Concert Review: A History of Violence

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra return to Carnegie Hall.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Riccardo Muti (on podium) leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine
at Carnegie Hall on Friday night. Photo © 2018 Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 

Mention the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a room of classical music cognoscenti and you are likely to get the following reactions: a sigh of pleasure, a small smile, or a comment about the sonic size and vigor of their legendary brass section, who, in a city if big shoulders, cast the widest possible shadow. That orchestra and its leader Ricardo Muti are back in New York for their semi-annual visit to Carnegie Hall, and Friday night marked the first of two New York programs this weekend.

The Death of the Met Futures Page

Art by Ben Chaney.

Metropolitan Opera takes our crystal ball.
I'd like to take a moment and step out from behind the curtain to express my thanks to Mr. Brad Wilber, author and editor of the invaluable Metropolitan Opera Future Seasons page.

For the past 15 years (which is as long as I've been writing about classical music and opera in one form or another, Mr. Wilber's excellent, diligent and usually accurate resource gave details on what was coming in the next few years at the big house on 64th Street.

It was a valuable periscope over the high marble walls of the Met. I don't know how he did it. I don't care. But it will be missed.

For those who wish to have a copy of the final version of Mr. Wilber's page, it is available as a free download over at my good friend La Cieca's page: the one and only Parterre Box.

It will be missed.

Brad, I don't know you personally, but I'd like to thank you for all of your hard work and for running such a great site. I wish you success in your future endeavors, and hope to see you at the Met. Say hi sometime, I'm usually up in the Family Circle on Monday nights.

Here's to you.

DVD Review: Wagner and the Fascist Beast

Deustches-Oper Berlin takes on Hitler's favorite opera Rienzi
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Torsten Kerl as Rienzi, rising above the rabble.

Photo by Bettina Stöß © 2010 Deutsches Oper Berlin

This DVD presents a bold re-interpretation of this early opera by Richard Wagner. The title character is re-imagined as a 20th century dictator with a uniform fetish, who rises to power on the back of the common people, only to be killed in an underground bunker in the last act. (Sound like anyone you've heard of?) It's fitting that this brilliant staging by Philipp Stölzl was filmed at the Deutsches Oper Berlin in 2010. It's the first Rienzi on video, and the first essential Wagner DVD to be released in some time.