The Classical Review

Mäkelä, CSO wrap year with bracing contemporary works, Beethoven and Schumann

Mäkelä conducted the world premiere of subito con forza in 2020 and he drew a notably well-balanced performance from the CSO ...
The Classical Review

Florida Grand Opera’s “Silent Night” proves a rich and moving tale of common humanity

Alex DeSocio (Audebert), Kyle Albertson (Horstmayer) and Elijah William Brown (Jonathan Dale) in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night, presented by Florida Grand Opera at the Arsht Center in Miami. Photo: Lewis ...
The Classical Review

No slowing down for Gerard Schwarz, South Florida’s busiest conductor

Gerard Schwarz conducting the Palm Beach Symphony at a 2024 concert. Photo: IndieHouse Films When Gerard Schwarz was a teenage trumpet student, he dreamed of being a member of the New York ...
The Classical Review

Under Rouvali, Philharmonia sounds fresh and vital on 80th anniversary tour

Santtu-Matias Rouvali conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra Monday night at the Music Center at Strathmore. Photo: Marco Borggreve London’s Philharmonia Orchestra returned to the Washington area for ...
The Classical Review

Compelling Garrop premiere anchors Chicago Philharmonic’s Ear Taxi concert

Marta Aznavoorian was the the piano soloist in the world premiere of Stacy Garrop’s Invictus with the Chicago Philharmonic Saturday night at the Harris Theater. Photo: Kyle Dunleavy Among the 210 ...
The Classical Review

Sierra and Villazón shine brightly in Met’s new “Sonnambula”

Nadine Sierra stars as Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula at the Metropolitan Opera. Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera For such a famous opera, a vehicle for some of the great modern divas, La Sonnambula ...
The Classical Review

Opera creators find the light of love amid the horror of “The Shining”

Craig Irvin as Jack Torrance (with Bella Grace Smith as Danny) in Utah Opera’s The Shining. Photo: Dana Sohm In their adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic 1977 novel The Shining, composer Paul Moravec ...
The Classical Review

Met’s “Kavalier & Clay” mixes stunning production with largely lightweight music

Andrzej Filończyk (left) and Myles Mykkanen in Mason Bates’ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay at the Metropolitan Opera. Photo: Evan Zimmerman / Met Opera The best works of art, in any medium, ...
The Classical Review

Rare Bruch, familiar Beethoven take flight in Vänskä’s Grant Park debut

Paul Huang performed Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy with Osmo Vänskä conducting the Grant Park Orchestra Wednesday night. Photo: Margo Hawk The Grant Park Music Festival’s podium batting average is ...
The Classical Review

Muti wraps the Chicago Symphony’s season with a powerful Verdi Requiem (again)

Riccardo Muti conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Verdi’s Requiem with soloists Elena Guseva (left) and Marianne Crebassa. Photo: Todd Rosenberg When the current Chicago Symphony ...
The Classical Review

Ólafsson brings rarefied artistry to Bach, Beethoven and Schubert

Víkingur Ólafsson performed a recital Sunday at Symphony Center. Photo: Todd Rosenberg It has been a jam-packed weekend for pianophiles. The three-week Van Cliburn Competition reached its climax ...
The Classical Review

Three finalists take impressive last shots in Cliburn Competition

Evren Ozel performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with Marin Alsop and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Friday night at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Fort Worth. Photo: Ralph Lauer It was ...