tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56073522026-11-01T03:43:50.808-05:00IonartsSomething other than politics in Washington, D.C.Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.comBlogger8837125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-48292192965036157522026-10-18T14:56:08.430-05:002026-10-18T14:56:08.431-05:00Kahlo craze continues with Vanessa Severo's one-woman "Frida" at STCVanessa Severo as Frida Kahlo (The Broken Column) in Frida...A Self Portrait. Photo: Michael BrosilowFrida Kahlo, after living most of her life in the shadow of Diego Rivera, has become a marketing force. Especially since the turn of the century, when Salma Hayek starred in a 2002 movie about the Mexican artist, the arts world has continued to cash in on Kahlo's viral power. Her popularity Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-18019786778254699472026-10-08T17:30:00.000-05:002026-10-10T11:33:18.567-05:00A Survey of Bruckner Cycles<!DOCTYPE html>
Anton Bruckner Symphony Cycles
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margin-rightUnknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-83151467240919882692026-10-02T16:06:29.091-05:002026-10-02T16:08:42.975-05:00'Here’s a change indeed in the Commonwealth!': Segregation-era 'Measure for Measure' at FolgerNathan Darrow (The Duke), Renea S. Brown (Isabella, center), and Holly Twyford (Escalus) in Measure for Measure, Folger Theatre. Photo: Erika NizborskiFolger Theatre has opened its season with an intriguing production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. Director Psalmayene 24, who won a Helen Hayes Award for his Africa-centered production of Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses in 2024, has Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-53078788612711875092026-09-20T19:50:45.044-05:002026-09-20T19:54:59.063-05:00Brian Cox heads a musical dynasty in Shakespeare's "The Score"Peter De Jersey (Voltaire, left) and Brian Cox (J.S. Bach, right) in The Score, Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo: Teresa CastracaneShakespeare Theatre Company and its artistic director, Simon Godwin, have brought Oliver Cotton’s recent play The Score stateside. Premiered in 2023 at Theatre Royal Bath, the play stars Brian Cox as Johann Sebastian Bach during his May 1747 visit to the court Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-2064441093390582882026-09-15T14:22:04.294-05:002026-09-15T14:22:04.294-05:00Notes from the 2026 Salzburg Festival ( 3 ) Sol Gabetta & Kristian Bezuidenhout
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color: inheritUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-73208065425116285282026-09-13T05:15:39.360-05:002026-09-13T05:15:39.361-05:00Notes from the 2026 Salzburg Festival ( 2 ) Kopatchinskaja, Friends, and György Kurtág
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-13660356146449436342026-07-20T11:18:19.041-05:002026-07-20T11:18:19.041-05:00The Flourishing Arts with Les Arts Florissants in "Les Arts Florissants"Les Arts Florissants performed Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants at Caramoor Friday evening. Photo: Gabe Palacio
KATONAH, N.Y. -- William Christie, who turned 81 last December, founded Les Arts Florissants in 1979 in France, where he had relocated due to his opposition to the Vietnam War. The preeminent French early music ensemble took its name from a short chamber opera, composed by Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-24923614074846581002026-07-18T19:26:38.251-05:002026-07-20T11:07:16.502-05:00Teatro Nuovo marks bicentenary of Italian opera in America
Sedona Libero (Donna Elvira), Kevin Spooner (Leporello, right), and Ricardo José Rivera (Don Giovanni), Teatro Nuovo. Photo: Steven PisanoNEW YORK, N.Y. -- Will Crutchfield, a leading American specialist in bel canto opera, has led the summer festival Teatro Nuovo since 2018, at various venues around New York. This year's programming, more than worth a trip to Manhattan this week, went back toCharles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-59547997022527435352026-07-02T13:14:51.715-05:002026-07-02T13:19:57.153-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Pavel Haas Quartet Makes the Ears Dance in an All-Czech Program
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color: inherit;Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-77371983434881460322026-06-01T19:58:51.762-05:002026-06-01T19:58:51.811-05:00STC's 'Othello' on the Jersey Shore
Ben Turner (Iago) and Wendell Pierce (Othello) in Othello, Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo: Teresa Castracane
In Simon Godwin's new production of Othello, mounted by Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Harman Center and seen last week, the action has been updated to "a modern capital" and "the time is now." The Moor and his soldiers are not Venetian guards and sailors, but a general and his Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-72675124557806914112026-05-20T16:46:33.122-05:002026-05-20T16:47:30.208-05:00 #ClassicalDiscoveries: The Podcast. Episode 022 - Engelbert Humperdinck: Miraculous and Ecclesiastic Adventures
Welcome to #ClassicalDiscoveries. Here is a little introduction to who we are and what we would like to achive at the first (or, in a nod to Bruckner, "double-zeroëth" episode). Your comments, criticism, and suggestions remain most welcome, of whatever nature they may be. Comments on YouTube directly are even more appreciated, as they will help the visibility and reach of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-69657761733698921752026-05-10T11:14:00.002-05:002026-05-10T14:55:55.338-05:00Critic’s Notebook: New Production of the Rosenkavalier in Graz<!-- CSS -->
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-58014320582351027032026-04-18T07:27:00.005-05:002026-04-18T07:27:57.491-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Olivier Latry and Shin-Young Lee<!-- CSS -->
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-6461721415883652622026-04-18T05:20:00.006-05:002026-04-18T06:17:03.237-05:00Critic’s Vault: Shipwrecked in Ireland
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eX presents:,
Music from "Shipwrecked",
De Cabez, De Morales, De Victor, Byrd et al
(Heresy Records, 2012)
US | UK | DE
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The Dublin Drag Orchestra,
Music from "Motion of the Heart" & "Viva Frida!"
Dowland, Lawes, Coperario, Ward et al.
(Heresy Records, 2012)
US | UK | DE
A musical journeyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-54449225623956617932026-04-17T06:09:00.003-05:002026-04-17T06:09:36.981-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Barokksolistene and their Alehouse Sessions at the Konzerthaus
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Bjarte Eike,
Barokksolistene
The Alehouse Sessions
(Rubicon, 2017)
US | UK | DE
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Bjarte Eike,
Barokksolistene
The Image of Melancholie
(BIS SACD, 2014)
US | UK | DE
Jolly Musicke Till You Drop
Hip vibes at the Norwegian baroque hoedown
For the most part, the crowds pouring into the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-36543543635469832292026-04-05T10:16:00.000-05:002026-04-05T10:16:01.692-05:00A (Very!) Fine Messiah From Václav Luks and Collegium 1704
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G.F.Handel
Messiah
Luks/Collegium 1704
Semenzato, Schachtner, Adam, Stražanac
Accent, 2019>
US |
UK |
DE
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G.F.Handel
Messiah
McCreesh/Gabrieli Consort
Röschmann, Gritton, Fink, Daniels, Davies
Archiv, 1997
US |
UK |
DE
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-8871080583048826882026-03-25T19:51:01.147-05:002026-10-08T08:17:15.781-05:00 A Survey of Prokofiev Symphony Cycles
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<!-- Prokofiev Symphony cycle complete overview -->
<!-- complete Prokofiev Symphony Cycles -->
► An Index of ionarts Discographies
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Continuing my discographies, this is a survey of — hopefully — every extant recorded cycle of the Sergei Prokofiev symphonies. They are listed in chronological order of completion. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-36938242876652953892026-03-21T13:53:00.001-05:002026-03-21T13:53:15.467-05:00RSC's "Hamnet" is the thing at Shakespeare Theatre Company
Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Agnes Hathaway) and Rory Alexander (William Shakespeare) in Hamnet, Royal Shakespeare Company, at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo: Kyle Flubacker
For the first time in Shakespeare Theatre Company's history, the company is hosting a production and cast from Royal Shakespeare Company. The British troupe's intriguing staging of Hamnet, Lolita Chakrabarti's adaptation of the Charles T. Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978821617871429169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-63750586354884066612026-03-12T21:30:00.001-05:002026-03-12T21:30:00.109-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Force Majeure! Marianne Crebassa at the Musikverein
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M. Crebassa / F. Say,
"Secrets",
French Songs
(Erato, 2017)
US | UK | DE
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M. Crebassa / Glassberg,
Orch. Ntl. du Capit. de Toulouse
"Seguedilles",
Spanish Songs
(Erato, 2022)
US | UK | DE
Force Majeure! A MET-voice in a MINI-space.
The French mezzo-soprano bewitched and trumpetedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-21782456439877821092026-03-12T04:35:00.005-05:002026-04-18T07:03:23.858-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Marin Alsop, the RSO and Bruce Liu in "Program vs. Performance"
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F. Chopin,
"Winner of the 2021 Chopin Competition",
Bruce Liu
(DG, 2022)
US | UK | DE
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S. Prokofiev,
The Symphonies
Marin Alsop, OSESP
(Naxos, 6CDs, 2021)
US | UK | DE
Insipid Program, Inspired Orchestra
Under Marin Alsop's baton the proof of the music is in the listening.
On paper,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-68272800804146198082026-03-12T03:50:00.003-05:002026-03-12T04:29:43.924-05:00Critic’s Notebook: When Alban Berg is the Sweetener: Great Programming with Metzmacher
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K. Weill,
Der neue Orpheus et al.
Carole Farley, M.Guttman, J.Serebrier
(ASV, 1997)
US | UK | DE
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A. Berg,
Lulu Suite, 3 Pieces
D.Gatti, Concertgebouw
(RCO Live, SACD, 2008)
US | UK | DE
A Successful 20th-Century Miscellany
Ingo Metzmacher and the RSO Vienna deliver a colorful evening Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-20024490450112685282026-02-23T08:43:00.004-05:002026-02-23T11:31:52.616-05:00Critic’s Notebook: The Quinteto Astor Piazzolla in Vienna
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A. Piazzolla,
"The Late Masterpieces",
Quinteto Tango Nuevo
(American Clavé, 3CDs, 1993)
US | UK | DE
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A. Piazzolla,
"Mi Buenos Aires Querido",
Barenboim, Mederors, Console
(Warner, 1996)
US | UK | DE
Piazzolla by the Book
Music to fall in love with – but also a distinct lack of flairUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-11771720419740163322026-02-17T06:17:00.007-05:002026-02-23T11:23:49.131-05:00Critic’s Notebook: Evgeny Titov’s New Wozzeck in Graz
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A. Berg,
Wozzeck,
Dohnanyi, WPh
Silja, Waechter et al.
(Decca, 1981)
US | UK | DE
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H. Berlioz,
Les Troyens,
Böhm, Deutsche Oper Berlin
Lear, Fischer-Dieskau et al.
(DG, 1965)
US | UK | DE
The Naked Truth About Graz’s Wozzeck
Every aspect of the new Wozzeck in Graz is better Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5607352.post-62598490799923272042026-02-04T14:51:00.001-05:002026-02-04T14:51:17.111-05:00How To Build A Top Quality Classical Music Library For $100 (Part 1)
Introduction
The Why, How, and What
This is a reposting (edited and expanded) of an article that George A. Pieler and I wrote for Forbes.com, back in March of 2013 and picks off from these musings: How To Build A Top Quality Classical Music Library For $100 (Prelude), where you can read all about the idea behind the idea. I am re-posting and editing the articles to makes sure they don’tUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2