When the line up for a recital is a soprano, pianist and clarinetist one would assume that at a certain point all three would perform together. Not at La Scala when Barbara Frittoli gave her scheduled … [Read more...] about Barbara Frittoli at La Scala: odd but nice
Daniel Barenboim
The curse of the La Scala recital series? Barenboim bows out
Ok, the headline is a bit over the top, but the vocal recitals at La Scala have been having a spot of bad luck recently, especially seeing that there are only seven recitals each season. Just over … [Read more...] about The curse of the La Scala recital series? Barenboim bows out
Cecilia Bartoli on her sensual Norma and returning to La Scala
"It will not be a normal Norma!" joked Cecilia Bartoli to the Corriere della Sera's Giuseppina Manin. A joke that works better in Italian: "Sarà una Norma fuori norma!" She has sung the role in … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli on her sensual Norma and returning to La Scala
Mark S Doss answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Q&A When did you start singing? I was in the 5th grade when the music teacher, Mrs Mapson, asked me to sing the Wells Fargo Wagon song from Music Man. She heard me sing it back to her and then … [Read more...] about Mark S Doss answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Daniel Barenboim on The Beatles, and why he and Daniel Harding are at Italy’s biggest pop festival
Tomorrow evening marks the beginning of one of the largest pop music festivals in the world, that will have millions of Italians glued in front of their tvs until the finale at the weekend. The … [Read more...] about Daniel Barenboim on The Beatles, and why he and Daniel Harding are at Italy’s biggest pop festival
Cecilia Bartoli and La Scala: I can’t wait to come back!
After the extraordinary events during last Monday's concert with Cecilia Bartoli and Daniel Barenboim at La Scala in Milan, La Ceci let it be known that a handful of booers certainly won't stop her … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli and La Scala: I can’t wait to come back!
Cecilia Bartoli triumphs at La Scala amidst catcalls and boos
After nineteen years, Cecilia Bartoli's return to Milan's La Scala tonight was long overdue. Daniel Barenboim was the instigator of the event, the opening of the La Scala Philharmonic's season. An … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli triumphs at La Scala amidst catcalls and boos
Cecilia Bartoli rehearses with Daniel Barenboim at La Scala for her comeback concert tomorrow
As I write, Cecilia Bartoli is rehearsing with Daniel Barenboim and the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra in the Milanese theatre. Tomorrow marks her comeback to the theatre after an absence of nearly … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli rehearses with Daniel Barenboim at La Scala for her comeback concert tomorrow
Daniel Barenboim gets an early 70th birthday present in Berlin
On the eve of his 70th birthday, Daniel Barenboim has succeeded in launching a dream project: the creation of a music academy where young Arabs and Israelis will be able to train and study side by … [Read more...] about Daniel Barenboim gets an early 70th birthday present in Berlin
The Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its new season tonight with Semionova and Gomes in Giselle
Tonight the Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its 2012-2013 season with Polina Semionova dancing the eponymous heroine in Giselle. Semionova left to join the Berlin Staatsoper immediately after graduating … [Read more...] about The Mikhailovsky Theatre opens its new season tonight with Semionova and Gomes in Giselle
Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra ride America’s classical charts with Beethoven For All
Decca Records has released a box set of the complete Beethoven symphonies which marks the beginning of the Beethoven Project, an unprecedented series of Beethoven recordings: all of the composer's … [Read more...] about Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra ride America’s classical charts with Beethoven For All
Barenboim named as La Scala’s musical director
Daniel Barenboim has been named musical director of Milan's iconic La Scala opera house, filling a post left vacant when Riccardo Muti stormed out in 2005 amid artistic differences. Barenboim, 68, who … [Read more...] about Barenboim named as La Scala’s musical director
Vienna Opera and La Scala exchange goes ahead tomorrow
A much-anticipated exchange between the Vienna Opera and Milan's Teatro alla Scala will go ahead despite earlier fears it might be cancelled because of a strike. Two unions at the Milan opera house … [Read more...] about Vienna Opera and La Scala exchange goes ahead tomorrow
Barenboim conducts a concert in the Gaza Strip
Daniel Barenboim, a supporter of Palestinian rights, broke new ground on Tuesday when he traveled to the Gaza Strip to conduct a concert. Musicians from some of Europe's top orchestras entered the … [Read more...] about Barenboim conducts a concert in the Gaza Strip
Swan Lake crash-lands at La Scala
Unfortunately no swans actually crashed on stage, which might have livened things up a little - only expectations came crashing down. Daniel Barenboim brought little magic to the pit and, moreover, … [Read more...] about Swan Lake crash-lands at La Scala
Nureyev’s Swan Lake returns to La Scala after 10 years: Leonid Sarafanov and Alina Somova talk about the choreography
The ballet season 2010-2011 at La Scala in Milan has opened with 'Swan Lake'. The company has returned to the Rudolf Nureyev version which it abbandoned ten years ago in favour of the that by … [Read more...] about Nureyev’s Swan Lake returns to La Scala after 10 years: Leonid Sarafanov and Alina Somova talk about the choreography
La Scala opening night TV blooper
The live transmission of "Die Walkure" from La Scala was the first time that the opening of the season had been broadcast live in 20 years... so there were bound to be a few problems. And there were! … [Read more...] about La Scala opening night TV blooper
15 minutes of applause – a triumph for Nina Stemme, Waltraud Meier and Daniel Barenboim
La Scala's production of Richard Wagner's "Die Walküre" drew a 15-minute ovation on the opening night of the opera house season yesterday. "Die Walküre" - a powerful drama about the struggle for … [Read more...] about 15 minutes of applause – a triumph for Nina Stemme, Waltraud Meier and Daniel Barenboim
Barenboim appeals from the pit for the defence of Italian culture
Before conducting the National Anthem and the 'Die Walküre' overture, Daniel Barenboim took up a microphone and, addressing himself to the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, … [Read more...] about Barenboim appeals from the pit for the defence of Italian culture
La Scala’s Die Walküre hobbles towards it’s opening night
Last night saw the dress rehearsal of La Scala's new production of Die Walküre for the traditional opening of its season on the feast day of Saint Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, the 7th … [Read more...] about La Scala’s Die Walküre hobbles towards it’s opening night