Classical Spotlight

The Opera San Antonio (TOSA) presents a "Gala Concert of Stars" at the Majestic Theater this Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. These stars include Patricia Racette, Jay Hunter Morris, Dolora Zajick, Daniela Mack, Alek Shrader, Lucas Meacham, and Eric Owens.

TOSA announced Lisette Oropesa is replacing Susannah Biller, who was unavailable due to a schedule conflict.

For over 15 years, Ethel has been on the edge of chamber music - performing with rockers, on soundtracks, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in the Grand Canyon.  

Friday evening is a chance to hear the string quartet live and in person, along with Native American flutist Robert Mirabal.

"It's beautiful stuff," quips Dorothy Lawson, artistic director and cellist of Ethel. "There's a profound sense of sinking into an altered space when we perform this program."

This week the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs two different programs at Carnegie Hall. Leonard Slatkin, their music director, is happy to be part of the Spring For Music festival. "More than any composer I can think of, you span not only his musical growth, but literally the coming of age of American music with these four [Ives] symphonies."

KPAC will air Detroit's Spring For Music concerts on Saturday & Sunday, May 18th and 19th at 7pm on KPAC & KTXI.

There is a lot of attention being paid to Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring." The ballet caused a riot at its premiere back in May 1913, and 100 years later is still gathering audiences. San Antonio audiences saw the Joffrey Ballet perform it on tour with pre-recorded music back in March.

The latest release from Augustin Hadelich and Pablo Sainz Villegas is hot! "Histoire du Tango" is filled with passion, flair, and a lot of notes - featuring music from Astor Piazzolla, Manuel de Falla, Nicolo Paganini, and Pablo de Sarasate.

"A mutual friend in New York introduced us, and we played at an Embassy," says guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas. "It was so much fun, and we understood each other musically." So Villegas and Hadelich decided to record some of the works they played that night.