Grammy Awards 2010: personal favourites Bartoli, Genaux, Frittoli et al, but most satisfying is the inclusion of the wonderful Jessye Norman
The nominees are out for the 2010 Grammy Awards. But under the heading “Best Classical Crossover Album” – not usually my favourite category – is the nomination which makes me the happiest: with a voice full of imperfections and oddities here is a glorious Jessye Norman with her double live CD “Roots – My Life, My Song” full of joy, soul and love. Magnificent!
Best Classical Vocal Performance
Ombre De Mon Amant – French Baroque Arias
Anne Sofie Von Otter (William Christie; Les Arts Florissants)
Sacrificium
Cecilia Bartoli (Giovanni Antonini; Il Giardino Armonico)
Turina: Canto A Sevilla
Lucia Duchonová (Celso Antunes; NDR Radiophilharmonie)
Vivaldi: Opera Arias – Pyrotechnics
Vivica Genaux (Fabio Biondi; Europa Galante)
Wagner: Wesendonck-Lieder
Measha Brueggergosman (Franz Welser-Möst; The Cleveland Orchestra)
Track from: Wagner: Wesendonck-Lieder; Preludes & Overtures
Best Classical Album
Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Mariss Jansons, conductor (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra)
Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony; Deus Ex Machina
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor (Terrence Wilson; Nashville Symphony Orchestra)
Mackey, Steven: Dreamhouse
Gil Rose, conductor; Rinde Eckert; Catch Electric Guitar Quartet (Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Synergy Vocals)
Sacrificium
Giovanni Antonini, conductor; Cecilia Bartoli (Il Giardino Armonico)
Verdi: Requiem
Riccardo Muti, conductor; Duain Wolfe, chorus master; Christopher Alder (Ildar Abdrazakov, Olga Borodina, Barbara Frittoli & Mario Zeffiri; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus)
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
