South Florida Classical Review

Calendar

March concert listings

March 29
New World Symphony/Peter Oundjian
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
3 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach.
$27-$63. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu

Ysaye Quartet
3 p.m. Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach
$10. 561-655-7226; www.fourarts.org.

Guarneri String Quartet
8 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach
561-832-7469; www.kravis.org

March 30
Guarneri String Quartet
Beethoven
8 p.m. Gusman Concert Hall
$30. 305-372-2975; www.miamichambermusic.org

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New World Symphony’s 2009-10 season, a bracing mix with stellar guest artists

The New World Symphony’s 2009-2010 season —the last to take place entirely in the Lincoln Theatre—will be a characteristically bracing mix of familiar and envelope-pushing repertoire with an impressive lineup of visiting guest artists.

Michael Tilson Thomas will open the season October 10 with a gala program of French and Russian showpieces, featuring Mikhail Simonyan in Glazunov’s Violin Concerto along with works of Mussorgsky, Berlioz and Ravel.

The season proper will lead off October 24 and 25 at the Arsht Center with Tilson Thomas leading two performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and excerpts from Fidelio. The program boasts an imposing quartet of soloists: soprano Christine Brewer, mezzo Kendall Gladen, tenor Anthony Dean Griffey and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni. Other downtown Arsht programs will have MTT and the New World in Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, with Jeremy Denk as soloist in Copland’s Piano Concerto (April 10-11), and Robert Spano directs the orchestra Feb. 20 in a sort-of American program with Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg in Barber’s Violin Concerto.

Pianist Yuja Wang, who opened the current season in music of Ravel and Stravinsky, will return in April for Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with MTT on a program that also includes Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. And next January, Tilson Thomas will make a rare appearance as instrumentalist, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 and conducting the orchestra in music of Grieg and Sibelius.

Other soloists next season include soprano Measha Brueggergosman (left) in Berg songs, violinist Jennifer Koh performing John Adams’ Violin Concerto, cellist Alban Gerhardt in Haydn, and clarinetist David Krakauer playing music of Golijov.

There will be only two Sounds of the Times events next season. Jeffrey Milarsky will conduct works of Lang, Ziporyn and Gordon with keyboardist Andrew Russo, cellist Felix Fan and percussionist David Cossin. And Finnish conductor Susanna Malkki will lead a program of contemporary music from her homeland including music of Saariaho, Murail and Lindberg. Guests in the six-concert Sunday chamber series include violinist Todd Phillips, violist Roberto Diaz, and baritone Randall Scariata.

Osmo Vanska, music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, and Ludovic Morlot will make their New World podium debuts next season, and returning conductors include Alasdair Neale, Mark Wigglesworth, and Nicholas McGegan. The season will close (April 25-May 1) with Reflections of Debussy, a three-day series featuring the French composer’s music and that of contemporaries he inspired.

Subscriptions range from $20-$369. Call 305-673-3331 or go online to www.nws.edu.

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As economy dives, Florida Grand Opera plays it even safer in 2009-2010

Florida Grand Opera’s 69^th season is not exactly one to strike a blow for adventurous programming. The company has already announced it is going from five productions to four, as part of a thirty percent slice in its $14 million annual budget. Also, like many companies across the country that have seen a sharp decrease in donor gifts and, are fearful of declining subscriptions following suit, FGO is playing it safe with popular repertoire, even more than has been the case in recent years. .

The season will open Nov. 14 with Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, paired not with Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana as usual, but Puccini’s Suor Angelica, the single programming novelty of the season. Soprano Kelly Kaduce, will perform the roles of Nedda and Angelica in all performances. Jay Hunter Morris is Canio and Mark Rucker, Tonio. FGO resident conductor Andrew Bisantz will conduct.

Miami favorite Eglise Gutierrez, who made her company debut earlier this season in La Traviata will return to sing the role of the doomed title heroine in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, opening Jan. 23. The tenor is yet to be announced.

Rossini’s The Barber of Seville will follow, opening Feb. 20 with soprano Sarah Coburn, baritone Roderick Williams and tenor Frederic Antoun who made an impressive Florida debut last month in La Cenerentola. The season will close with Bizet’s Carmen opening April 24 with Kendall Gladen in the title role. Miami native Elaine Alvarez will make her belated debut in the role of Micaela, and tenor Adam Diegel will portray Don Jose.

With Stewart Robertson departing the company in May, conductors for three of next season’s four operas are yet to be announced. In another cost-saving move, a single team will do the production work for all four operas: stage director Renaud Doucet and set and costume designer André Barbe, whose last FGO assignment was staging the ill-fated Szulamit in 2004.

The company is offering a four-opera subscription for the price of three, from $32 to $752. Call 800-741-1010 or go online to www.fgo.org.

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February Concert Calendar

Feb. 28
Palm Beach Opera: Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro
Maurizio Lo Piccolo, Layla Claire, Timothy Kuhn, Sóla Braga, Patricia Risley; Bruno Aprea, conductor
7:30 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach
$34-$175. 561-833-7888. www.pbopera.org

New World Symphony Percussion COnsort
Takemitsu: Rain Tree
Marta: A Doll’s House Story for Percussion Ensemble
Druckman: Animus II for Soprano, Two Percussion and Tape
Naidoo: Sentient Weather for Percussion Ensemble (world premiere)
7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach
305-673-3330; www.nws.edu

Florida Grand Opera: Delibes’ Lakme
Evelyn Pollock, Chad A. Johnson, Burak Bilgili, Aaron St. Clair Nicholson/Stewart Robertson
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Ziff Ballet Opera House
800-741-1010; www.fgo.org

Frost Opera Theater
Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte
8 p.m. Gusman Concert Hall, Coral Gables
$20; Seniors $10; Students and faculty, $5
305-284-4886

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January Concert Calendar

Jan 27
Budapest Festival Orchestra/Ivan Fischer
Violinists Jozsef Lendvay Sr., Jozsef Lendvay Jr.
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3
Brahms: Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 11 and 15
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
8 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach
561-832-7469; www.kravis.org.

Florida Grand Opera: Rossini’s La Cenerentola.
Jennifer Rivera, Frederic Antoun, Gaetan Laperriere. Joel Revzen, conductor.
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Ziff Ballet Opera House
800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

Jan. 28
Florida Grand Opera: Rossini’s La Cenerentola.
Julie Boulliane, Frederic Antoun, Gaetan Laperriere. Joel Revzen, conductor.
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Ziff Ballet Opera House
800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

Czech Symphony Orchestra/Theodore Kuchar
Violinist Jennifer Frautschi
Smetana, Mendelssohn, Dvorak
8 p.m. Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach
561-655-7226; www.fourarts.org

Budapest Festival Orchestra/Ivan Fischer
Violinists Jozsef Lendvay Sr., Jozsef Lendvay Jr.
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3
Brahms: Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 11 and 15
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
8 p.m. Adrienne Arsht Center/ Knight Concert Hall, Miami
305-949-6722; www.concertfla.org.

Jan. 30
Cleveland Orchestra/Franz Welser-Most
Measha Brueggergosman, soprano
Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7, Leningrad
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Knight Concert Hall
305-949-6722. www.arshtcenter.org.

Florida Grand Opera: Rossini’s La Cenerentola.
Jennifer Rivera, Frederic Antoun, Gaetan Laperriere. Joel Revzen, conductor.
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Ziff Ballet Opera House
800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

Jan. 31
Cleveland Orchestra/Franz Welser-Most
Measha Brueggergosman, soprano
Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7, Leningrad
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Knight Concert Hall
305-949-6722. www.arshtcenter.org.

Florida Grand Opera: Rossini’s La Cenerentola.
Julie Boulliane, Frederic Antoun, Gaetan Laperriere. Joel Revzen, conductor.
8 p.m. Arsht Center/Ziff Ballet Opera House
800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

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December Concert Calendar

Dec. 4. Florida Grand Opera: Verdi’s La Traviata. Ailyn Perez, Leonardo Capalbo, Mark Walters/Aldo Sisillo 8 p.m. Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale. $21-$200. 800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

Dec. 5. SoBe Music Institute: Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel. SMI Chamber Ensemble. 8 p.m. 2150 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Free event. 305-674-9220; www.sobemusic.org.

Dec. 6. New World Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Wellington’s Victory, Piano and Wind Quintet. 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 6. Florida Grand Opera: Verdi’s La Traviata. Eglise Gutierrez, Stephen Costello, Luis Ledesma/Aldo Sisillo. 8 p.m. Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale. $21-$200. 800-741-1010; www.fgo.org.

Dec. 6. The Florida Symphony Orchestra/Jose Antonio Molina with pianist Michel Camilo. Ginastera: Estancia: Suite; Camilo: Piano Concerto; Sibelius: Symphony No. 1. 8 p.m. Arsht Center, Miami; 305-949-6722; www.concertfla.org.

Dec. 6. Miami Symphony Orchestra/Eduardo Marturet. Antonio Serrano, harmonica. Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; Arnold: Harmonica Concerto; Piazzolla: Suite for Harmonica; Marquez: Danzon No. 2; Ravel: Bolero. 8 p.m. Gusman Concert Hall, Coral Gables. $15-$60. 305-275-5666; www.miamisymphony.org

Dec. 7. Boca Raton Symphonia/Alexander Platt; violinist Vadim Gluzman. Mozart: Symphony No. 38 Prague; Stravinsky: Dumbarton Oaks; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto. 1:30 p.m. Saint Andrews School, Boca Raton. 888-426-5577; 561-376-3848; www.bocasymphonia.org.

Dec. 7. New World Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Wellington’s Victory, Piano and Wind Quintet. 3 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 7. Miami Symphony Orchestra/Eduardo Marturet. Antonio Serrano, harmonica. Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; Arnold: Harmonica Concerto; Piazzolla: Suite for Harmonica; Marquez: Danzon No. 2; Ravel: Bolero. 8 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. . $15-$60. 305-275-5666; www.miamisymphony.org

Dec. 9. Pianist Di Wu. 7:30 p.m., Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. $30. 561-832-7469; www.kravis.org.

Dec. 12. New World Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas with pianist Emanuel Ax. Toch: Bunte Suite; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3; Brahms: Symphony No. 1. $29-$76. 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 12. Palm Beach Opera: Verdi’s Rigoletto. Nelson Martínez, Albina Shagimuratova, James Valenti/Bruno Aprea. 7:30 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. $34-$175. 561-833-7888. www.pbopera.org.

Dec. 12. Master Chorale of South Florida with Empire Brass Quintet. Holiday Concert. $30, $35 at the door. 8 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, Pompano Beach. 954-418-6232. www.masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org.

Dec. 13. New World Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas with pianist Emanuel Ax. Toch: Bunte Suite; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3; Brahms: Symphony No. 1. $37-$84. 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 13. Palm Beach Opera: Verdi’s Rigoletto. Chen-Ye Yuan, Hanan Alattar, Eric Margiore/Bruno Aprea. 7:30 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. $23-$115. 561-833-7888. www.pbopera.org.

Dec. 13. Master Chorale of South Florida with Empire Brass Quintet. Holiday Concert. $30, $35 at the door. 8 p.m. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Miami. 954-418-6232. www.masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org.

Dec. 14. Palm Beach Opera: Verdi’s Rigoletto. Nelson Martínez, Albina Shagimuratova, James Valenti/Bruno Aprea. 2 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. $23-$105. 561-833-7888. www.pbopera.org.

Dec. 14. New World Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas with pianist Emanuel Ax. Toch: Bunte Suite; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3; Brahms: Symphony No. 1. $26-$66. 3 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. 305-673-3330; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 14. Dranoff Foundation. Duo-pianists Anthony and Joseph Paratore and Susan and Sarah Wang. 3 p.m. St. Martha’s Church, 9301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Shores. $10, $20. 800-595-4849; www.saintmartha.tix.com.

Dec. 14. Master Chorale of South Florida with Empire Brass Quintet. Holiday Concert. $30, $35 at the door. 4 p.m. Pine Crest School, Boca Raton. 954-418-6232. www.masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org.

Dec. 14. Pianist Shai Wosner. Vivier: Shiraz; Debussy: Preludes Book I; Schumann: Carnaval. 4 p.m. Gusman Concert Hall, Coral Gables. $32, $40. Ticketmaster:305-358-5885; 954-523-3309; 561-966-3309. www.sundaymusicals.org.

Dec. 14. Delray String Quartet. Mozart: Quartet in B flat. K.458, The Hunt: Dvorak: Quartet in F major, American. 4 p.m. Colony Hotel, Delray Beach. $35. 561-213-4138; www.delraystringquartet.com.

Dec. 15. Palm Beach Opera: Verdi’s Rigoletto. Chen-Ye Yuan, Hanan Alattar, Eric Margiore/Bruno Aprea. 2 p.m. Kravis Center, West Palm Beach. $23-$115. 561-833-7888. www.pbopera.org.

Dec. 17. Florida Symphony Orchestra/Jose Antonio Molina with cellist Alisa Weilerstein. Verdi: Overture to La Forza del Destino; Dvorak: Cello Concerto; Sibelius: Symphony No. 1. 8 p.m. Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale. (954) 462-0222; www.concertfla.org.

Dec. 19. Seraphic Fire and Firebird Chamber Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah. 8 p.m. Arsht Center, Miami. $30-$75. 305-949-6722. www.arshtcenter.org.

Dec. 20. Miami Pops Orchestra. Zarzuela Tonight! with Elizabeth Caballero, Susana Diaz, Mabel Ledo, Sandra Lopez, Nelson Martinez, Eduardo Calcano, Eduardo Aladren, Angel Marchese, Maria Aleida Rodriguez, and Betsy Diaz. Conductors Jose Ramon Tebar and Alfredo Munar. 8 p.m. Arsht Center, Miami. $36-$95. 305-949-6722. www.concertfla.org.

Dec. 21. New World chamber concert with hornist Jennifer Montone. Mozart: Horn Quartet; Ligeti: Horn Trio. Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1. 3 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach. $12. 305-673-3331; www.nws.edu.

Dec. 21. Miami Pops Orchestra. Zarzuela Tonight! with Elizabeth Caballero, Susana Diaz, Mabel Ledo, Sandra Lopez, Nelson Martinez, Eduardo Calcano, Eduardo Aladren, Angel Marchese, Maria Aleida Rodriguez, and Betsy Diaz. Conductors Jose Ramon Tebar and Alfredo Munar. 8 p.m. Arsht Center, Miami. $36-$95. 305-949-6722. www.concertfla.org.

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New World adds more concerts to season

In these economically straitened times, most organizations are cutting back on the number of performances they present. The New World Symphony, however, is adding more events to its season.

In addition to this weekend’s already announced Beethoven program with Michael Tilson Thomas, the Miami Beach orchestra has added three extra concerts this season: a repeat of the season-closing all-Tchaikovsky program with MTT and pianist Vladimir Feltsman May 3 at the Arsht Center; Peter Oundjian leading the New World in Barber, Mozart and Nielsen March 27; and an extra children’s concert March 15 at the Lincoln Theatre.

Tickets are $10 for the children’s concert; $28-$73 March 27, and $16-$129 May 3. 305-673-3331; www.nws.edu.

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American music, aptly, on tap this weekend

It wasn’t planned that way but this week’s historic presidential election provides a bit of serendipitous timing for an aptly celebratory program of American music.

Alasdair Neale leads the New World Symphony this weekend in Aaron Copland’s epic Symphony No. 3, a grand, sprawling work often pointed to as the great American symphony, not least due to the composer’s incorporation of his majestic Fanfare for the Common Man into the finale.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (left) was a Viennese child prodigy who became a naturalized U.S. citizen. His richly melodic Violin Concerto stems from his post-Warner Brothers American years, a virtuosic showpiece in which he incorporates themes from several of his film scores. Vadim Gluzman will be the soloist.

This weekend’s program will lead off with Hymn to the Sun by Kevin Puts, an interesting young composer Neale has championed.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. $27-$78. 305-673-3331; www.nws.edu.

Jascha Heifetz performing the first movement of Korngold’s Violin Concerto. No video but who needs it?

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Beethoven at Basel

The New World Symphony has added two all-Beethoven events to its December schedule, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the orchestra during Art Basel weekend.

MTT will lead the New World members in Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 5 in a program that also includes the composer’s Piano and Wind Quintet, and Wellington’s Victory, to be conducted by Edward Abrams.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday Dec. 6 and 3 p.m. Sunday Dec. 7 at the Lincoln Theatre 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. $26-$84. 305-673-3331; www.nws.edu.

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Ginastera Rising: Festival Miami to close with tribute to Argentinian composer

One of the more heartening elements of Festival Miami is the exposure given to lesser-known music of the Americas, as well as the tradition of allowing Frost School of Music faculty to indulge their areas of expertise and specialist, often quirky, interests.

Those two elements will come together Sunday and Monday night with an intriguing two-night tribute to Alberto Ginastera, which will offer a virtual immersion into the Argentinian composer’s music.

“Obviously, I’m partisan,” says Deborah Schwartz-Kates, chair of the Frost School’s musicology department and the driving force behind the event. “But I believe the best of his pieces can stand with the greatest works in their genre of all time.”

A specialist in music of Argentina and Chile – and Ginastera in particular – Kates is currently writing two books on Ginastera. “I don’t think every single piece is a brilliant masterwork,” she says. “Ultimately, it’s up to the public to decide. But I believe Ginastera has not been accorded the opportunity to have many of his works performed. So I view my role as a scholar as being a champion and having his music become part of that conversation.”

The triumvirate of leading Latin-American composers has stayed largely unchanged for decades: Alberto Ginastera, along with the Brazilian Hector Villa-Lobos and Carlos Chavez (though Silvestre Revueltas seems to have displaced him as the Mexican component).

Yet for all his name recognition, Ginastera’s legacy rests today on a relative handful of works: the brilliant orchestral showpiece Variaciones concertante, the melodic Piano Sonata, the driving, dynamic Piano Concerto No. 1, and, to a lesser extent, the innovative first two string quartets.

Yet Ginastera wrote confidently in all forms, including opera (the sex-and-violence-filled Bomarzo created a scandal), song, orchestral, chamber and instrumental. In many ways, he is the most intriguing of his South American contemporaries, with a style that matured quickly from early reliance on folkloric color to a distinctive synthesis of national sensibility and astringent mid-20^th century modernism.

The two programs offer a bracing mix of Ginastera works, arranged chronologically by Kates to provide “a biographical tour of his life.” Sunday’s night’s program will open with two early vocal works, the Cantos del Tucuman and Dos canciones, performed by soprano Virginia Correa Dupuy, followed by the String Quartet No. 1, the blazing First Piano Concerto (Luis Ascot, soloist) No. 1, and his late Catalan-colored Glosses for Orchestra. Monday will offer the Pampeanas No. 1 and 2 for violin and cello, the choral Hieremiae Prophetae Lamentationes, and the exotic Cantata para America magica , scored for soprano (Dupuy again) and 53 percussion instruments.

Obviously, complex, extravagantly scored works like the cantata offer musical and practical challenges for the musicians involved. Thomas Sleeper of the Frost School will be on the podium both nights, and while Ginastera’s music is daunting to perform, the conductor considers him one of the most unique composers of the 20^th century.

“There’s an incredible precision in the notation that’s necessary for the vision that he has,” says Sleeper. “Also the way he’s woven European tools and indigenous American folklore sounds into his own element. He’s like the first real world music guy and not in a gratuitous way.”

One of the greatest challenges will be the balancing of soprano voice with the bestiary of exotic instruments in the fantastical cantata. “With 13 percussionists and three keyboardists, it’s a monster,” Sleeper says. “There’s a lot going on. It’s a tradeoff trying to decide whether to allow the power of the music to sort of overcome her or to back it off and let her voice come through.”

Also a challenge is hewing to Ginastera’s scrupulous dynamic markings and notations without sacrificing a sense of spontaneity and excitement. “In the cantata, there’s a lot of juxtaposition of very precise rhythms with aleatoric rhythms and echoings of the soprano voice in the percussion. But you can be so precise in your notations and then miss the essence of the music. You have to get past his precision into the mysticism of the music.”

Soprano Dupuy brings a natural affinity and passion for Ginastera’s music having been born in the Tucuman region that inspired his Op.4 songs. “In the Cantos del Tucumán, Ginastera draws on a melodic tradition with an intonation used by someone from northern Argentina,” she writes in an email. “On the other hand, his later works, such as the cantata, have nothing whatsoever to do with this style. It is completely the opposite. The cantata uses an intense vocal treatment, with extremes of vocal register and wide-ranging leaps.”

The cantata with its intense vocalism and wild leaps and gesitsre extremes offers a real workout for the soloist. “The dynamics need to be carefully controlled so that the voice is not submerged by the huge mass of percussion instruments,” Dupuy stresses. “Also, in the cantata, there are infinite details in notation, in which Ginastera attempts to notate the inflections characteristic of indigenous singing. For the singer, the sense of these inflections need to be expressive in the indigenous manner, and not rendered in the standard classical manner. . . . He writes with such precision in order to make the result immensely free.”

www.festivalmiami.com.

The New York-born musicologist spent a decade traveling the world to track down copies of these films and his scores, in many cases reconstructing them. “His film music creates a revision of our picture of many aspects of the composer that we simply haven’t known, It’s been a huge project but a really fun project. It’s a great job for a scholar—you get to watch movies while you’re doing your work.”

For all her enthusiasm for Ginastera’s music, Kates is clear-eyed about the man himself. Some of the composer’s difficulties were not his doing, both artistic and political — including president Juan Peron famously sacking Ginastera from the national music conservatory (he was later reinstated). But Kates says the blame for the neglect of much of Ginastera’s music is largely the fault of the composer and his unrelenting perfectionism.

“There were a lot of problems that he himself created,” says Kates. “He was constantly withdrawing works from his output, revising them and then unsure about which revision he then wanted to publish. So at the time he died his estate was left in a state of disarray, which meant his publisher and friends had no idea which version the composer preferred. He didn’t want any works published until they achieved their ‘perfect’ form.”

Fortunately with the work of the Frost School musicologist, musicians and publishers—Boosey and Hawkes will soon be publishing many overlooked Ginastera works for the first time—and events such as the Frost School’s mini-festival wor is begining to spread about the extraordinary variety, depth, excitement and inventiventiveness of Alberto Ginastera’s music.

“More than anyone, he was able to apply contemporary techniques with his sense of place in a way that speaks to the world at large,” says Kates. “He really seems to have captured a distilled essence of Argentina as a country and its musical landscape and communicate that to a broad international audience.”

Ginastera Tribute at Festival Miami

8 p.m. Sunday: Cantos del Tucuman; Dos canciones; String Quartet No. 1; Piano Concerto No. 1; Glosses for Orchestra.

8 p.m. Monday: Pampeana No. 1 for violin; Pampeana No. 2 for cello; Hieremiae Prophetae Lamentationes for chorus; Cantata para America magica.

Both concerts are at Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables. $15-$60. 305-284-4940;

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From the Big Easy to the Russian Steppes

An extraordinarily varied lineup of music is in the offing this weekend, with several noteworthy events.

Born on the Bayou

Patrick Quigley and Seraphic Fire will take audiences on a populist trip to New Orleans, Quigley’s hometown, for a recreation of a New Orleans funeral. The eclectic program will incorporate jazz standards, traditional hymns, Cajun ballads and soul, with the conductor’s father, attorney and activist Bill Quigley, as guest narrator.

7:30 p.m. Friday

First United Methodist Church

536 Coral Way

Coral Gables

8 p.m. Saturday

Miami Beach Community Church

1620 Drexel Avenue (on Lincoln Road).

4 p.m. Sunday

All Saints Episcopal Church

333 Tarpon Drive

Fort Lauderdale

Tickets are $30. 305-476-0260; www.seraphicfire.org.

Classical for two-and-a-half bucks

The New World Symphony is instituting a novel program of bite-sized musical morsels for a price of just $2.50.

This Saturday the New World will offer short works spaced an hour apart, any of which concertgoers can select for the token admission. The idea is to entice Lincoln Road pedestrians on their way to dinner, a club, or shopping to sample a short classical work with the hope of luring them back for a full-length evening concert.

The lineup is:

7:30 p.m. Copland’s Music for the Theatre, conducted by Edward Abrams

8:30 p.m. Ibert’s Three Short Pieces and Barber’s Summer Music

9:30 p.m. Ravel’s String Quartet.

In its more traditional guise, the New World presents its first chamber music event of the year 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Carter Brey, New York Philharmonic principal cellist, joins New World fellows in Schubert’s String Quintet. The program also includes Schumann’s Andante and Variations and Bartok’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. Admission is $12.

Both events take place at the Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. Tickets are available online at www.nws.edu, by calling 305-673-3331 or at the Lincoln Theatre box office.

The Russian (Steel) Steppes

Valery Gergiev and the mighty Kirov Orchestra come to South Florida for four concerts over the tri-county area next week.

Monday night at 8 p.m. the Russian conductor will lead his musicians in an all-Prokofiev program at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, featuring suites from the ballets Cinderella, Chout and The Steel Step. Pianist Alexei Volodin will be the soloist in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 4. The program will be repeated 8 p.m. Thursday Nov. 6 in Miami at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Call the Concert Association of Florida at 305-808-7446 (x301) or go online to www.concertfla.org.

In between those dates, Gergiev and the Kirov will perform two concerts at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Tuesday at 2 p.m. they will offer Act 1 of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and Volodin will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. At 8 p.m. Thursday they will largely repeat the same all-Prokofiev program heard in Broward and Miami with the strange exception of Mendelssohn’s Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream replacing The Steel Step. Call Kravis at 561-832-7469 or go online to www.kravis.org.

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October Events

Thursday, Oct. 30

1 p.m. Seraphic Fire: When the Saints Go Marching In: A musical tribute to New Orleans, jazz, Cajun and soul music. Bill Quigley, guest speaker. Harriet Himmel Theater, West Palm Beach. $30. 305-476-0260; www.seraphicfire.org.

8 p.m. Pablo Ziegler Trio. 8 p.m. Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables. $15-$30. 305-286-4940. www.festivalmiami.com.

Friday, Oct. 31

7:30 p.m. Seraphic Fire: When the Saints Go Marching In: A musical tribute to New Orleans, jazz, Cajun and soul music, Bill Quigley, guest speaker. First United Methodist Church, 536 Coral Way, Coral Gables. $30. 305-476-0260; www.seraphicfire.org.

8 p.m. Halloween benefit concert. Soprano Kathleen Wilson, tenor Robert B. Dundas and pianist Jennifer Renee Snyder perform cabaret music. All Souls Episcopal Church, 4025 Pine Tree Dr, Miami Beach. All proceeds benefit the church music program and FIU voice scholarships. $25, FIU students $10. 305-538-2244; e-mail [email protected].

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New World Symphony 2008-09 Season

CONCERT CALENDAR

Friday, Sept. 19, 2008, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

Wind Ensemble Concert:

GRACEFUL GUSTS AND SCANDALOUS SONORITIES

Timothy Weiss, conductor

WEIR: Musicians Wrestle Everywhere

HARTMANN: Serenade for Winds, Cello and Double Bass

STRAVINSKY: Octet

VARÈSE: Déserts

Tickets: Free performance, ticket required

Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

String Orchestra Concert:

LYRIC STRINGS

Scott Yoo, conductor / violin

WALKER: Lyric for Strings

VIVALDI: Autumn and Winter from The Four Seasons

BARTÓK: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste

Tickets: Free performance, ticket required

Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

Pre-Season Orchestra Concert

IMAGINATION, VARIATION AND GRACE

Alasdair Neale, conductor

SIERRA: Carnaval for Orchestra

GINASTERA: Variaciones concertantes

RACHMANINOFF: Symphonic Dances

Tickets: Free performance, ticket required

Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, 1:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

THE SYMPHONY AT SEA, featuring music from

“Pirates of the Caribbean”

Steven Jarvi, conductor

KORNGOLD: Overture to Captain Blood

KORNGOLD: Overture to The Sea Hawk

ROSSINI: Storm Scene from Overture to William Tell

HANDEL: Hornpipe from Water Music Suite

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: March from Sea Songs

GLIÈRE: Russian Sailor’s Dance from The Red Poppy

BADELT: Music from “Pirates of the Caribbean”

DEBUSSY: Dialogue of Wind and the Sea from La Mer

Arrive early and meet the musicians at our Instrument Petting Zoo, where children can see and play the instruments.

Tickets: $10

Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

NWS Fellows give you the inside scoop on their craft in these intímate presentations. Take part in the informal discussions and brief performances that make this series a unique exploration of music, art and beyond.

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Friday, Oct. 17, 7:30 P.M.; Saturday, Oct. 18,, 7:30 P.M.; Sunday, Oct. 19, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

STRAVINSKY’S FIREBIRD

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Yuja Wang, piano

RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole

RAVEL: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand

STRAVINSKY: Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra

STRAVINSKY: Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)

Tickets: $84-$28

Saturday, Oct. 25, 8:00 P.M. at Arsht Center

HEROES AND PHILOSOPHERS

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

R. STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra

BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”

Tickets*: $161, $107, $82, $56, $40, $19

*All ticket prices include $3.50 facility fee

Saturday, Nov. 1, at Lincoln Theatre

$2.50

7:30 PM

COPLAND: Music for the Theatre

8:30 PM

IBERT: Three Short Pieces for Wind Quintet

BARBER: Summer Music

9:30 PM

RAVEL: String Quartet

Tickets: All tickets $2.50

Sunday, Nov. 2, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

HAUNTING HARMONIES: SCHUBERT AND BARTÓK

Carter Brey, cello

SCHUMANN: Andante and Variations

BARTÓK: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion

SCHUBERT: Cello Quintet

Tickets: $12

Monday, Nov.3, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:30 P.M; Sunday, Nov. 9, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

COPLAND AND THE AMERICAN SOUND

Alasdair Neale, conductor

Vadim Gluzman, violin

PUTS: Hymn to the Sun

KORNGOLD: Violin Concerto

COPLAND: Symphony No. 3

Tickets: $78-$27

Saturday, Nov. 15, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICAL XCHANGE

Program TBA

Get to know our Fellows and the music they love with this fun, informal series.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Monday, Nov. 17, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICIANS’ FORUM

Program TBA

Join our Fellows as they create, present and perform their own diverse and unusual programs.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Saturday, Nov. 22, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

ACCENTS FROM THE BRITISH ISLES

Thomas Adès, conductor/composer

Barbara Hannigan, soprano

ADÈS: These Premises Are Alarmed

BARRY: The Stronger (U.S. premiere)

BARRY: Diner (U.S. premiere)

ADÈS: Tevot

Tickets: $15

Monday, Dec. 8, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30 P.M.; Saturday, Dec. 13, 7:30 P.M. / Sunday, Dec. 14, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

VIENNESE MUSICAL TRADITIONS:

BEETHOVEN AND BRAHMS

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Emanuel Ax, piano

TOCH: Bunte Suite

BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1

Tickets: $84 – $28

Monday, Dec. 15, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICIANS’ FORUM

Program TBA

Join our Fellows as they create, present and perform their own diverse and unusual programs.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Sunday, Dec. 21, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

HORN LEGACIES

Jennifer Montone, horn

MOZART: Horn Quintet

LIGETI: Horn Trio

BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 1

Tickets: $12

Friday, Jan. 9, 7:30 P.M. / Saturday, Jan. 10, 7:30 P.M. / Sunday, Jan. 11, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

FRENCH IMPRESSIONS

Robert Spano, conductor

Reid Harris, viola

DUTILLEUX: The Shadows of Time

DEBUSSY: Iberia

BERLIOZ: Harold in Italy

Tickets: $78 – $27

Monday, Jan 12, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Saturday, Jan 17, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

HOT LATIN DANCES

Alondra de la Parra, conductor

COPLAND: Danzón cubano

PIAZZOLLA: Tangazo

MÁRQUEZ: Danzón No. 2

The evening begins with a complimentary happy hour, followed by a one-hour performance featuring a video introduction and live commentary from the stage.

Tickets: $25

Saturday, Jan. 24, 8:00 P.M. at Arsht Center

THE TITAN

Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor

Joshua Bell, violin

SAINT-SAËNS: Violin Concerto No. 3

MAHLER: Symphony No. 1, “Titan”

Tickets: $161, $107, $82, $56, $40, $19

*All ticket prices already include $3.50 facility fee

Monday, Jan. 26, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICIANS’ FORUM

Program TBA

Join our Fellows as they create, present and perform their own diverse and unusual programs.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Friday, Jan. 30, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICAL XCHANGE

Program TBA

Get to know our Fellows and the music they love with this fun, informal series.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Sunday, Feb. 1, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MAGNIFICENT MENDELSSOHN

Corey Cerovsek, violin

Paavali Jumppanen, piano

All Mendelssohn program:

Piano Trio No. 2

String Quintet No. 2

Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra

Tickets: $12

Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 P.M. / Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

CONCERTO SHOWCASE

Alasdair Neale, conductor

Soloists from the New World Symphony

Program TBA

An all-concerto concert featuring NWS musicians as soloists.

Tickets: $78 – $28

Monday, Feb. 9, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Friday, Feb. 20, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

NWS IN-CONTEXT^{^TM} FESTIVAL:

CHARLES IVES: AN INTRODUCTION

Michael Tilson Thomas, moderator

James Sinclair, conductor

Jeremy Denk, piano

Kazem Abdullah, conductor

Edward Abrams, conductor

Steven Jarvi, conductor

An all-Ives Program:

Piano Trio

Three Places in New England for chamber orchestra

Additional works TBA

Tickets: $20

Saturday, Feb. 21, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

NWS IN-CONTEXT^{^TM} FESTIVAL:

IVES AND THE AMERICAN VERNACULAR

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor and moderator

University of Miami Frost Chorale, Joshua Haberman, director

Kazem Abdullah, Edward Abrams, Steven Jarvi, conductors

All-choral first half

IVES: Holidays Symphony

Washington’s Birthday

Decoration Day

Fourth of July

Thanksgiving

Featuring the UM Frost Chorale, American hymns, rags and folk tunes from which Ives drew inspiration. Followed by a discussion and multi-conductor performance of his Holidays Symphony.

Tickets: $59, $48, $35

Sunday, Feb. 22, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

IVES THE VISIONARY

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor and moderator

Jeremy Denk, piano

IVES: Piano Sonata No. 2, “Concord , Mass., 1840-60”

IVES/BRANT: A Concord Symphony

Tickets: $15

Saturday, Feb. 28, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

SENTIENT WEATHER

Michael Linville, conductor

Rinnat Moriah, soprano

TAKEMITSU: Rain Tree

MARTA: A Doll’s House Story for Percussion Ensemble

DRUCKMAN: Animus II for Soprano, Two Percussion and Tape

NAIDOO: Sentient Weather for Percussion Ensemble (world premiere)

Tickets: $10

Sunday, Mar. 1, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

A PAPA HAYDN PRIMER

Todd Phillips, violin / leader

All -Haydn program:

Trio in D major for Flute, Cello and Piano

String Quartet in G major

Symphony No. 31, “Horn Signal”

Tickets: $12

Saturday, Mar. 7, 7:30 P.M. / Sunday, Mar. 8, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

GEORG FRIDERICH HANDEL,

SACRED AND SECULAR

Bernard Labadie, conductor

David Hansen, countertenor

Richard Paré, organ

All-Handel program:

Overture and Minuet from Samson

“Oh Lord, whose mercies numberless” from Saul

Organ Concerto No. 1

“Mighty love now calls to arm” from Alexander Balus

Sinfonia from Act III of Julius Caesar

“Dall’ondoso periglio…Aure, deh, per pieta” from Julius Caesar

Prelude and Ciaccona from Terpsichore

“Va tacito” from Julius Caesar

Suite from Alcina (14)

“Vivi, tiranno” from Rodelinda

Tickets: $78 – $27

Monday, Mar. 9, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Sunday, Mar. 15, 1:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

THAT’S ALL FOLK

Edward Abrams, conductor

Program to include music by J.S. Bach, Copland and Bartók.

Arrive early and meet the musicians at our Instrument Petting Zoo, where children can see and play the instruments.

Tickets: $10

Saturday, Mar. 21, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

SYMPHONY WITH A SPLASH

Benjamin Shwartz, conductor

PROKOFIEV: Suite from Cinderella

The evening begins with a complimentary happy hour, followed by a one-hour performance featuring a video introduction and live commentary from the stage.

Tickets: $25

Monday, Mar. 23, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICIANS’ FORUM

Program TBA

Join our Fellows as they create, present and perform their own diverse and unusual programs.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Saturday, Mar. 28, 7:30 P.M. / Sunday, Mar. 29, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MOZART’S 40^TH AND BARBER’S ADAGIO

Peter Oundjian, conductor

BARBER: Adagio for Strings

MOZART: Symphony No. 40

NIELSEN: Symphony No. 5

Tickets: $78 – $27

Friday, Apr. 3, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICAL XCHANGE

Program TBA

Get to know our Fellows and the music they love with this fun, informal series.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Saturday, Apr. 4, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

SIDE BY SIDE CONCERT

Edward Abrams, conductor

Program TBA

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Sunday, Apr. 5, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

A FRENCH MENAGERIE

Paula Robison, flute

DOPPLER: L’Oiseau des bois

DEBUSSY / SCHOENBERG: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

GOUNOD: Petite symphonie

RAVEL: Piano Trio

Tickets: $12

Monday, Apr. 6, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Friday, Apr. 10, 7:30 / Saturday, Apr. 11, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Marin Alsop, conductor

Alisa Weilerstein, cello

LISZT: Les Préludes

GOLIJOV: Azul for Cello and Orchestra

DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 7

Tickets: $78 – $28

Monday, Apr. 13, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

MUSICIANS’ FORUM

Program TBA

Join our Fellows as they create, present and perform their own diverse and unusual programs.

Tickets: Free admission, ticket required

Saturday, Apr. 18, 7:30 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

DUTCH MASTERS AND SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS

Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor

STRAVINSKY: Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1947 Version)

CRAWFORD: Andante for String Orchestra

ANDRIESSEN: Vermeer Pictures (U.S. Premiere)

VIVIER: Siddhartha

Tickets: $15

Sunday, Apr. 26, 3:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

AMERICAN VOICES: RIFFS AND STREET SONGS

IVES: Largo for Violin, Clarinet and Piano

TILSON THOMAS: Street Song for Symphonic Brass

HARRISON: Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra

CRUMB: Voice of the Whale

BERNSTEIN: Prelude, Fugue and Riffs

Tickets: $12

Monday, Apr. 27, 7:00 P.M. at Lincoln Theatre

INSIDE THE MUSIC

Free presentation, no ticket required.

Saturday, May 2, 8:00 P.M. at Arsht Center

THE TCHAIKOVSKY CONCERT

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Vladimir Feltsman, piano

All-Tchaikovsky program:

Piano Concerto No. 1

Symphony No. 5

Tickets: $161, $107, $82, $56, $40, $19

*All ticket prices include $3.50 facility fee

Call 306-673-3331, 800-597-3331 or go to www.nws.edu.

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Miami Symphony Orchestra 2008-09 season

20th ANNIVERSARY SEASON OPENING – October 18, 2008

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 8 pm

Knight Concert Hall

Shostakovich – Festive Overture

Brahms – Violin Concerto

Ravel – Valses Nobles et Sentimentales

Rimsky-Korsakov – Capriccio Espagnol

Guest Artist- Alexis Cardenas – Violin

some ART, JAZZ and BASIL- December 6 – 7, 2008

Gusman Concert Hall- University of Miami, 8 pm

Lincoln Theatre – Miami Beach, 8 pm

Britten – The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Arnold – Harmonica Concerto (Florida Première)*

Piazzolla – Suite for Harmonica (Florida Première)*

Márquez – Danzon No. 2

Ravel – Bolero

Guest Artist – Antonio Serrano – Harmonica

AN EVENING IN VIENNA – January 11, 2009

Friends of Chamber Music of Miami 2008-2009 season

Friends of Chamber Music of Miami

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008*

Cho Liang Lin, Adele Anthony (violins), Roberto Diaz (viola), William DeRosa (cello),

Joseph Kalichstein (piano)

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 (at Wertheim Auditorium, FIU)

Kate Lindsey (mezzo-soprano),with Ken Noda (piano)

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 (at Wertheim Auditorium, FIU)

Yevgeny Sudbin (piano)

Monday, Feb. 2, 2009

Radu Lupu (piano)***

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009

The Talich Quartet

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009 (at Wertheim Auditorium, FIU)

Curtis on Tour with

Hal Robinson (bass)

Saturday, March 8, 2009

(at Wertheim Auditorium, FIU)

Belcea Quartet

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 (at Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach)

Ravinia -Young Musicians with Miriam Fried (violin)

Monday, March 30, 2009

Guarneri Quartet (Farewell Tour)

DATE TBA: Kalichstein- Laredo-Robinson Trio

DATE TBA: Valentina Lisitsa (piano)

Tickets:$30. 305-372-2975; www.MiamiChamberMusic.org. Concerts unless otherwise noted begin at 8:00 P.M. at University of Miami Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, Florida

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No launch day but today

Welcome to the new home of South Florida Classical Review.

The web-based coverage of the region’s classical music scene that began in June on the previous blogspot site will now continue here. Please adjust your web browser and your links to reflect the new URL.

A note about functionality: the center column will operate much as a newspaper centerpiece, in which will appear the newest articles, be they concert reviews, announcements, news, interviews, critic picks, or CD/DVD reviews. No more endless scrolling. As new articles appear, the older posts will move to the side columns, which are grouped by theme: Performances (live reviews), CD/DVD Reviews, Coming Up, Interviews, etc. All posted articles and reviews will remain permanently on the site where the entire archive is searchable.

South Florida Classical Review’s site is brand new and, therefore, a work in progress, so consider the next week a testing period of sorts in which we’re likely to tweak things, add some details, etc. The end result is to make moving about on the site as easy and pain-free as possible.

Two orders of business: For those who have written about the newsletter, you will receive your first emailed issue next week. And I encourage all who would like South Florida Classical Review to continue and prosper as a lively, comprehensive and independent source for classical news and reviews to consider purchasing advertising on the site, whether your company is a musical organization or not.

Finally, thanks are in order to all who helped South Florida Classical Review get to this day. A shout out to my web team of Fred and Jason, who have put up with my prodding, questions, criticisms, and endless emails with (mostly) aplomb. Thanks to friends, family, colleagues and all who have been supportive with advice, encouragement and occasional material aid. I’m especially grateful to my informal advisory triumvirate of Jack, Candice, and Pat. You know who you are.

Finally, my contact email has changed so for all ideas, suggestions and advertising inquiries, please write to me at [email protected].

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Festival Miami opens music season tonight

This weekend marks the start of South Florida’s music season proper, with two competing events Thursday night: the debut of the Firebird Chamber Orchestra and the opening of Festival Miami. Patrick Dupre Quigley leads his new chamber ensemble in string music of Vivaldi, Telemann, Barber and David Diamond Thursday Friday and Sunday evenings at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. For more info and ticket details, scroll down.

Across Biscayne Boulevard at the same time, Festival Miami kicks off at the Knight Concert Hall with a salute to American composer John Corigliano, including the local premiere of his third symphony, Circus Maximus, and the Red Violin Concerto with soloist Jennifer Koh.
http://classicalsouthflorida.blogspot.com/2008/10/corigliano-to-maximus-opens-festival.html

Thursday’s Corigliano event will open the festival’s “Great Performances” week, which will continue at Gusman Concert Hall on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus. On Friday night the African-American Ritz Chamber Players will perform music of Dvorak and George Walker; pianist and outgoing Frost School teacher Ivan Davis will be saluted Saturday evening; Sunday afternoon will offer a Faculty Composers Concert, and pianist Ning An performs Chopin Sunday evening.

Most striking is Monday night’s concert, copresented with Friends of Chamber Music of Miami. The Brahms and Schumann piano quintets will be performed by an all-star lineup featuring violinists Cho-Liang Lin and Adele Anthony, violist Roberto Diaz, cellist William De Rosa and pianist Joseph Kalichstein. Call 305-284-4940 or log on to http://www.festivalmiami.com/

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Back on the Beach Beat

The music season is heating up this weekend with several worthy events, unfortunately, many competing at the same times.

7:30 p.m. Saturday: The New World Symphony will serve up its final free preseason concert, this time with Alasdair Neale leading the entire contingent of musicians in works of Rachmaninoff, Ginastera and Roberto Sierra. Lincoln Theater, 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. www.nws.edu.

7:30 p.m. Saturday. Pianist Ilya Itin will tackle music of Haydn, Beethoven and Prokofiev (two of the War Sonatas) in a benefit for Patrons of Exceptional Artists, the fund-raising arm of the Miami International Piano Festival. $40 includes post-concert reception at the Steinway Piano Gallery, 4104 Ponce De Leon, Coral Gables. http://miamipianofest.com/calendar/special_9_27_08.html 305-935-5115.

8 p.m. Saturday. Lukas Ligeti performs his offbeat electronic music at the Harold Golen Gallery in Miami’s Wynwood District. (Scroll down for profile of Ligeti and concert details.)

8 p.m. Saturday. Thomas Sleeper leads the Frost Symphony Orchestra in a free event at UM’s Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables featuring music of Chobaz, Verdi and Tchaikovsly

2-4 p.m. Sunday. Presented by iSaw, Sunday Jason Freeman’s new installation, Sound Microscope, will be unveiled at the Light Box Theater, 3000 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. www.isaw.info.

4 p.m. Sunday, the UM’s “jazz dean,” pianist Shelly Berg will join the Bergonzi Quartet in Brahms’ Piano Quintet and selections to be announced. The Bergonzi will also perform Ravel’s String Quartet. Gusman Concert Hall. $40. www.sundaymusicals.org.

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El Fuego Serafico

Seraphic Fire opens its seventh season this week, one that should prove significant for Patrick Dupre Quigley (left) and his gifted singers. In addition to the chamber choir offering its standard jambalaya of the traditional and diverse, Quigley will launch the new Firebird Chamber Orchestra Oct. 9 at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.

But this week it’s Seraphic Fire’s turn, leading off its season with five performances of Latin choral music, centered on the Cuban Baroque composer Esteban Salas. The program will also cover music from Spain, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and New World villancicos, going beyond the 18th-century to include works by two local composers. Alvaro Bermudez’s Mi Para Mi will be premiered and the choir will also reprise the Ave Maria by Miguel Nieves, a strikingly beautiful work debuted by Seraphic Fire in 2005. Tickets are $35 ($87 for a season subscription). 305-476-0260; http://www.seraphicfire.org/

Seraphic Fire performs:

8 p.m. Wednesday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 3220 NW 7th Ave., Miami 33137

1 p.m. Thursday at the Harriet Himmel Theater, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach 33401

7:30 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, 536 Coral Way, Coral Gables 33134

8 p.m. Saturday at All Saints Episcopal Church, 333 Tarpon Drive, Fort Lauderdale 33301

4 p.m. Saturday at Miami Beach Community Church, 1620 Drexel (on Lincoln Road), Miami Beach 33139

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Renee Fleming live from New York

For the first time in history, you can attend the Metropolitan Opera’s opening night without having to travel to Manhattan. Monday night’s gala event with Renee Fleming will be broadcast live to movie theaters across the country as part of The Met: Live in HD series. The celebrated soprano will perform scenes from Verdi’s La Traviata, Massenet’s Manon and Strauss’s Capriccio starting at 6 p.m. For information on the 21 Florida theaters and venues across the country, call 800-638-6737 or go to www.metopera.org/hdlive.

The Met’s HD broadcast lineup this season includes:

Oct. 11: Strauss’ Salome with Karita Mattila
Nov. 8: John Adams’ Doctor Atomic
Nov. 22: Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust with Marcello Giordani and Susan Graham
Dec. 20: Massenet’s Thais with Fleming and Thomas Hampson
Jan. 10: Puccini’s La Rondine with Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna
Jan. 24: Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with Stephanie Blythe and Danielle de Niese
Feb. 7: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon
March 7: Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with Cristina Gallardo-Domas
March 21: Bellini’s La Sonnambula with Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flores
May 9: Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Elina Garanca

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