Music
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Regina Carter, Nnenna Freelon & Harolyn Blackwell at Tanglewood Jazz Festival
John Pizzarelli, Family and Kurt Elling with Radio Deluxe
By: - Sep 06th, 2009Day two of the Tanglewood Jazz Festival was intense with programming from 2 PM through 11 pm. The afternoon featured a broadcast of John Pizzarelli's Radio Delux. The evening started magnificently with the Regina Carter Quintet. But ended poorly with the enervating "Dreaming the Duke" which combined the singers Nnenna Freelon and Harolyn Blackwell.
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Paquito d'Rivera Opens Tanglewood Jazz Festival
A Berkshires Labor Day Tradition
By: - Sep 05th, 2009The nine time Grammy winner, Paquito d'Rivera, who defected from Cuba in 1981, kicked off the annual Labor Day Jazz Festival. He offered a stunning tribute to the original Mambo King, the bass player Israel "Cahcao" Lopez. It was a blistering evening of Latin Jazz.
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Summer HD Festival Soars in Lincoln Center Plaza
Favorite Met Operas Free for Fans
By: - Sep 03rd, 2009The economy made the traditional free concerts in New York City parks prohibitively expensive, but we've been treated to something even better. There were HD Metropolitan Opera broadcasts from Lincoln Center.
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James Taylor: Sunday at Tanglewood
Le petit déjeuner sur l'herbe
By: - Aug 31st, 2009For the Sunday afternoon concert at Tanglewood, ending the five day James Taylor marathon the sea of umbrellas out on the lawn offered shade from blazing late summer sun not shelter from the rain as on the previous soggy evenings. It was a glorious concert with JT backed by John Williams conducting the Boston Pops.
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James Taylor: Fire and Rain
With Yo Yo Ma and Sheryl Crow
By: - Aug 29th, 2009It was yet another sloppy evening for the plucky souls hunkered down on the lawn at Tanglewood. But James Taylor, with special guests, Yo Yo Ma and Sheryl Crow, just sizzled. He warmed the hearts of the thousands who braved yet another miserable evening during the Monsoon of 2009.
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James Taylor at Tanglewood
Laid Back Evening Launches Weekend Series
By: - Aug 28th, 2009James Taylor has donated his $500,000 fee for a weekend of concerts at Tanglewood. Some 60,000 tickets have been sold for the unique season ending series. The event was launched last night at Ozawa Hall in a program that featured the band and four backup singers.
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Tanglewood: Michael Tilson Thomas to Conduct Beethoven's Ninth
James Taylor August 27-30 Followed by Labor Day Jazz Festival
By: - Aug 21st, 2009Following the performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas on Sunday, August 23, the Boston Symphony Orchestra will end its Tanglewood Season. But next week, August 27-30, James Taylor will be featured in four, sold out performances. Followed by Labor Day weekend's Tanglewood Jazz Festival.
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The Brave Encompass New Opera in New York
From Chaucer to String Theory
By: - Aug 16th, 2009On June 19 and 20 at the Gerald Lynch Theater in New York the indominatable Nancy Rhodes mounted a new opera by Louis Gioia
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Kind of Blue at Lenox Library on August 17
50th Anniversary of Release of Miles Davis Landmark
By: - Aug 15th, 2009It was 50 years ago, on August 17, 1959 that the renowned Miles Davis album "Kind of Blue" was released. It has come to be regarded as a jazz masterpiece. Musicolgist and author on Davis, Jeremy Yudkin, is hosting a tribute with live music at the Lenox Library in the Berkshires.
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Karl Orff's Carmina Burana at Tanglewood
Next: Andre Previn, Michael Tilson Thomas and Kurt Masur
By: - Aug 11th, 2009This past weekend at Tanglewood presented an abundance of riches. Pops on Friday night feature guest artist Chris Botti. On Saturday the audience was thrilled by "Carmina Burana." Yo Yo Ma peformed on Sunday afternoon. The Festival continues with Andre Previn, Michael Tilson Thomas and Kurt Masur.
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The Temptations and the Four Tops at Ravinia Festival
Motown Lives in Chicago Battle of the Bands
By: - Aug 10th, 2009After a rollicking Motown anniversary celebration where the Temptations and the Four Tops appeared in a battle-of-the-bands, the groups decided to go on the road together from time to time. On Friday August 7th they appeared together in a program at Ravinia in Chicago
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Chris Botti at Tanglewood
Pops Tribute to Benny Goodman
By: - Aug 08th, 2009A capacity audience on a lovely summer night delighted in guest artist, trumpet player Chris Botti, appearing with Keith Lockhart. The program also featured a tribute to Benny Goodman, the King of Swing, who was born a hundred years ago. His solos were performed by Thomas Martin.
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Rapturous Russia, Piano Concertos at Chicago's Ravinia Festival
Three Brilliant Young Pianists Perform
By: - Aug 07th, 2009Billed as Rapturous Russia, the stage at Ravinia, summer home of the Chicago Symphony, was filled with glamorous ladies at the top of their game performing the first concertos of Shostakovich, Prokovief and Rachmaninoff.
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Tanglewood: Sir James Galway, De Burgos' All Stravinsky
The Guns of August
By: - Aug 04th, 2009Sir James Galway, was in a Blarney mood anticipating his 70th birthday, December 8, but actually celebrating his anniversary. He was joined for flute duets by the stunning Lady Bonnie Galway. They made beautiful music. In another mood Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos conducted an all Stravinsky program.
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Tanglewood on Parade
Fireworks In and Out of the Shed
By: - Jul 29th, 2009Fireworks blazed in a rousing climax to an epic performance of the "1812 Overture" with a massive orchestra. There was a gorgeous and all too rare summer night for the sold out annual "Tanglewood on Parade."
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James Levine Conducts Don Giovanni
Tanglewood Fellows Perform Mozart's Opera
By: - Jul 28th, 2009Despite a truly terrible night with torrential downpours a capacity audience turned out for one of the season's highlights. The maestro, James Levine, conducted a fully staged production in the intimate theatre barn of Mozart's "Don Giovanni." It was directed by Ira Siff with Elliot Madore as Don Giovanni and the magnificent Layla Claire, a rising star, as Donna Anna.
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Tony Bennett Swings Tanglewood
The Music Never Ends
By: - Jul 22nd, 2009Tony Bennett, now 83 years young, evoked a master's class on jazz and the American songbook at Tanglewood before a damp but delighted audience. It was a family affair with his daughter, Antonia, opening the program with several songs
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James Levine at Tanglewood
Divine Mozart and Mahler Program
By: - Jul 20th, 2009On Friday, July 17th, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with Leon Fleisher as piano soloist, performed Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major and then took on the majestic Mahler Sixth Symphony under James Levine. It was yet another example of the Divine Levine.
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John Williams at Tanglewood
Film Night Tribute to Warner Brothers
By: - Jul 19th, 2009There was a sold out Shed and a crowded lawn for the annual Film Night conducted by the composer John Williams. He holds the record for Oscar nominations and has taken home five Academy Awards. He was joined by narrator Frank Langella in a tribute to Warner Brothers studio.
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Tanglewood This Week: Mahler, Film Night
The Mandate and Vision of Programming
By: - Jul 15th, 2009With all the cold and wet weather we are still waiting for summer to arrive in the Berkshires. It is amazing to realize that we are sliding into the third weekend at Tanglewood. On Friday night James Levine will conduct Mahler. And on Saturday one of the annual highlights of the season will feature John Williama in a Film Night tribute to Warner Brothers.
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James Levine Conducts Rite of Spring
Stravinsky's Modernist Masterpiece at Tanglewood
By: - Jul 06th, 2009When Igor Stavinsky's ballet "Le Sacre du Printemps," with choreography by Vaslav Nijinski, premiered in Paris with the Ballets Russes on May 29, 1913 it provoked a riot. A light attendance for James Levine conducting at Tanglewood indicates that after almost a century it is still a hard sell. Judging by a standing ovation and encore it was clear that much of the audience had come to hear violinist Christian Tarzlaff perform Brahms.
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Diana Krall's Tanglewood Cabaret
Fourth of July Celebration in Lenox
By: - Jul 05th, 2009Miraculously Diana Krall transformed a packed Shed and several thousand on the Lawn at Tanglewood into the most intimate cabaret. With sizzling jazz piano, a scorching quartet and torchy lyrics. Krall took time to chat about her husband, Elvis Costello, twin boys, and getting hugs from the Obamas during a recent visit to the White House. Ending with fireworks.
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Keeping Up With Tanglewood
Filling Out the Calendar
By: - Jul 04th, 2009Coming into the second week of the Tanglewood season we greatly anticipate James Levine conducting Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" on July 11. Later he will conduct Mozart's "Don Giovanni." There is always so much going on that there is no time t take a breath during the dense season. On the occasion night off or when we have to be somewhere else friends invariably tell us what we have missed. So get our your calendar and start planning ahead. The wonderful Tanglewood season always seems to go by in a blur. Between now and the Labor Day Jazz Festival, pack a basket, spread the blanket, open the wine and enjoy a glorious night under the stars.
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James Levine Conducts Opening Night at Tanglewood
A Magnificent All Tchaikovsky Program
By: - Jul 04th, 2009Last night was the official launch of the Tanglewood season with James Levine conducting an all Tchaikovsky program. There will also be Tchaikovsky tonight in the Fourth of July celebration on the Esplanade in Boston conducted by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops. Tonight, there will also be fireworks following the performance in Lenox of Diana Krall. The summer music season has been launched full blast.
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Bang on a Can at Mass MoCA
Steve Reich Returns for Popular Annual Event
By: - Jul 02nd, 2009From Thursday, July 16 through Saturday, August 1, Bang on a Can and MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) will present the eighth annual Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA. The Festival is dedicated entirely to programming today's most innovative new music and includes public performances, workshops for participants in everything from Balinese music to improvisation, master classes, music business seminars, and more.
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