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Deceptive Cadence
6:58 am
Fri May 10, 2013

Moms In Opera: Women On The Edge

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Credit AFP/Getty Images
Mozart's Queen of the Night (portrayed here by soprano Diana Damrau), in his The Magic Flute, is one of opera's more intense mothers.
Credit Sony
Credit DG
Credit EMI
Credit EMI
Maria Callas in Bellini's Norma.
Credit Decca
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Originally published on Thu May 9, 2013 1:43 pm

We love mothers for all the Hallmark reasons: for their compassion and patience, not to mention giving birth. But some moms aren't exactly greeting card friendly — and none less so than those who live in the opera house.

This is opera, after all, so we expect the outrageous. But operatic moms seem to be disproportionately portrayed as murderers, harpies or generally women on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Your Normas, Medeas, Butterflies, Queens of the Night and Clytemnestras.

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KPAC Blog: Metropolitan Opera
2:23 pm
Wed May 8, 2013

Wagner's Anniversary And The End Of The World In 'Gotterdammerung'

Credit Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera
Siegfried is dead!
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The 2012-13 opera season has come and almost gone. For whatever wonders summer may hold, the Met Opera season of broadcasts closes this weekend with the living end, Richard Wagner's "Götterdämmerung."

In a staggering marathon of recapitulations, developments, plot changes and reversals, and a grand procession of leitmotivs that ignite a conflagration that ends the opera, the gods and the world are reborn in the cleansing fires of the overflowing Rhine.

But how does it all happen?

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Deceptive Cadence
11:59 pm
Tue May 7, 2013

Do You Have To Nearly Kill Yourself To Become A Classical Musician?

Credit Dave Brown / courtesy of the artist
Pianist James Rhodes.
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Originally published on Thu May 9, 2013 1:49 pm

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Classical Spotlight
12:02 pm
Tue May 7, 2013

St. Luke's Episcopal Choir Premieres Phillips Canticles

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Credit courtesy of the artist
St. Luke's Choir
Credit courtesy of the artist
Composer Craig Phillips
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The Choir of St. Luke's Episcopal Church will present their last "Choral Evensong" this season Sunday afternoon at 4:30pm. The concert will feature the world premiere of the St. Luke's Canticles by Craig Phillips. It was commissioned by the parish and the Friends of Music for the Parish Choir for this concert, and later tour of the United Kingdom. Dr. Phillips will be present for the premiere, and more choral works of Phillips will be presented in the Service as well.

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Tiny Desk Concerts
1:54 pm
Mon May 6, 2013

Nicola Benedetti: Tiny Desk Concert

Credit Marie McGrory / Marie McGrory/NPR
Nicola Benedetti performs a Tiny Desk Concert in February 2013.
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Originally published on Tue May 7, 2013 1:01 pm

You might never tell by her youth or her warm and approachable demeanor, but 26-year-old Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti has already had an extraordinary career. Mentored by Yehudi Menuhin starting at age 10, Benedetti won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award a decade ago — and, really, that was just a warm-up.

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KPAC Blog
12:03 pm
Mon May 6, 2013

Slatkin On Recording, Revitalization, And Rachmaninoff

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Credit Steve J. Sherman
Conductor Leonard Slatkin
Credit Courtesy of Naxos
The latest from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
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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.

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