Reviews
This July, The Sydney International Piano Competition 2021 kicked off with a gala concert from Moscow’s Great Hall of the Conservatory. Andrey Gugnin laureate of the 2016 competition in Sydney played Liszt’s first Piano concerto accompanied by the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. The spectacular opening night gala concert featured
Reviews
Classical music is perhaps the last bastion of the album as an art form: a collection of works that give the impression of belonging together and are placed in a meaningful order. Navona, an imprint of the genre-defying production/promotion house PARMA Recordings, has a catalogue of such ‘classical concept
Reviews
The reigning opera house of France since the last thirty years is the modern theatre (sometimes referred to as a “space ship”) designed by Carlos Ott. With more than 2500 seats it is the largest opera house in Europe. Alongside the Palais Garnier at Place de l’Opera the two
Reviews
On this my third annual visit to Vienna in October 2019 I had occasion to visit two off-the-beaten track opera houses. In earlier years I have restricted visits to the world-renowned, glorious and majestic Staatsoper on the Ring within the heart of the city and the lesser and further removed
Reviews
The nascent Effem Ensemble made its debut at Calcutta on 8 December 2019. By virtue of Founder Sponsor Varun Thapar’s refreshing enthusiasm and Founder Director Fauzia Marikar’s methodical coordination, it premiered at a musical soiree at Mr. Thapar’s elegant residence where he graciously welcomed each invitee. Also
Reviews
On my return to Munich after a year’s absence I went on two successive nights in the first weekend of November to the Bavarian State Opera. Situated on Max-Joseph-Platz this is the third theatre to exist on this site housing the State Opera and Ballet companies since 1818. The
Reviews
Written in 1791 the last year of Mozart’s life La Clemenza di Tito is based on Metastasio’s pre-dated by 50 years’ libretto (adapted by Caterino Mazzolà). It is less well known than the four earlier Mozart operas (the three da ponte comedies and the singspiel Die Zauberflöte). It
Reviews
My first night during this brief autumnal sojourn in Vienna, city of dreams was simply a delight. Boasting four venues for opera (among ballet, musicals and operetta) the legendary Staatsoper is by far and away one of the great opera houses of the world. Indeed this year it celebrates its
Reviews
Sunday 29th September saw a jam-packed Tata Theatre in anticipation of legendary Japanese-American violinist Midori’s long sold-out recital. She had flown in from Colombo and played in Pune the night before. Nursing a cold her thorough professionalism saw her through the demanding programme with unflinching determination. The audience erupted
Reviews
On 15th September at the Experimental theatre the sell-out audience was treated to a rare occasion. A piano-duet partnership that sparkled with virtuosity and convinced with refined musicianship. The two pianists were the husband and wife team of Alessandra Ammara and Roberto Prosseda, both versatile and virtuoso pianists in their
Reviews
Albert Schweitzer believed that there were only two means of refuge from the miseries of life- music and cats. What better place to test this claim than the charming Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai, which hosts the Symphony Orchestra of India on the second Monday of every month, and incidentally, abounds
Reviews
On the last day of the first half of this year, 30th June 2019, two young musicians, unsponsored by any supporting organisation or individual, with the gleam of artistic ardour in their eyes, and armed with the optimism of the young, presented an evening of entertainment to a small but