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Articles tagged with: Valery Gergiev

Cue cameras: Metropolitan Opera Live in HD, come of age, is playing at a cinema near you

Dec 16, 2014 – 12:06 pm | 2,400 views
Michael Volle, Hans Sachs in Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg.' (Ken Howard, Metropolitan Opera)

Feature review: The Metropolitan Opera is the most international of houses, but there is something quintessentially American about the Saturday afternoon HD cinema broadcasts that are now part of its marketing arsenal. After attending a performance of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” at the Met, I caught the same production, broadcast live to cinemas on Dec. 13, starring German baritone Michael Volle as Hans Sachs, the master shoemaker, cobbler of poems and mender of hearts.

Vienna Aisle: Happily in tune with CSO, Muti nixes idea of position at Vienna State Opera

Nov 3, 2014 – 3:43 pm | 4,243 views
Chicago Symphony rehearses Verdi Requiem at Vienna Musikverein Oct. 31, 2014 (Todd Rosenberg)

Report: When Riccardo Muti says that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the greatest orchestras in the world – as he did before 300 adoring guests in an intimate recital space at the famed Musikverein – the Viennese simply take it in stride. Out of politeness and affection alone they would give him that. Muti has been a favorite in the Austrian musical capital for decades. Curiosity about Muti’s Chicago orchestra was high during the CSO’s weeklong visit capping a five-country European tour. So was speculation whether he might be interested in the biggest music directorship in Vienna, suddenly open. But Muti says Chicago’s enough for him.

Joffrey Ballet and Mariinsky Orchestra recall wonder of Stravinsky’s ‘Sacre du printemps’

Oct 3, 2013 – 10:11 pm | 2,979 views
The Joffrey Ballet, 'Le sacre du printemps,' restoration of the Nijinsky-Roerich conception (Roger Mastroianni)

Review: Parisians first experienced “Le sacre du printemps” as dance, in Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography for the Ballets Russes in 1913, then shortly after came back to Stravinsky’s stunning music as concert fare. Now Chicagoans have encountered the same sequence — in the Joffrey Ballet’s splendid re-creation of the work two weeks ago at the Auditorium Theatre, followed Oct. 2 by the Mariinsky Orchestra’s supercharged performance at Orchestra Hall with conductor Valery Gergiev.

Orchestra for Peace honors Solti centenary; conductor left a prodigious recording legacy

Oct 20, 2012 – 2:00 pm | 8,130 views
Sir Georg Solti conducting feature image credit Clive Barda London Records

An Appreciation: The birth centenary of any great contributor to human affairs gives us pause. But the Oct. 21 concert by the World Orchestra for Peace at Orchestra Hall, honoring the 100th anniversary of Sir Georg Solti’s birth, has personal relevance for me. At the same time Solti commenced his musical directorship of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in September 1969, I began my professional career as a music critic, at The Milwaukee Sentinel. There’s more to that connection than mere coincidence.

Chicago Symphony’s 2012-13 plans highlight Wagner, Stravinsky and waterway themes

Feb 6, 2012 – 7:38 pm | 6,448 views
Riccardo Muti Orchestra Hall credit Todd Rosenberg

Complete season highlights, details.