian, French, and German heritage.

Russian musicians, though, longed for a language of their own, independent of Europe.

Gradually defenders of Russian national art began to emerge, and at the same time, the Western educational system was introduced into the country.

In 1862 the St. Petersburg Conservatory was founded. Its programs formed musicians in the internationally recognized model. Six years later the Moscow Conservatory opened.

Many went to these great schools and became brilliant artists in the European tradition of music. But others, known as “Slavophiles,” took an independent path and followed the flashes that their national identity or their own artistic initiative suggested to them.

When a composer looks at the spirit of his country’s music as regards melodies, harmonies, and particular formal structures, musical nationalism is born.

The Five—or the Great Handful—was one of the leading exponents of Russian musical nationalism, and also a group of unique and charismatic musicians in and of themselves.

The Five, One By One

The music of The Five is still widely performed. Here Russian conductor, Tugan Sokhiev, rehearses Rimsky-Korsakov's “Scheherazade” for a performance in Australia. (Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

Mikhail Glinka, the father of Russian classical music, convinced Mili Balakirev to devote himself entirely to music, because until then he had focused on studying engineering. Today we thank Glinka for his power of conviction.

Mili Balakirev had the deepest knowledge of conventional music in the group and acted as the group’s informal teacher.

Balakirev, was a great promoter of Russian national music, he taught at the Free School of Music in St. Petersburg and published collections of folk songs that served later composers. He believed that technique was an obstacle to the expression. His more outstanding compositions are “Islamey” and his symphonic poem “Tamara.”

Alexander Borodin was a chemist by profession, and having little time to devote to composition, he left many unfinished works that were completed by his peers. His most representative work is the opera “Prince Igor.”

Speech Debelle -- Freedom of Speech (Ninja Tune)

It would have been easy to see Speech Debelle as a one hit wonder. Although her Mercury-winning debut album wasn’t exactly a hit – it didn’t receive the sales hike normally associated with winners. Debelle was – and is – clearly talented, as this superb second album demonstrates. Her observant confessional lyrics remain, but here she expands her range to highly political meditations on the London riots and a possible global collapse. The production, as with her debut, is fantastically musical (if a little unsubtle), taking unusual turns throughout the record. As a whole it forms one of the finest hip hop albums since, well, Speech Therapy.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

(ATP)

On last year’s Cape Dory Denver duo Tennis distilled a classic confection of breezy 50s and 60s pop to document a long boat trip. The result was a delight of easy listening indie pop. That the album ultimately lacked a little depth seemed to be part of its charm, though it also meant it missed out on a high place in the end of year honours. On this quickly constructed follow up, Tennis have perfected the blueprint and delivered on the promise of their debut. Opener ‘It All Feels The Same’ bursts with instantly gratifying melodies, and the more reserved balladry of ‘My Better Self’ hints at a growing confidence and maturity in the band’s songwriting.

Rating: 4 / 5

(Urbnet)

Sounding like a late entry into the 90s Bristolian and latterly UK-wide explosion of the genre sadly named trip hop, LAL are replete with ideas. That these ideas do not always translate into a whole conducive to enjoyment is not enough to condemn this record to total obscurity. However the fact that later tracks like ‘Our Protection’ wander off into sub Tricky B-side territory, and ‘Live Your Light’ is full of banal observations, indicate a record in danger of completely losing its way. All in all there are some nice moments here but one can’t shake a feeling akin to being buttonholed by a verbose stoner as this record meanders to a conclusion.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

(Kitsune)

Kitsune always showcase a nice line in electronica, and this second journey through all things embryonic on the Parisien scene is a pleasant if ultimately unremarkable listen. Tasteful and listenable electro pop is the order of the day, with even lines as caustic as “we’re dying in a Holy War” being delivered with the kind of detached insouciance that one would expect from this most hip of labels. It is all eminently well put together, with LESCOPS’ ‘La Foret’ being a particular highlight, but something a little less glacial and clinical wouldn’t go amiss occasionally. Still, if it’s electro pop you’re looking for you could do far worse.

Rating: 3 / 5

(Diskotopia)

Diskotopia can be linked to forward thinking dance labels such as Night Slugs or Hessle Audio, but in actuality prove here how wide ranging their sound can be. The compilation crams in expected genres like house and techno while also admirably including influences such as jazz and R’n'B. Highlights include the melodic ‘Ghost House’ from house/bass music producer Optimum, smooth yet glitchy R’n'B from Awa on ‘She Sea’ and some percussive, bassy wonders from Lamin Fofana with ‘Nia Long’. There’s plenty more to appreciate, with a wealth of enjoyable tunes here for those into their experimental sounds. A strong label to watch in the future.

Rating: 4 / 5

Alekandra Kurzak as Gretel and Kate Lindsey as Hansel in Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel." (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—The Metropolitan Opera’s child-friendly opera this season was the return of Richard Jones’s enchanting production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel.” The libretto, based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, was written by the composer’s sister, Adelheid Wette.

In this production, the focus was on food, with the first act in the broom maker’s house, where a neighbor has given them some milk for dinner. After the mother accidentally spills the milk, she sends her two children to the woods to pick strawberries. The father comes home drunk and upon learning that Hansel and Gretel have gone into the woods, he informs his wife that the children are in danger because of the Witch who lives there.

In the second act, the brother and sister are put to sleep by the Sandman, who sprinkles sand over their eyes. In a dream, they see 14 angels; in this production 14 chefs prepare a feast for them.

The last act takes place in the Witch’s house filled with children the Witch had turned into gingerbread. The old crone tries to fatten up Hansel to prepare him for cooking, but the captives outsmart her and push the Witch into the oven. Then the gingerbread children come back to life, and the broom maker and his wife appear to retrieve their son and daughter. When the Witch was done in, the children in the audience cheered.

The opera was performed in English—using the translation by David Pountney—and had a terrific cast. Rising star soprano Alexandra Kurzak (who just released a terrific solo CD appropriately titled “Gioia” or “Joy” on Decca) comes from Poland and her enunciation was not always clear but her singing and acting entrancing.

As Hansel, mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey matched lovely singing with boyish gestures. Soprano Michaela Martens and baritone Dwayne Croft were ideally cast as their parents.

The role of the witch was originally written for a mezzo-soprano, but the Met cast tenor Robert Brubaker, who looked like a malevolent Julia Child.

Conductor Robin Ticciati, making his Met debut, effectively blended the Wagnerian orchestrations and folk-like melodies to the satisfaction of young and old alike. It is worth noting that the children in the audience were especially well behaved.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications.

From the Augustusplatz looking toward the Opera House. (Courtesy of Susan James)

LEIPZIG, Germany—Leipzig has established its international musical credentials, from chamber concerts to orchestral productions, from opera arias to choir cantatas, the city has again taken its place as one of the world’s great music capitals—not surprising given its history.

Leipzig has always been one of Europe’s great musical cities. Bach, Mendelssohn, Clara Wieck, Schumann, Grieg, Wagner, and Mahler, all lived and worked here.

During the lifetime of the German Democratic Republic, Leipzig’s musical luster languished but with German Reunification in 1989, a growing number of visitors have rediscovered the city’s musical treasures.

Key to this renaissance have been the twin pillars of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, founded in 1743, and the St. Thomas Boys’ Choir, founded in 1212. Each institution has provided a platform for the composition and performance of music now recognized around the world.

Inside the Gewandhaus's hall. (Courtesy of Susan James)

Conductors like Felix Mendelssohn, Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Kurt Masur, and Riccardo Chailly have made the Gewandhaus one of the most important orchestras in the world.

The St. Thomas Boys’ Choir is particularly renowned as the choral group for which Johann Sebastian Bach wrote incomparable music for 27 years.

Bach lies buried in the chancel of St. Thomas Church where he was kapellmeister and his statue decorates its courtyard. Across from the church, stands the Bachhaus or Bach Museum, a composite of a Baroque era building and contemporary interior design. Inside visitors can examine manuscripts and memorabilia from Bach’s life and a collection of historical instruments, including an organ used by the composer.

Cutting edge technical devices fill the rooms like a light table showing digitized documents from Bach’s career that can be manipulated for closer examination. Hanging chairs equipped with earphones allow visitors to curl up and listen to individual pieces of Bach’s music.

Mendelssohn's lovely study. (Courtesy of Susan James)

That music owes a great debt to 19th-century composer Felix Mendelssohn, who happened across forgotten Bach manuscripts while rummaging in the city archives and rescued them from performance oblivion. Appointed conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1835, Mendelssohn reintroduced not only Bach but Franz Schubert to the world by playing their music regularly.

The Mendelssohn Museum in Leipzig is the only one dedicated solely to this important and influential composer. Located at Goldschmidstrasse 12, the museum occupies the first floor apartment where Mendelssohn lived with his wife Cecile and their children the last two years of his life. Liszt came here to visit and so did Wagner and the Schumanns and the apartment echoes with the memories of their music.

Using contemporary watercolor sketches of the décor that existed during the composer’s lifetime, the apartment has been meticulously restored. Next to Cecile’s cool apple green parlor, the composer’s study, painted a sunny yellow, is flooded with light. His piano sits against one wall surrounded by personal mementoes, watercolors that he painted himself and pieces of his music.

In another room, a score for his great oratorio, Elijah, rests in a glass case near a plaster cast of his hand and photographs of the Swedish singer Jennie Lind, the great love of his life. One room of the apartment has been set up as a concert hall and regular performances of Mendelssohn’s music are held on Sunday mornings just as they were during the composer’s lifetime.

A contemporary of Mendelssohn’s who lived and studied in Leipzig and who married his pianist wife, Clara Wieck, here was composer Robert Schumann. Forbidden to marry by Clara’s father, Clara and Schumann waited until Clara’s 21st birthday to exchange vows and move into a first floor apartment at Inselstrasse 18, now the Schumann Museum.

Once part of a fashionable new suburb, Inselstrasse is only a few minutes walk from the heart of the city. The museum is small, just three rooms, but the spirit of the Schumanns fill the large central chamber where concerts of the composer’s music are held.

Another composer who owes a debt to Felix Mendelssohn is the Norwegian Edvard Grieg. Mendelssohn founded the Leipzig Conservatory of Music in 1843 and from 1858-62 Grieg was a student there. He frequently visited his publishers at Talstrasse 10, now the Grieg Memorial Centre. It was here in 1888 that he composed his well-known suite of music for Peer Gynt.

Susan James is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She has lived in India, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii and writes about art and culture.

Nino Machaidze showing her comic talent as Marie in Donizetti's "La Fille du Régiment."   (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

NEW YORK—Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) was remarkably prolific, composing about 75 operas in his short life, including the tragic “Lucia di Lammermoor” and the comic operas “L’Elisir d’Amore” and “Don Pasquale.” “La Fille du Régiment” (“Daughter of the Regiment”) is a comic gem that returns to the repertory only when an opera house can find singers up to the task. 

Luciano Pavarotti was hailed as “the king of the high Cs” based on his performance of the Act I aria “Ah, mes amis, quel jour de fete!” (“Ah, my friends, what a day for celebrating!”) with its nine high Cs; the title role of that production was the equally astonishing Joan Sutherland. 

The buoyant Laurent Pelly production (which moves the action to World War I) was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 2008 with French soprano Natalie Dessay in the title role and the Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Tonio, her love interest. The Met broke its usual rule against encores and allowed Flórez to sing his big aria twice in a row. He subsequently repeated the role opposite Diana Damrau. 

Kiri Te Kanawa as The Duchess of Krakenthorp sings despite the role usually being spoken only.     (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

This season, the Pelly production returned with a new cast. The rising star, Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze (who recently released her highly praised debut recording, “Romantic Arias,” on Sony Classical; the album included an extended Act 2 excerpt from “La Fille du Régiment”) stepped into the lead role, showing off the composer’s and her own formidable skills at comedy. She was funny as the tomboy mascot of the legion and then sang effectively of her feelings for the regiment and the man she loves that she is forced to leave.

The part of Tonio was taken by American bel canto specialist Lawrence Brownlee, who nailed the high notes on “Ah! mes amis,” though he did not sing an encore. 

Mezzo-soprano Ann Murray was amusing as the Marquise de Birkenfield, as was James Courtney as her butler . Maurizio Muraro, as Sulpice, Marie’s sergeant and adoptive father, used his impressive bass-baritone to comic effect. 

The usually non-singing role of the Duchess of Krakenthorp was played by famous soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, who sang an aria from Puccini’s “O fior del giorno” from the opera “Edgar,” and won laughs with her physical mannerisms as well as her order to the servant not to be stingy with the Dom Perignon. 

Yves Abel conducted with style and Chantal Thomas designed the impressionistic scenery. In sum, the Pelly production of “La Fille du Régiment” is still a winner. 

Incidentally, Lawrence Brownlee made his Carnegie Hall debut on Feb. 5 as part of Carnegie’s “Carmina Burana” Choral Project with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by David Robertson and 200 high school and middle school singers. Brownlee’s solo Carnegie Hall recital is scheduled to take place on March 28, 2013.

For home listening, Naxos has released a CD set of “La Boheme” starring Te Kanawa as a moving Mimi and Richard Leech as Rodolfo.

Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications

(Chris Jackson/ Getty Images Entertainment)

Bruce Springsteen Plans Busy Month of March

Rock icon Bruce Springsteen will drop his 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball, on March 6. The first single, We Take Care of Our Own, is an anthemic track relating to events in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The rest of the album is classic Springsteen. His manager, Jon Landau, remarked on Springsteen’s website: “Bruce has dug down as deep as he can to come up with this vision of modern life. The lyrics tell a story you can’t hear anywhere else and the music is his most innovative in recent years.”

Along with the new disc, March will also see Springsteen deliver the keynote address for this year’s South by Southwest conference and festival in Austin, Texas, and the kickoff of his worldwide tour.

Wrecking Ballwill also be available in a special edition with bonus tracks, exclusive artwork, and photography.

British folk rock band member Marcus Mumford (Brendon Thorne/ Getty Images Entertainment)

Mumford & Sons to Headline RockNess

Mumford & Sons will join Deadmau5 (pronounced “dead mouse”), Biffy Clyro, Noah & the Whale, Chic featuring Nile Rogers, Ed Sheeran, The Cuban Brothers, and many more for the sixth annual RockNess music festival.

Situated on the banks of Loch Ness near Inverness, Scotland, this three-day affair hosts a multitude of acts in a beautiful setting. The experience also includes boutique camping, where you can rent a podpad or cloudhouse. New this year is the RockNess Express—a party-packed train ride to get you to the show.

The festival director, Jim King, posted on the festival website, “I’m so happy with the list of acts we’re announcing that I now just can’t wait for the first tent peg in the ground and for the party to start.”

RockNess runs June 8–10, and tickets are available at www.rockness.co.uk

Melanie Brown, member of the girl group the Spice Girls (Andreas Rentz/ Getty Images Entertainment)

Mel B Fuels Spice Girls Reunion Rumor

Rumors continue to swell about a Spice Girls reunion. Melanie Brown aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice, continued the buzz in a Jan. 26 interview on the Australian TV show “Sunrise.”

In the interview she said, “I’m always down for a Spice Girls reunion, for me to get my scary hair on and my big platforms … any time of day, I’m a Spice girl through and through.”

When the interviewer pushed further about a reunion, Brown quipped, “Well we do have the queen’s Diamond Jubilee coming up … ooh, did I really say that?”

The Diamond Jubilee will mark 60 years of the queen’s reign and will take place June 2–5. Buckingham Palace is responsible for coordinating the events of the Diamond Jubilee and has not released any information about the event thus far.

Bjorn Ulvaeus, former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA (Francois Durand/ Getty Images Entertainment)

ABBA to Re-release Last Album

Swedish pop group ABBA will release a new version of their 1981 album The Visitors according to Reuters. The album was the last full-length studio record for the foursome and marked the end of the ABBA era.

The re-release will include a previously unreleased track From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel and a DVD of rare material from the ABBA vaults.

Poster for the event. (Courtesy of Susan James)

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands—The largest classical music festival in the Netherlands, the annual Storioni Festival, celebrated its roots and its core by placing at the centerpiece of the 10-day event—from Jan. 19-29—the Storioni Trio itself. 

In 2008, the internationally celebrated chamber group, the Storioni Trio, together with Frank Veenstra, artistic manager of Eindhoven’s Muziekgebouw concert hall in the Brabant region of the Netherlands, inaugurated a five-city music festival that celebrated both the traditions of classical chamber orchestras and gave world premieres to newly commissioned pieces.

The Trio (Bart van de Roer, piano; Wouter Vossen, violin; Marc Vossen, cello) invited their friends and fellow musicians to participate, and each year the festival has grown, reaching new audiences and commanding sold out performances. 

 
Two-thirds of the Storioni Trio, the Vossen brothers, have been playing together since they were children under the watchful eye of their pianist mother. Wouter’s 1794 Storioni violin made in Cremona, and Marc’s 1700 Grancino cello made in Milan have a natural harmonic affinity and the brothers, together with pianist van de Roer, demonstrate an instinctive unity that serves them well in interpreting their varied repertoire. The Trio’s playing is clear, pure, and precise but never cold or mechanical. 

The Trio’s playing is clear, pure, and precise but never cold or mechanical.

Their programs include classical chamber pieces by composers such as Hayden, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, and Bach along with commissioned works from living artists such as Kevin Volans, Willem Jeths, and Peteris Vasks. Trio’s performances offer comparative color contrasts that make each individual piece resonate both on its own terms and as part of the concert’s overall sound arc.

This year, together with guest artists of the caliber of cellist Mischa Maisky, violinist Alina Ibragimova, and guitarist Irina Kulikova, the Trio raised the musical bar to create a series of concerts that sounded both modern minimalist chords and classic romantic ones, weaving the two into an exciting consort of sound.

Despite the high quality of the music and the performances of the players, the festival had an easy informality about it that drew the audience in. No black ties or starchy ceremony was on display, just a gathering of those who love good music. Guest musicians left the stage to a wave of loud applause and slipped into the audience to listen to the next work performed on the program.

Eindhoven’s Muziekgebouw. (Courtesy of Susan James)

The Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven which contains two auditoriums, both used for the festival (1250 and 800 seats), is a state-of-the-art concert hall built in 1992 and redesigned in 2010. It was scientifically engineered for acoustical quality by the Eindhoven University of Technology, which is responsible for the superb acoustics in both chambers. 

According to its director, each auditorium is in itself an accompanying instrument for guest musicians.

Teaching the Young

In addition to formal concerts, the festival has also established outreach programs for young musicians by organizing workshops and holding master classes for advanced students during the festival itself. 

This year, famed cellist Mischa Maisky discussed life, love,p and his approach to musical performance with two young cellists, Joann Whang, first-prize winner of the 2011 Cello Biennale, and Ella van Poucke, first-prize winner of the 2008 Princess Christina Competition. His advice to both was to study Bach. 

“Bach is a miracle,” he told them, together with an engaged audience of listeners, “and should be practiced everyday. In music like in life, pulse is the most important thing and freedom to interpret must be balanced against respect for the music. Notes printed on paper are dormant. It’s your job to bring it all to life.”

For the last five years, this motto encapsulates what the Storioni Festival has done so well. Joined by friends and collaborators from the rarefied world of international music, together with young and talented musicians on the verge of joining their ranks, the Storioni Trio has created a venue and an opportunity for performers to take the notes on a printed page and bring the music of yesterday, today, and tomorrow to life.

Susan James is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She has lived in India, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii and writes about art and culture.

For a couple of days each year, the festival bridges a social abyss between blacks and whites, still in the process of coming together after apartheid. The festival took place a few weeks ago, from Dec. 9-18, 2011 and was more successful than ever.

Swakopmund is situated in southwest Africa, on the edge of the torrid Namib Desert, ironically where other opposites meet: Antarctic currents and strong winds are cooling down the Atlantic Ocean on this coast.

Germans founded the small coastal city in 1892 when Namibia was a German colony. The city reached the peak of its fame in 2005—when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie lived here for half a year.

The Germans Organize Music Week

Although the festival is sustained by an association, making it all happen falls to Christiane Berker, who is in charge of Music Week. The tall grey-curled lady, donning a baseball cap and a Music Week t-shirt, radiates serenity whether caught amidst a tangle of laptop cables in her “office” (improvised from a vacant classroom), or whether engaged in a multilingual dialogue of English, German, and Cape Dutch with her volunteer staff.

Traditionally, the festival takes place shortly before Christmas because that’s the time of summer vacation in southern Africa. The rooms of the Namib Primary School look a bit careworn. A paper note on the door reminds the teachers to be role models for their students.

Berker stumbled into the organizing team straight from her job as staff member because of her useful talent for organizing. When not coordinating the music festival, the 52-year-old psychologist serves the HIV population.

At the festival she coordinates the requests of 250 people: participants and musicians, instructors, and lecturers, coming from Swakopmund, South Africa, Germany, and the United States.

Black and white, old and young, play music together under the theme of “the way is the goal.” For a small fee anyone can register. Participants just need to bring their own instruments and music stands.

At the end of the week, the orchestra, choir, and big band hold eagerly anticipated concerts; orchestral music is rarely heard in the sparsely populated desert nation of Namibia.

What a Tour of the City Reveals

DESERT SOUNDCHECK: A Namibian cello player during a sound check in the desert landscape. (Rosemarie Frühauf/The Epoch Times)

The reason the music festival takes place in Swakopmund of all places is explained by a tour to the city’s museum. When the Germans landed here, they brought with them—besides their technology and infrastructure—their culture, which gave them a foothold and identity.

To give the reader a sense of the importance of music for the German culture: historically, an indispensable part of each German household was a piano. And, among the museum paraphernalia of uniforms, small arms, stuffed zebras, and meerkats, a document shines forth, in which the German Sängerbund (singing society) congratulates in the ’70s Swakopmund choral society on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. The importance of music is entrenched.

In town, Christmas LED lights hung on the street lamps, together with evergreen branches, reindeer, seals, and dolphins. Motley shop signs reminded one of an American town. Everything was covered with concrete. If not, one would have ended up standing on dusty desert ground.

The city has about 30,000 inhabitants and everyone knows everyone else, at least in the nearby surroundings. That’s why “Uschi and Diane” can run a real estate agency using their first names.

The Namibian state, however, has adopted German orderliness. Officially there are no homeless in Swakopmund. Whoever registers with the government, obtains an address in the suburbs on a street with street lamps, running water, and toilets, even without an income. Six thousand blacks live there in makeshift huts in the desert.

Continued on the next page: … The Finale Concert