New Releases May 6: Jewish Vienna, Weinberg, Bassoon
A new album pays tribute to the Jewish composers of 20th-century Vienna. The Arcadia Quartet’s album explores the string quartets of another marginalized Jewish composer: Mieczysław Weinberg. Leading English bassoonist Laurence Perkins offers a lighthearted survey in Honey-coloured Cow. Other highlights include a handful of world premiere recordings by the United Strings of Europe, two violin concertos featuring Hans Christian ...
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Estefans: Immigration debate has fueled reaction to musical
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gloria and Emilio Estefan credit President Donald Trump with boosting audience enthusiasm for their stage musical On Your Feet! As the immigration debate has heated up, so have audiences’ reactions to scenes in new stage musical that spins around two immigrants, the Grammy winners said in a recent interview. On Your Feet! tells the story of ...
Spears, Smith to write ‘Castor and Patience’ for Cincinnati
CINCINNATI (AP) — Composer Gregory Spears and U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith have been commissioned by the Cincinnati Opera to write Castor and Patience, a story of black cousins in the American South who disagree about the future of land they inherited. The company said Tuesday that the work will premiere at the Corbett Theater in July 2020. Smith’s ...
Tchaikovsky Memorial to Be Installed in the Heart of Chicago’s Boystown
Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be honored with a memorial exhibit as part of the Legacy Walk, Chicago’s outdoor LGBTQ history museum. Located along 3245–3705 Halsted Street in the heart of Boystown, the museum features rainbow pylons with biographical plaques that honor the diverse contributions of LGBTQ people. From any smartphone, visitors can access videos, study guides, and other resources ...
Montreal Jazz Fest cancels Robert Lepage’s “SLĀV” amid criticisms of white artists performing slave songs
After protests and denouncements of cultural insensitivity, the Montreal International Jazz Festival has canceled SLĀV, a stage production that featured a predominantly white cast dressed as black slaves singing slave songs.
Hear the Album Inspired by the Incredible Life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
With the Supreme Court very much in the news these days, a Chicago label has released a musical tribute illuminating the personal and professional life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is marking 25 years on the high court.
Hitler offered to make this Jewish composer an “honorary Aryan.” Instead, he immigrated to the U.S. through Mexico.
One of the most popular operettas of all time, The Csárdás Princess, was composed by Hungarian Emmerich Kálmán. Discover his incredible story escaping Nazi persecution by coming to the United States through Mexico.
“Ellis Island: The Dream of America” is a symphonic celebration of America’s immigrants
Over 40% of Americans can trace their family lineage through Ellis Island. Now, there is a symphonic-dramatic work celebrating these vibrant immigrant communities.
At Northwestern University, soprano Renée Fleming tells graduates to “find your voice,” “get out there and use it”
In her commencement address, “the people’s diva” focused on an overarching theme: use your voice. “Find your voice, develop and care for it, and make it heard for years to come."
The science and the magic behind recording live classical concerts
Behind every classical recording and broadcast there's an expert engineer, who combines sciences with, perhaps, a little magic.
How LA’s Street Symphony is bringing music and social justice to Skid Row
Violinist Vijay Gupta is as much an advocate as he is a musician – a powerful speaker on behalf of marginalized communities in this country, and especially for the Skid Row community of people experiencing homelessness in downtown Los Angeles.
