On a Knife’s Edge: Cooking, Music, History Come Together in Okpebholo’s Cook-Off
In Chicago composer Shawn E. Okpebholo’s new opera, three chefs vie for cooking show glory — and $100K — by tackling the classically American dish macaroni and cheese.
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Why the Beats of Bomba and Plena are as Essential to Puerto Rican Culture as Beans and Rice
Arroz con gandules – a version of beans and rice using pigeon peas – is a staple of Puerto Rican cuisine. Because the dish is so affordable to prepare, it nourishes people from all walks of life and economic backgrounds. Bomba and plena, two forms of Puerto Rican folk music, have similarly nourished the commonwealth by uplifting working-class narratives and ...
This Chicagoan Never Expected To Sing Opera. Now She’s Singing on One of the World’s Largest Stages.
Soprano Whitney Morrison began singing before she could even speak. Through her early years of singing in church, she never thought she would pursue a career in opera. Now, Morrison is one of 12 young artists selected for the 2017/2018 ensemble at Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. The Ryan Opera Center is one ...
Video: This Is What It Sounds like When 100 Percussionists Play Together
The thought of 100 percussionists may evoke up cacophonous clanging, but the soundscape is more peaceful than you might expect.
Yo-Yo Ma, CSO’s ‘Concert for Peace’ Takes a Stand against Violence at South Side’s St. Sabina Church
"Yo-Yo Ma wanted to meet with me, and I thought it was a joke," Reverend Michael L. Pfleger said to an audience of over 1,000 people at St. Sabina Church.
10 Operas About Poisonous and Medicinal Plants
Get your cauldron brewing with works by Donizetti, Puccini, Haydn, Delibes, and more!
6 Unforgettable Composer Friendships
Whether bosom buddies or esteemed colleagues, there’s no doubt that these composers enjoyed genuine friendships that would influence their personal and professional lives.
KAIA Kids Around the World – The Music of Brazil
WFMT is proud to present KAIA Kids Around the World, a new web series that explores music from across the globe. As WFMT’s first ensemble in residence, KAIA String Quartet is taking WFMT fans on a musical adventure throughout Latin America from May – July 2017. With nine different stops throughout Latin America, KAIA is exploring the music of Brazil from May ...
One of Conductor Manfred Honeck’s Favorite Quotes Might Change the Way You Think About Classical Music
Conductor Manfred Honeck shared one of his favorite quotes that guides his artistic work, and it just might change the way you think about classical music.
Hear Music by Chiquinha Gonzaga, the Brazilian Composer Who Was 100 Years Ahead of Her Time
Composer and musician Chiquinha Gonzaga, born Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga When Brazilian pianist, conductor, and composer Chiquinha Gonzaga’s first husband told her to choose him or music, she replied, “Well, sir, my husband, I do not understand life without harmony.” Shortly after, they parted ways. The stigma of divorce, however, followed her. Shunned by her own family, Gonzaga was left ...
Playlist: 3 Latino “Mozarts” Classical Music Lovers Should Know
There are three Latino composers who have often been compared to Mozart. Two of them were called “Mozart” by their contemporaries: Chevalier de Saint Georges, born in the French-Caribbean island of Guadeloupe in the 18th century and the 19th-century composer Spanish-Basque Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga. The third is the 20th-century Brazilian composer Camargo Guarnieri whose first name was actually Mozart! Learn ...
