Maestro on the Mound

Maestro Andris Nelsons will throw the first pitch at Red Sox vs. Colorado Rockies Game and lead short pre-game fanfare with brass players from the BSO and Boston Pops tomorrow evening.

WHAT: Andris Nelsons, the next Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director, makes first visit to Boston since the May 16 announcement of his appointment as the BSO’s next music director
WHEN AND WHERE:
*11:00 a.m. at Symphony Hall: Contract signing, and Q and A with audience members
*5-5:30 p.m. at Faneuil Hall: Proclamation presentation and brief performance lead by Mr. Nelsons
*6:40 p.m. at Fenway Park: first pitch and brief performance

Eight Days A Week For Eight Seasons

Violinist Odin Rathnam

Right now, young artists are preparing an out of this world concert in Harrisburg, PA for this Sunday, June 23rd, at 3pm. Fire and Ice, 8 Seasons of Vivaldi and Piazzolla will feature violinists Odin Rathnam and Artur Kaganovskiy, with Gregory Woodbridge, conductor.

Learn more and hear samples of Piazzolla's fun work here: http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/the-four-seasons-of-buenos-aires-astor-piazzolla/

Violinist Artur Kaganovskiy

Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons are quite well known, but you can find some great info here: http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/baroqueperiod/ss/fourseasons.htm and see "beyond the score" here: http://beyondthescore.org/vivaldi-four-seasons/


Also on the program is Jean Sibelius' Romance, played here with the West Branch International Music Festival Orchestra:

The orchestral program is a benefit the Else Borges Foundation for Arts Initiatives, with a portion of the proceeds going to Harrisburg Habitat for Humanity. To learn more about each organization, visit their websites: www.elseborges.org and www.harrisburghabitat.org.

Buy your ticket here, or at the door.

Branagh Brings Magic To Mozart Opera

Out June 11th on DVD

Not since Amadeus has anything so wonderful hit the silver screen for classical music as The Magic Flute. Kenneth Branagh brings this masterpiece to World War I in such a fashion that you are immediately drawn into the story. It simply has everything, from Mozart's brilliant score to stunning costumes, effects, and singing.
The Peter Moores Foundation has a long history of opera in English, and with Stephen Fry's beautiful translation this production is smart, witty, and touching. Sung by a delightful cast, with the musical direction of James Conlon and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, this is truly opera for all - as Mozart intended (technically a Singspiel for all)!

A scene from The Magic Flute

Nods to Harry Potter (pictures come to life), Fred Astaire (gorgeous choreography in black and white), and the Muppets (a rooster who joins in the Pa, Pa, Pa aria) join in the film, which loses the Freemasonry and racist parts of the original. It is sexy, passionate, and glorious (just like the opera).
It's about time this 2006 movie comes to United States theaters, followed by dvd release (and soon on blu-ray)! I believe it should do well at the Academy Awards.
Enjoy this The Magic Flute.


John Clare is a broadcaster, violinist, and new music enthusiast who works at Texas Public Radio, plays in the Mozart Festival Texas, and is a media advisor to NewMusicUSA.