Today's Birthdays

Antonio Sacchini (1730-1786)
Simon Mayr (1763-1845)
Nicolai Rubinstein (1835-1881)
John McCormack (1884-1945)
Heddle Nash (1894-1961)
Rudolf Kempe (1910-1976)
Stanley Black (1913-2002)
Theodore Bloomfield (1923-1998)
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004)
Natalia Gutman (1942)
Lang Lang (1982)

and

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
Ralph Barnes (1899-1940)
John Bartlett (1820-1905)
Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971)
Ernesto (Che) Guevara de la Serna (1928-1967)
Jonathan Raban (1942)
Mona Simpson (1971)

Today's Birthdays

Anton (Antonín) Wranitzky (1761-1820)
Anton Eberl (1766-1807)
Elisabeth Schumann (1888-1952)
Carlos Chavez (1899-1978)
Alan Civil (1929-1989)
Gwynne Howell (1938)
Sarah Connolly (1963)
Alain Trudel (1966)

and

Frances Burney (1752-1840)
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Mary Antin (1881-1949)
Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)
William S. Burroughs (1914-1997)
Artem Chekh (1985)

Today's Birthdays

Vanni Marcoux (1877-1962)
Werner Josten (1895-1963)
Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986)
Leon Goossens (1897-1988)
Maurice Ohana (1913-1992)
Ian Partridge (1938)
Chick Corea (1941)
Oliver Knussen (1952)

and

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)
Egon Schiele (1890-1918)
Djuna Barnes (1892-1982)
Anne Frank (1929-1945)

Today's Birthdays

Francesco Antonio Bonporti (1672-1749)
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
George Frederick McKay (1899-1970)
Hazel Scott (1920-1981)
Shelly Manne (1920-1984)
Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021)
Antony Rooley (1944)
Douglas Bostock (1955)
Conrad Tao (1994)

and

Ben Jonson (1572-1637)
William Styron (1925-2006)
Athol Fugard (1932)

Today's Birthdays

Heinrich von Herzogenberg (1843-1900)
Hariclea Darclée (1860-1939)
Frederick Loewe (1904-1988)
Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984)
Tikhon Khrennikov (1913-2007)
Bruno Bartoletti (1925-2013)
Mark-Anthony Turnage (1960)

and

Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
Terence Rattigan (1911-1977)
James Salter (1925-2015)
Maurice Sendak (1928-2012)

Today's Birthdays

Anton Weidinger (1766-1852)
Otto Nicolai (1810-1849)
Alberic Magnard (1865-1914)
Carl Nielsen (1865-1931)
Cole Porter (1891-1964)
Dame Gracie Fields (1898-1979)
Ingolf Dahl (1912-1970)
Les Paul (1915-2009)
Franco Donatoni (1927-2000)
Charles Wuorinen (1938-2020)
Ileana Cotrubas (1939)

and

Baroness Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914)
George Axelrod (1922-2003)
Patricia Cornwell (1956)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1840, Franz Liszt gives a solo performance at the Hanover Square Rooms in London billed as "Recitals." This was the first time the term "recital" was used to describe a public musical performance, and it caused much discussion and debate at the time. Liszt is credited with both inventing and naming the now-common solo piano "recital."

Review of Cascadia Composers - Ligeti extravaganza posted on Oregon ArtsWatch

 My review of this over-the-top concert is now posted on Oregon ArtsWatch here. 

Today's Birthdays

Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1750)
Nicolas Dalayrac (1753-1809)
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942)
Reginald Kell (1906-1981)
Emanuel Ax (1949)

and

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)
John W Campbell (1910-1970)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1912, Ravel's ballet, "Daphnis et Chloé" was premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, by Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe, Pierre Monteux conducting.

Today's Birthdays

Leopold Auer (1845-1930)
George Szell (1897-1970)
Ilse Wolf (1921-1999)
Philippe Entremont (1934)
Neeme Järvi (1937)
Sir Tom Jones (1940)
Jaime Laredo (1941)
Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) (1958-2015)
Roberto Alagna (1963)
Olli Mustonen (1967)

and

Paul Gaugin (1848-1903)
Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973)
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)
Nikki Giovanni (1943)
Orham Pamuk (1952)
Louise Erdrich (1954)

Today's Birthdays

Sir John Stainer (1840-1901)
Siegfried Wagner (1869-1930)
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Iain Hamilton (1922-2000)
Serge Nigg (1924-2008)
Klaus Tennstedt (1926-1998)
Louis Andriessen (1939)
Paul Esswood (1942)

and

Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)
Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)
Thomas Mann (1875-1955)
Maxine Kumin (1925-2014)
Julian Mayfield (1928-1984)
Robert Pirsig (1928-2017)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1931, Henry Cowell's "Synchrony" received its premiere in Paris, at the first of two concerts of modern American music with the Orchestre Straram conducted by Nicholas Slonimsky and funded anonymously by Charles Ives. On the same program, Slonimsky also conducted the Orchestre Straram in the European premieres of works by Adolph Weiss ("American Life"), Ives ("Three Places in England"), Carl Ruggles ("Men and Mountains"), and the Cuban composer Amadeo Roldan ("La Rehambatamba").

John Malkovich in The Music Critic - classical music, theater, and comedy mash-up - by Aleksey Igudesman

From the Press Release:

John Malkovich in The Music Critic

Written and conceived by Aleksey Igudesman

 

Announcing US Tour

October 17-28, 2023; June 2024

 

Watch the Trailer: https://youtu.be/tXEfvkVJ-38

 

 

For more information: www.themusiccritic.com

 

New York, NY -- John Malkovich stars in The Music Critic – a show in which classical music, theater, and comedy collide – written and conceived by Aleksey Igudesman, in a US tour which runs from October 17 to October 28, and continues in June 2024. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, May 12.

 

Tour schedule:

 

Benaroya Hall, Seattle WA – October 17, 2023

Presented by the Seattle Symphony

 

Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles CA – October 20, 2023

Presented by Live Nation

 

Majestic Theater, Dallas, Texas – October 21, 2023

Presented by AT&T Performing Arts Center

 

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, Texas – October 22, 2023

Presented by Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

 

Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin, Texas – October, 23, 2023

Presented by Long Center for the Performing Arts

 

Filmore Theatre, Detroit, MI – October, 25, 2023

Presented by Live Nation

 

Chicago Theatre, Chicago IL – October 26, 2023

Presented by Live Nation

 

The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY – October 28, 2023

Presented by Live Nation

 

US Premiere of The Music Critic at the Symphony – with the Oregon Symphony

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR – June 12, 2024

Presented by the Oregon Symphony

 

In The Music Critic, writer and composer Aleksey Igudesman fuses the sardonic and straight-faced humor for which actor John Malkovich is renowned, with the slapstick and out-of-the-box zaniness of renowned comic duo Igudesman & Joo. Igudesman, who is joined on the tour by longtime collaborator pianist Hyung-ki Joo, is determined to avenge some of the most brilliant pieces of music which were railed and reviled by critics at their premieres.  

 

Legendary actor John Malkovich performs in this evening length show where he batters, insults, and laughs at the music of composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Schumann and more whose works premiered to jeers and negative press for performers and composer alike. In addition to Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo, they are joined by cellist Antonio Lysy, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, and violinist Claire Wells.  

 

John Malkovich says, “I have always loved the opportunity to collaborate on The Music Critic with Aleksey Igudesman, Hyung-ki Joo, and many other gifted and thoughtful musicians. We are all happy to be back on the road, and for the first time also in the USA, participating in an evening which consists of some of the greatest compositions in the history of classical music, paired with the perhaps rather unexpected initial reactions those compositions elicited from some of the world’s renowned music critics, along with some other surprises.”

 

Aleksey Igudesman says, “The Music Critic is a project very close to my heart and bringing it to the USA is something I dreamed of from its inception. My dear friend John Malkovich in the role of the evil critic is despicable and lovable at the same time and evokes the critic in every one of us.”

 

Tanja Dorn, Principal of Dorn Music, which is exclusively managing and booking the tour, says, “We are thrilled to finally be bringing this insightful and hilarious show to audiences in the United States.  Aleksey and John have created a brilliantly witty and creative evening of comedy and music making.”

Today's Birthdays

Arthur Somervell (1863-1937)
Robert Mayer (1879-1985)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982)
Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006)
Peter Schat (1935-2003)
James Dick (1940)
Martha Argerich (1941)
Bill Hopkins (1943-1981)

and

John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946)
Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
Alfred Kazin (1915-1998)
David Wagoner (1926-2021)
Margaret Drabble (1939)
David Hare (1947)

Today's Birthdays

James Hewitt (1770-1827)
Evgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988)
Alan Shulman (1915-2002)
Robert Merrill (1917-2004)
Irwin Bazelon (1922-1995)
Oliver Nelson (1932-1975)
Anthony Braxton (1945)
Cecilia Bartoli (1966)

and

Josef Sittard (1846-1903)
Karl Valentin (1882-1948)
Robert Anderson (1917-2009)

Free concert of music inspired by the salon of Sara Levy

Giancarlo Guerrero to step down from MD position at the Nashville Symphony

After the 2024-2025 season, Giancarlo Guerrero will leave the Nashville Symphony, according to The Tennessian via MSN here. The former MD of the Eugene Symphony (2001-2008) will stay busy, I'm sure.

Today's Birthdays

František Jan Škroup (1801-1862)
Charles Lecocq (1832-1918)
Jan Peerce (1904-1984)
Valerie Masterson (1937)
Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999)
Greg Sandow (1943)
Lynne Dawson (1956)

and

Josephine Baker (1906-1975)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)
Larry Jeff McMurtry (1936-2021)

RIP: Kaija Saariaho

Sad news for the music world: the BBC has just reported that the great Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho has passed away at the age of 70 as a result of brain cancer. Here is the link:

Kaija Saariaho: Feted Finnish composer dies at 70 - BBC News

Review: Portland Opera concert showcases jazz and operatic gems from Terence Blanchard

Terence Blanchard performs onstage at the Keller Auditorium in "Absence: Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet with the Portland Opera Orchestra." Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera.

Portland Opera continues to change things up in a big way. Instead of presenting its annual gala concert with a blend of arias and choruses from opera and musicals, it brought multi-Grammy-winner Terence Blanchard to the Keller Auditorium for a program (May 26) that showcased his brilliant work in the fields of jazz, film, and opera. In addition to Blanchard, the show featured the E-Collective, the Turtle Island Quartet, Karen Slack, Will Liverman, conductor Damien Geter, and the Portland Opera Orchestra. The hybrid performance engaged a diverse audience with a new, expanding musical perspective, which was refreshing to experience.

First off, let’s set the scene. Two huge towers of speakers were positioned like monoliths on the extreme right and left sides of the stage. A forest of microphones took up the center stage area, which was arranged so that Blanchard and his E-Collective ensemble were positioned up front and the orchestra (plus conductor Damien Geter) towards the back. A substantial drum kit shielded in part by plexiglass, a Steinway, and a small synthesizer keyboard occupied a fair amount of real-estate towards the front. Behind the orchestra was mega-sized-screen for projected images that accompanied the music.

 Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera.

Blanchard, age 61, is a major creative force. He has written over 40 film scores – of which two have garnered Oscar nominations. His discography of jazz recordings is well over 20 – not counting his appeances with other groups like Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. And if that weren’t enough, he has written two operas: “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” and “Champion.” Both have been produced by the Metropolitan Opera, making Blanchard the first African-American composer to have his works performed there. His work has been acknowledged with six Grammys and numerous accolades, including a 2022 Emmy.

The concert was divided into three parts with selections from Blanchard’s film music, his album “Absence,” and his opera “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” All of the performers were amplified, and all were projected at varying times on the big screen, blending in with images from films and other works related to the music being played. Now and then a kaleidoscopic collage of real-time photos direct from the stage was projected, adding to the fun, informal style of the concert.

The music kicked off with a bold statement from Blanchard’s trumpet for the “Malcolm X Suite.” His blurry, buzzy tone melded with the orchestra to convey a sense of seriousness as images from the movie were displayed.

The “BlacKkKlansman Suite,” involved members of the E-Collective – Blanchard’s jazz ensemble that added saxophone, guitar, piano, electric bass, and drums. This suite started with “Dixie” and the “Swanee River Song,” which added a sense of irony to the accompanying images of the Black Power movement. The music became more rhythmically heavy and acquired a depth that embraced the earnestness of projections from the movie.

Heavier still were three selections from Blanchard’s album “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina),” which contains music that he wrote for Spike Lee’s film “When the Levees Broke.” It expressed the sadness, anger, and loss of the people who endured Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it wreaked on New Orleans.

The Turtle Island Quartet joined Blanchard and the E-Collective for three selections from Blanchard’s “Absence” recording. It began with David Ginyard’s “Absence,” which had an inviting, hazy quality. Blanchard’s “I Dare You” staggered forward then picked things up a notch with a propulsive beat and several solos that was topped off by appealingly light, free-range riffs on the piano by Taylor Eigsti. The Turtle Islanders elicited a fiddling and countrified twang with David Balakrishnan’s “The Second Wave.”

Will Liverman and Karen Slack perform selections from "Fire Shut Up in My Bones". Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera.

The concert saved the best for last with eight selections from “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” that were sung by soprano Karen Slack, who is also Portland Opera’s Artistic Advisor, and baritone Will Liverman. Slack sang the role of Billie in the opera’s world premiere at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Liverman sang the role of Charles in the Metropolitan Opera production.

Liverman electrified the audience with “Tears of Anger and Shame” in which he sang of having a gun in his hand and anger in his heart for something that had happened in the past. It was one of the most gripping opening arias I have ever heard. From that point on Blanchard had everyone in the palm of his hand. Slack offered comforting reassurance with “Leave It In The Road,” and they created stunning duets with “Golden Button” and “Peculiar Grace.”

The fusion of jazz into the orchestral palate was so superbly done that it was seamless. The Portland Opera Orchestra under the direction of Geter sounded terrific. Now I want to experience the entire opera. When are we bringing it to Portland?

Damien Geter conducts "Absence." Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera.

 Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera.

Today's Birthdays

James Cutler Dunn Parker (1828-1916)
Felix Weingartner (1863-1942)
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Jozef Cleber (1916-1999)
Samuel Jones (1935)
Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012)
Mark Elder (1947)
Neil Shicoff (1949)
Michel Dalberto (1955)

and

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

and from The New Music Box:

On June 2, 1938, Amy Beach began work on her Piano Trio while in residence at the MacDowell Colony. She finished the composition fifteen days later (June 18th) and published it as her Op. 150. It was to be her last major work.

Today's Birthdays

Georg Muffat (1653-1704)
Ferdinando Paër (1771-1839)
Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857)
Werner Janssen (1899-1990)
Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
Nelson Riddle (1921-1985)
Yehudi Wyner (1929)
Edo de Waart (1941)
Richard Goode (1943)
Frederica von Stade (1945)
Arlene Sierra (1970)

and

John Masefield (1878-1967)
Charles Kay Ogden (1889–1957)
Naguib Surur (1932-1978)
Colleen McCullough (1937-2015)
Sheri Holman (1966)
Amy Schumer (1981)