I’m hugely disappointed:
Change of program:
LUCERNE FESTIVAL hereby announces that on 8 August as well as on 10 and 11 August, Claudio Abbado will conduct Beethoven’s Incidental music to “Egmont” and Mozart’s Requiem. For artistic reasons, this program replaces the originally scheduled Eighth Symphony by Gustav Mahler.
I had been planning to attend what was to be the culmination of Abbado’s Lucerne Mahler symphony cycle. Interesting that as of the hour of this post lucernefestival.ch seems to be having technical problems (style sheets and javascript are offline). I will post more information as soon as I know more.
Robert Spano conducts Berlioz’s mammoth Grande Messe des Morts at Carnegie hall with a world-cklass chamber orchestra. What could possibly go wrong? Check out my review at Classical Source.
I’d heard rumblings about this recording a few months ago. Andrew Rose makes it official — and issues it! I’m not a huge fan of Toscanini, but this recording is particularly excellent (Carlos Païta is IMNSHO Toscanini’s only competition in this work).
The Inky‘s David Patrick Stearns reports on an unlikely performance of the Verdi Requiem in New Jersey. I’d add that the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove also sports one of the most interesting and impressive sounding organs on the East Coast. (Hat tip: Elliott Forrest.)
Gene Gaudette on classical music, cultural politics, political culture, media, and his record labels.