Articles

FGO’s new conductor brings his meticulous spontaneity to Puccini’s “Rondine”

The glamour of another opening night at Florida Grand Opera originates in a gray warehouse district of Doral, with noisy flyovers by planes approaching Miami International Airport.

The company’s cavernous…

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Thu Jan 19, 2012
at 12:02 pm
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The Top 10 Performances of 2011

 1. Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony in Mahler’s Symphony No. 6

Michael Tilson Thomas led a shattering performance of this grim, hard-driving work. Thirteen…

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Wed Dec 21, 2011
at 12:58 pm
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In a tough economy, a smaller, tighter Palm Beach Opera opens its 50th season with confidence

The empty tables at Palm Beach Opera’s pre-opening dinner for Rigoletto in 2008 suggested something was wrong. It turned out something was very wrong, and it would have consequences for…

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Tue Dec 13, 2011
at 3:31 pm
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Classical starpower in the spotlight for SoBe Arts string festival

Serendipity has become an artistic way of life for Carson Kievman.

The composer and educator first came to Miami in 1990 as resident composer for the now-defunct Florida Philharmonic Orchestra.…

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Wed Nov 30, 2011
at 4:05 pm
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Florida Grand Opera to open season in Spanish style with “Luisa Fernanda”

The idea had been percolating for a long time in Miami, and a casual conversation last year with superstar tenor Placido Domingo sealed the deal.

On Saturday night Florida Grand…

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Tue Nov 08, 2011
at 12:22 pm
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Hilary Hahn to make South Florida debut with new and familiar music

Hilary Hahn made an acclaimed recording debut at age 16 in music of Bach and, over her successful career, the American violinist’s career has concentrated on Classical and Romantic fiddle…

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Tue Nov 01, 2011
at 1:07 pm
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Patrick Quigley, Seraphic Fire in fine fettle as they open 10th season

 

At a typical concert of a symphony orchestra, the audience streams into a downtown performing arts center and the conductor opens the proceedings at 8 p.m. After…

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Mon Oct 17, 2011
at 1:15 pm
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Premiere to open New World Symphony season with a dual blast of diversity

Diversity may not have been planned as the official theme of the New World Symphony’s 24th season opener, but it is certainly the palpable result.

When Michael Tilson Thomas gives…

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Thu Oct 06, 2011
at 5:09 pm
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Gunther Schuller’s classical-jazz mix finds a home at Festival Miami

The key to the composer Gunther Schuller’s abundant productivity rests on personal habits that may not be for everyone.

Schuller, a jazz historian, conductor, musical administrator, record producer, music publisher…

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Sat Sep 24, 2011
at 10:31 am
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Mahler’s 9th, Seraphic Fire’s 10th, and much more on tap in a busy music season

 

The 2011-12 concert season will see the debuts of new music directors at two of South Florida’s major classical organizations. It will bring a parade of celebrity…

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Thu Sep 15, 2011
at 11:17 am
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Fast-rising Fort Lauderdale soprano is poised on the verge of a major career

Nadine Sierra’s opera career was launched by the Broward County public library system.

When she was 10, her mother came home from the Imperial Point branch in Fort Lauderdale with…

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Wed May 25, 2011
at 3:18 pm
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Seraphic Fire to serve up modern take on “King Arthur”

Glorious music. Stupefying plot.

That was the dilemma that confronted Patrick Dupré Quigley, artistic director of the choir Seraphic Fire, when he decided to perform Henry Purcell’s late 17th century…

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Wed May 11, 2011
at 2:59 pm
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For composer David DiChiera, his “Cyrano” is a romantic dream come true

 

In a long career in opera, David DiChiera has placed a lot of bets on likely losers.

For the location of his new opera house, he chose…

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Wed Apr 13, 2011
at 1:02 pm
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After five years, the Cleveland Orchestra’s Miami residency remains both prized and controversial

Now closing the fifth season of its annual residency in Miami, the Cleveland Orchestra has brought Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to public school children, master teachers to the University of Miami…

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Wed Apr 06, 2011
at 3:51 pm
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Haiti Philharmonic musicians hope Florida benefit concerts will help them rebuild

 

The earthquake that shook Haiti to its foundations in 2010 also demolished one of its cultural treasures: Holy Trinity Cathedral, an Episcopal church and campus in Port-au-Prince that…

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Mon Apr 04, 2011
at 3:49 pm
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En route with a package, John Adams reflects on the Met, film noir and young musicians

 

John Adams has just finished writing another symphony. At least, he thinks it’s finished. Last Friday, he went for a second opinion.

The American composer,…

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Wed Mar 30, 2011
at 10:05 am
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Miami City Ballet to close 25th season in a big way with million-dollar “Romeo and Juliet”

 

The choice to spend $1 million on a single production comes easily to some classical dance companies. Miami City Ballet is not one of those companies —…

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Tue Mar 22, 2011
at 12:35 pm
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Seraphic Fire set to tackle epic challenge of Bach’s “St. John Passion”

For all its monumental musical ambition, grand choruses and dramatic sweep, the St. John Passion of Bach calls for a surprisingly intimate ensemble.

The Miami choir Seraphic Fire will perform…

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Wed Mar 16, 2011
at 1:25 pm
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Miami Lyric Opera set to debut rare Mascagni with a rarer Jewish element

Aside from the occasional heroic Old Testament patriarchs, Jewish characters rarely appear in opera. And when they do show up, they often seem to embody the stereotypes of classic European…

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Tue Mar 08, 2011
at 3:11 pm
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Doreen Marx celebrates 30 years of bringing great music to Miami

As a 14-year-old girl, Doreen Marx liked to climb to the top floor of her family’s west London house to watch the searchlights during the Blitz

“Doreen! Come down and…

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Tue Jan 25, 2011
at 9:44 am
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