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Jessye Norman, the international opera star, dead at 74
NEW YORK (AP) — Jessye Norman, the renowned international opera star whose passionate soprano voice won her four Grammy Awards and the National Medal of Arts, has died, according to family spokesperson Gwendolyn Quinn. She was 74. A statement released to The Associated Press on Monday said Norman died at 7:54 a.m. EDT from septic shock and multi-organ failure secondary ...
The sights and soundbites of Lyric Opera’s glamorous opening night
With the red carpet adorning Wacker Drive and the Art Deco opera house buzzing with excitement, Lyric Opera of Chicago celebrated its opening night on Saturday, September 28. Rossini’s Barber of Seville, the bubbly opera buffa, was an appropriate toast to the beginning of Lyric’s 65th season. Lyric patrons, whether first-time opera-goers or seasoned subscribers, talked with WFMT about the ...
Classical Music for an Abundant Autumn, Selected by WFMT [Playlist]
In the gap between a languid summer and a long winter, there's just enough room left for fall. It's a season for transformation, comfort, reflection, and growth. In other words, it's the perfect time to grab some cider, take in that brilliant fall foliage, and enjoy this playlist created for you by WFMT staff and hosts!
Pianist Paul Badura-Skoda dies at age 91
Badura-Skoda enjoyed a career that spanned more than seven decades, during which time, he was celebrated as a pianist, conductor, chamber musician, composer, and teacher. He performed into his nineties.
Esteban Batallán Named CSO Principal Trumpet
On September 26, 2019, Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti announced that Esteban Batallán will be the Adolph Herseth Principal Trumpet Chair, filling a seat that has been vacant since the departure of Christopher Martin who left the CSO in 2017 to become principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic. Since his first CSO performances in June 2018, Batallán ...
Postcards from Scandinavia — Lisa Flynn leads a musical journey to Denmark and Norway
One of the most exciting things about working at WFMT over the years has been the opportunity to travel on music-themed trips, meeting new friends who share a love of classical music. In early September, I led a group of eleven listeners on a journey to Denmark and Norway, where we saw cosmopolitan capitals and incredible natural beauty. Along the ...
At the intersection of Philip Glass and Coldplay: How Emmy-winning composer John Lunn created the sound of Downton Abbey
A gentleman and his dog strutting on the grounds of a grand estate; house staff placing perfectly polished silverware on a table; a rose petal falling delicately on a credenza. These images in the main title sequence of Downton Abbey immerse you in the aristocratic life of early 20th-century England. Set to John Lunn’s Emmy Award-winning score, the main title ...
Domingo withdraws from Met Opera after harassment reports
NEW YORK (AP) — The Metropolitan Opera announced Tuesday that Plácido Domingo had agreed to withdraw from his slate of scheduled performances at the opera house following allegations of sexual harassment made by multiple women in two Associated Press stories. The opera legend indicated that he would never again perform at the Met. Domingo had been scheduled to sing the ...
Get Out composer Michael Abels brings his horror soundtrack into the concert hall [Video]
"Writing music, I believe, is a spiritual practice,” says composer Michael Abels. “Any three notes you can find are either terrible or brilliant depending on the context.” Abels makes his Sinfonietta conducting debut leading the orchestra in a live-to-picture performance of his own score for Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning film Get Out.
“Weird Al” flexes his classical music muscle with WFMT [Video]
Since the 1980s, world-renowned satirist “Weird Al” Yankovic has found consistent success parodying popular music. From Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to Jimmy Webb’s “MacArthur Park” and Don McLean’s “American Pie,” Al has woven himself into the fabric of modern music and pop culture. As part of his 2019 Strings Attached tour, Al and his band ...
