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La Scena Online is the digital magazine of La Scene Musicale.Contents: News, Concert reviews, CD reviews, Interviews, Obituaries, etc; Editor: Wah Keung Chan; Assistant Editor: Andreanne Venne
ISSN: 1206-9973

Video of the Day – Gergiev Conducts Tchaikovsky

By Paul E. Robinson on 25 September 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

For years now the busiest conductor in the world has been Valery Gergiev. And he still is. He is currently conducting a run of performances of Eugen Onegin at the Met in New York with Anna Netrebko, and soon he will be leading a North American tour with his Mariinsky Orchestra. The tour includes a stop in Montreal with an all-Rachmaninov program.His critics say that Gergiev can’t possibly be prepared for all the performances he gives and that is probably true. At the same time, few conductors anywhere bring as much mastery and involvement to a performance as Gergiev. Like…

Video of the Day – Berlin Philharmonic Horn Section Plays Bruckner

By Paul E. Robinson on 15 September 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

The symphonies of Bruckner are a challenge for any orchestra, especially for the horn section. In several of the later symphonies four of the horn players have to switch to Wagner tubas. The Berlin Philharmonic has a long and proud tradition of playing Bruckner under Furtwaengler, Karajan, Boehm, Jochum and others but it doesn’t take its authority lightly in this repertoire. In this recent video you will see the members of the BPO horn section preparing for a Bruckner performance with meticulous rehearsal and discussion.The Montreal Symphony plays Bruckner’s Third Symphony this week under music director Kent Nagano.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Lotfi Mansouri: In Memoriam

By Paul E. Robinson on 7 September 2013 Opera, Video of the day

Lotfi Mansouri was the right man at the right time for the Canadian Opera Company. He was the man who made the organization a major force in Toronto’s musical life, and through his international connections he was able to bring the best singers to the city. He also deserves enormous credit for bringing opera to many more people through the use of surtitles. Finally, North American audiences could get the jokes and appreciate the nuances of the text.These were genuine achievements and they catapulted him to the leadership of an even more important company, the San Francisco Opera.His greatest qualities…

Video of the Day – Lisiecki Plays Chopin at Verbier Festival 2013

By Paul E. Robinson on 29 August 2013 Piano, Romantic, Video of the day

The summer music festivals are drawing to a close for another year. Among the highlights was this performance by Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki from the 2013 Verbier Festival in Switzerland. Lisiecki plays Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Joshua Bell & the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

By Paul E. Robinson on 5 August 2013 Romantic, Video of the day, Violin

The legendary chamber orchestra the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields made a surprising choice recently when it chose Joshua Bell to be its next music director. Bell had little or no experience as a conductor so how could he be the right man for the job that Sir Neville Marriner long held with such distinction?But the ASMF is a very special kind of chamber orchestra and Joshua Bell is a very special sort of musician. Like Bell Marriner was a violinist although he did not have an important career as a soloist. And for a time Marriner led…

Video of the Day – Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle

By Paul E. Robinson on 29 July 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

Last fall Christian Thielemann began his tenure as chief conductor of the legendary Dresden Staatskapelle, one of the world’s oldest and finest orchestras. Great things are expected from this combination of conductor and orchestra. Thielemann has solid credentials as a Bruckner and Wagner conductor and that is the core repertoire of this orchestra.Earlier this year Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle took over from Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic as the resident conductor and orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival. This too has a certain inevitability about it. Karajan founded the Salzburg Easter Festival and for many years Thielemann was one…

Video of the Day – Dallas Concertmasters Play Prokofiev

By Paul E. Robinson on 22 July 2013 Contemporary, Orchestral, Video of the day

Jaap van Zweden has dramatically improved the Dallas Symphony since he took over as music director. In addition to his unique conducting skills, he has made significant changes in personnel. Among the major changes have been the appointments of two concertmasters: Alexander Kerr and Nathan Olsen. Van Zweden knows a thing or two about violins and violinists. For many years he was concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and had an important solo career. It is probably not a coincidence that Alexander Kerr was also concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at one time.Here are the two concertmasters together playing Prokofiev’s…

Video of the Day – The Inimitable Sir Thomas Beecham

By Paul E. Robinson on 16 July 2013 Orchestral, Video of the day

There has never been anyone quite like the late Sir Thomas Beecham. His family fortune gave him the means to start orchestras and opera companies when the mood took him. But unlike many frauds and egomaniacs posing as conductors Beecham had a rare ability to make music on the highest level. He also had a pompous manner and a way with words. The combination made him an unforgettable character.Here is an excerpt from a very entertaining stage presentation about Beecham starring Timothy West. It captures very well much of the wit and style of the man. Unfortunately, one must go…

Video of the Day – Keeping Score: Stravinsky & MTT

By Paul E. Robinson on 8 July 2013 Orchestral, Video of the day

Video Link: HereOn the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps, here is an excerpt from an analysis of the work prepared and presented by conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. It is part of the San Francisco Symphony’s Keeping Score series. In this excerpt MTT explores the strangeness of the orchestration. The entire program is available on DVD and is highly recommended as an introduction to this great work.Paul E. Robinson

Cette semaine à Montréal : le 8 au 14 juillet

By La Scena Musicale Team on 8 July 2013 Orchestral, Piano, Romantic, This Week in Montreal

Le festival de musique de Lachine : Verdi, Wagner et PoulencAxé sur les anniversaires des compositeurs, le festival donne une place de choix au chant. Au concert d’ouverture du 29 juin, Étienne Dupuis et le chef Jordan de Souza interpréteront Verdi et Wagner, tandis que le 6 juillet, c’est Poulenc qui sera à l’honneur avec la soprano Pascale Beaudin, accompagnée par Olivier Godin et François Zeitouni. Le Concert découvertesprésentera deux jeunes lauréats de concours : Gordon Bintner, baryton-basse, et Florie Valiquette, soprano (4 juillet). Le directeur artistique, Richard Turp, est particulièrement fier d’avoir pu intégrer au programme la hautboïste canadienne Louise…

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