It’s kind of a shame that Sunday’s concert, featuring Yo-Yo Ma, is sold out. Not just because Ma is an artist of the highest caliber (which he is), but because the rest of the program really deserves to be a subscription concert of its own. John Adams’ caffeinated curtain raiser Slonimsky’s Earbox, is the kind
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Gustavo Dudamel’s opening night concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic will be broadcast on PBS’ Great Performances series Wednesday evening, October 21st, at 9:00 p.m. Here in Portland, that will be KOPB.
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I spotted this YouTube clip featuring John Adams talking about the world premiere of his work Slonimsky’s Earbox with the Hallé Orchestra (the Oregon Symphony played the US premiere), and it struck me that said that the hardest part about being a composer was surviving the first rehearsal of one’s work. I was thinking about
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Thanks to Fugue State, I have found video from the Netherlands Opera production (Peter Sellars’ version) of the final aria from the first act of Doctor Atomic, “Batter My Heart” – it will give you an idea of what I think was the highlight of the opera. You’ll have a second chance to see the
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On a dismal, rainy Saturday, Heather and I dragged ourselves out of our warm, cozy bed to head over to the Cedar Hills cinemas to see the live high-definition broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of John Adams’ latest opera, Doctor Atomic. The theater was almost full when we arrived right at the scheduled start
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I’m very much looking forward to reading Halleluja Junction, the autobiography of leading American composer John Adams. If you’re reading it, or have already read it – let me know your thoughts! Hallelujah Junction: Composing an American Life
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I got home today and felt so tired, so just absolutely empty and wiped, that I decided that going for a brisk walk was just the right medicine. I grabbed my iPod, loaded with updated podcasts of shows that I listen to when time allows, and went to the multi-use trail that runs past the
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I’ve been pondering Ron Blessinger’s thoughts on the 2008-2009 season programming at the OSO, and the more I think about it, the more I wish there were not only works by living composers, but that there were works which have received their first performances at least since 1995. Why 1995? Because this is my blog,
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Here’s a round up of the reviews I’ve spotted of our weekend of Classical 8 series concerts, featuring the Adams Chamber Symphony.
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If you enjoyed last night’s first run of the Adams, word is you can come back with your ticket stub from last night in hand and get in to see the piece again tonight. Judging from the response of the audience last night, there may be more than a few takers. It’s good to hear
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Thanks for generous support from Symphony sponsor Wells Fargo, now through February 8th, the Oregon Symphony will be offering all seats for the remainder of the season at either $20 or $50 each (except for the Eartha Kitt concert). There’s lots of great stuff to grab tickets for, here are some of my picks:
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Composer John Adams Photo credit: Deborah O’Grady. I read a few months ago that John Adams had written a sequel to his Chamber Symphony (1992) called Son of Chamber Symphony (2007). The monster movie allusions seem to be proving correct if you listen to all the chatter flying around the back hallways of the concert
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