New Releases Jul. 15: Handel, France, Ellis Island, Elsa Barraine
Two pairs of albums showcase music by George Frideric Handel and works by French composers. Plus, a solo album exploring Hungarian and American music, and a record dedicated to a lesser known 20th-century woman composer.
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Still in Search of a Halloween Costume? Here are 10 Easy, Classical Music-Themed DIY Ideas
Halloween is almost here, which means that it might time to start thinking about a costume. If you've been putting off that task, here are some easy, clever classical music-themed costume ideas to get you in the spooky spirit!
Get in the Halloween Spirit With These 7 Charming Classical Jack-O’-Lanterns!
Need some classical inspiration for your pumpkin carving this Halloween? Look no further, WFMT has found some of the most creative and spooky carvings across the internet!
The Film Score: Music for Halloween
Hosted by Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips, the program presents music from movies that explore the supernatural, the science-fictional, and the demonic (with a few laughs along the way).
Video: Weird Al Flexes His Classical Music Muscle
When beloved satirist and musician “Weird Al” Yankovic visited Ravinia, WFMT spoke with him about his tour... and then challenged him to a classical music speed round!
Choreographer Cathy Marston and the Joffrey Ballet Take ‘Jane Eyre’ From Page To Stage
To conceal that the book’s author was a woman, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre was first published in 1847 under a pen name. Choreographer Cathy Marston feels the book was revolutionary: “It truly was groundbreaking for a woman to write about her emotions and station in life with such honesty.”
Syrian Artists Express Urgency and Celebrate Survival through Music
Born in Damascus, Syria, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh's home country has undergone years of political strife, violence, and a refugee crisis. Azmeh has looked to his own craft in order to draw attention to these ongoing struggles in the form of a concerto by Syrian composer Kareem Roustom.
Marc-André Hamelin on Chopin and the Piano’s Infinite Possibilities
Hamelin is a “most approachable genius.”
Opera Is a “Contact Sport” in the Lost 1963 Documentary ‘In the Mouth of the Wolf’
Audiences will be irate this weekend at the Siskel Center. No, not the people in the theater, but the onscreen audiences portrayed in In the Mouth of the Wolf. The made-for-TV documentary depicts the infamously fanatical opera culture of Parma, Italy through the lens of a troubled production of Verdi’s Luisa Miller.
‘Come as You Are’: Ken-David Masur on Building Community With Civic Orchestra
For Ken-David Masur, artistry is just one aspect of a successful career in classical music; community engagement and outreach are of equal importance in building both a thriving artist and a flourishing orchestra.
Ravinia President and CEO to Step Down Following 2020 Season, His 20th
“I’ve decided that this milestone anniversary would be the right time to make way for someone new to shape the festival’s future,” Ravinia Festival president and CEO Welz Kauffman expressed in a press release.
