On Mozart's birthday

Search "Mozart" on youtube...here's what has the most hits....over 8 million. Illinoisan Emily has been on WFMT's "Introductions". And she likes Mozart.
Happy Birthday Herr Mozart.

As Heard on WFMT

98.7 and wfmt.com brought you the opening night performance of a Donizetti favorite this past Saturday night. Here's what our friend John von Rhein had to say:

Love at first sight
Lyric stages its funniest, best-sung 'Elixir of Love' to date
John von Rhein

Chicago Tribune Classical music critic

January 25, 2010
Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore" has been a staple of the Lyric Opera repertory almost from the beginning, and the return of this endearing bel canto comedy for a brace of winter performances was a smart business move on Lyric's part. What better box office insurance at a time when the big companies are relying extra hard on operatic chestnuts to lure warm bodies into the theater?

Of all the performances of "The Elixir of Love" I've caught at the Lyric over the last 32 years, I can't remember a funnier, better-sung ensemble than the one that lit up the Civic Opera House stage on Saturday night. That's saying something, considering that several of those shows starred the great Luciano Pavarotti and Carlo Bergonzi.

The difference is that this "Elisir" is strong in every department, from the stylish singing of the mostly Italian cast to the mirthful staging and the light touch conductor Bruno Campanella brings to Donizetti's ebullient score. And it introduces to Chicago a terrific addition to that illustrious Lyric pantheon of Nemorinos — the vocally elegant and engaging young lyric tenor Giuseppe Filianoti.

Given such virtues, it was easy to fall in love with the young lovers at the center of the story: the credulous farm boy Nemorino, who resorts to a "love potion" sold him by the quack Dulcamara (baritone Alessandro Corbelli, hilarious) to advance his amorous pursuit of the aloof Adina, his employer (soprano Nicole Cabell, here at her most radiant and charming).

Filianoti has sung Nemorino at the Metropolitan and Covent Garden operas and this season is reprising his portrayal in Paris, Munich and Los Angeles. He cut a handsome, immensely likeable figure even as he spun cantabile lines of pure liquid gold. The famed tenor romanza, "Una furtiva lagrima" — in which our bumpkin-hero discovers, to his astonishment, that Adina also adores him — he delivered with a sweet, robust sound and elegant phrasing, to genuinely touching effect. The aria drew a long and thunderous ovation.

Like Corbelli, Filianoti is a gifted physical comedian. I burst out laughing along with the rest of the audience when Nemorino, drunk on Dulcamara's miracle elixir (actually cheap Bordeaux), boogied in delight as he was being pawed by a clutch of village girls whom he thinks have fallen under the potion's spell. After such a triumphant debut, Lyric would be remiss not to reengage Filianoti posthaste.

Cabell once again proved herself one of today's foremost masters of the art of bel canto singing. Seamless, limpid lines and sparkling coloratura came effortlessly to her, and she blended beautifully with Filianoti in their duets. Moreover, the soprano was fully into the caprice and compassion of her character.

This Adina immediately saw through the braggadocio of her other suitor, Belcore, a stuffed shirt beneath his gold sergeant's helmet. Baritone Gabriele Viviani, in his Lyric debut, played the part with pompous gusto even though his singing sounded weak in the lower range.

Dulcamara gave Corbelli a golden opportunity to exercise his practiced buffo skills, and this veteran scene stealer made a meal of the role. The patter song in which the itinerant doctor recounted the myriad benefits of his magic potion fell trippingly off his tongue. Corbelli even got to make his grand entrance on a cart drawn by a magnificent white Percheron draft horse, Bullwinkle by name. The animal was a model of good equine behavior.

Ryan Opera Center soprano Angela Mannino made a bright and lively Giannetta.

Judging by the merry sounds emanating from the orchestra, somebody must have passed a few bottles of Dulcamara's miracle elixir down to the pit musicians. The Lyric orchestra was in fine form for Campanella, as was the chorus of happy, peppy peasants.

The production, originally staged by Giulio Chazalettes almost 33 years ago in Chicago, has held up well. Ulisse Santicchi's unit set conjured up a sun-baked Italian farmhouse and ruined stone walls set within a storybook cyclorama. The lighting was by Jason Brown.

Lyric Opera's "L'Elisir d'Amore" runs through Feb. 22 at the Civic Opera House. Susanna Phillips and Frank Lopardo will take over the leading roles for performances beginning Feb. 7. 312-332-2244, or lyricopera.org.

Pavarotti sings L'Elisor's best-known tune...

Earl Wild

Pianist Earl Wild dies at 94
First to perform solo recital on American television in 1939
Associated Press
Jan 25, 2010, 06:47 PM ET
NEW YORK -- Earl Wild, the first pianist to give a solo recital on American television, died Saturday of congestive heart disease at his Palm Springs home. He was 94.Wild's first televised recital came in 1939, when NBC began transmitting its first commercial live musical telecasts.His last public performance came at the February 2008 Grammy Salute to Classical Music event at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, where he was an honoree and received the President's Merit Award from the Recording Academy.He continued to teach until last week."Wild was a remarkable classical pianist with an innate gift and a pure passion for his art," said academy president and CEO Neil Portnow. "He was predestined to take his place among the great pianists of the world, and his work will be forever remembered and revered by generations to come."

Chicago Helps Haiti

WFMT, WTTW and many other Chicago radio and TV stations are joining together today for the Chicago Helps Haiti relief drive...as of 8:15 this morning over 800,000 dollars raised! Let's see how much we can raise by 11pm tonight to aid our brothers and sisters in need...
Thanks!


Haiti Earthquake (Chicago Tonight, Jan 13, 2010)

What?!?

Karzas sent me this and I couldn't stop laughing. Wonder who made it? Nothing says "serialism" more than car crashes, people falling and guys getting slugged. Ridiculous. Thanks Andy!

Lynn Harrell Live

It's a thrill to have the great cellist live on WFMT this afternoon, sharing many of his favorite recordings with Kerry. Among them...



Miss any of it? Hear some of Lynn and Kerry again Saturday morning with Dennis Moore.

The King at 75

Forget Rod. For me, this is Chicago's top Elvis. Ronnie Vegas. I'm lobbying for him as a 2010 Chicagoan of the Year. Thanks Ronnie. And thanks to Carl Grapentine for this morning's Elvis tribute.

Ronnie's at "Rabbits" tonight...up here on da nort'wess side. You know "Rabbits"....Elston and Cicero. Maybe Hudson'll be there...

Happy 75th.