The Richmond Symphony’s “Video Games Live” concert, scheduled for Jan. 23, has been postponed in anticipation of the weekend’s snowstorm.
The rescheduled concert will begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Altria Theater, Main and Laurel streets. Tickets issued for the original date will be honored on the new date.
More information: www.richmondsymphony.com
In the final hour, remembering Pierre Boulez, who died earlier this month. We’ll hear Boulez’s work as an authoritative conductor of modern music, with the three US orchestras with which he was most closely associated – the Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony and New York Philharmonic – along with a brief sample of his elusive yet vivid compositional style.
Jan. 21
10 a.m.-1 p.m. EST
1500-1800 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
www.wdce.org
Wagner: “Die Meistersinger” – Prelude Act 1
MET Orchestra/James Levine
(Deutsche Grammophon)
Albéniz: Piano Concerto
in A minor
(“Concierto fantastico”)
(orchestration by
Tomás Bréton)
Aldo Ciccolini, piano
Royal Philharmonic/
Enrique Bátiz (EMI Classics)
Past Masters:
Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor
Janos Starker, cello
London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Doráti (Mercury)
(recorded 1964)
Johan Helmich Roman:
Anthony Robson,
oboe d’amore
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/
Anthony Halstead (Musica Sveciae)
Beethoven: Quartet in
E flat major, Op. 74 (“Harp”)
Artemis Quartet
(Virgin Classics)
Chopin: Barcarolle in F sharp minor, Op. 60
Ivan Moravec, piano (Supraphon)
Stravinsky: “Scherzo fantastique”
Cleveland Orchestra/
Pierre Boulez
(Deutsche Grammophon)
Boulez: “Livre pour Quatuor” IIIc (1962)
Quatour Parisii
(Deutsche Grammophon)
Bartók: Divertimento
for string orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Boulez (Deutsche Grammophon)
Ravel: “La Valse”
New York Philharmonic/Pierre Boulez
(Sony Classical)
Kirill Petrenko, general music director of the Bavarian State Opera and incoming chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, recently was asked about performing the music of living composers. As recounted by Miroslav Srnka, whose opera “South Pole” will be conducted by Petrenko later this month, the maestro’s reply:
“If the composer is dead you’d like to ask him questions, but you can’t. If the composer is alive you can ask him questions, but sometimes you’d prefer he would be already dead.”
(via http://slippedisc.com)
My review for the Richmond Times-Dispatch of the Richmond Symphony Metro Collection concert, featuring cellist Neal Cary, at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland:
http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/music/article_560afd90-dc82-5d76-a710-1a438238437d.html
My review for the Richmond Times-Dispatch of pianist Yefim Bronfman playing sonatas by Prokofiev at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Arts Center:
http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/music/article_20727130-987f-503e-b6ad-833027ffdae6.html
A program in memory of Gilbert Kaplan, the financier and journalist turned Mahler scholar, who died on New Year’s Day.
Captivated by a 1965 performance of Mahler’s epic Second Symphony (“Resurrection”) led by Leopold 
The program concludes with Kaplan’s remarkable 1987 recording with the London Symphony Orchestra. That performance is preceded by Mahler’s 1905 piano rolls of two of his songs and works by Brahms, Wagner, Schubert and Richard Strauss.
Jan. 14
10 a.m.-1 p.m. EST
1500-1800 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
www.wdce.org
Brahms: “A German Requiem” –
VI: “Denn wir haben hier keine bleibende Statt”
Thomas Quasthoff, baritone
Berlin Radio Choir
Berlin Philharmonic/Simon Rattle (EMI Classics)
Past Masters:
Richard Strauss: “Death and Transfiguration”
Leopold Stokowski
(RCA Victor)
(recorded 1934)
Wagner: “Tristan und Isolde” – Prelude & Liebestod
Jessye Norman, soprano
London Philharmonic/
Klaus Tennstedt
(EMI Classics)
Past Masters:
Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B minor (“Unfinished”)
Berlin Philharmonic/Wilhelm Furtwängler (Audite)
(recorded 1953)
Past Masters:
Mahler:
“Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” – “Ging heut’ morgens aus übers Feld”
Gustav Mahler, piano
(Conifer Classics)
(1905 piano roll)
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
in C minor (“Resurrection”)
Benita Valente, soprano
Maureen Forrester, contralto
London Symphony Chorus
Ardwyn Singers
BBC Welsh Chorus
Cardiff Polyphonic Choir
The Dyfed Choir
London Symphony Orchestra/Gilbert Kaplan (Conifer Classics)
Virginia Opera will stage its first productions of “The Seven Deadly Sins” by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht and “Der Freischütz” by Carl Maria von Weber, as well 
The company’s 2016-17 season will begin with “The Seven Deadly Sins,” on a double bill with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci,” Sept. 30 and Oct. 2 and 4 at Norfolk’s Harrison Opera House, Oct. 8 and 9 at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax, and Oct. 14 and 16 at the Carpenter Theatre of Dominion Arts Center (formerly Richmond CenterStage).
Adam Turner, resident conductor of Virginia Opera and the first recipient of the Kurt Weill-Julius Rudel Conducting Fellowship, will lead the Weill-Leoncavallo double bill, with stage direction by Keturah Stickann. Ute Gfrerer, in her US operatic stage debut, will star in “The Seven Deadly Sins.” The cast of “Pagliacci” will be led by Kelly Kaduce and Michael Chioldi.
“The Seven Deadly Sins” will be sung in English, “Pagliacci” in Italian, both with projected captions.
The company’s second production of the ’16-’17 season will be Gioachino Rossini’s greatest hit, “The Barber of Seville,” first produced in 1816. Performances are slated for Nov. 11, 13 and 15 in Norfolk, Nov. 18 and 20 in Richmond, and Dec. 3 and 4 in Fairfax.
Will Liverman, a Virginia Beach native, will star as the barber Figaro, in a cast also featuring Megan Marino and Andrew Owens. The production, in Italian with English captions, will be conducted by John Baril, music director of Colorado’s Central City Opera, and directed by Michael Shell.
“Der Freischütz,” staged as “The Magic Marksman” in an English translation with captions, will star Issachah Savage, winner of the 2014 Seattle Wagner Competition and rated as one of the leading young Heldentenors of opera in the US. The cast also will include Katherine Polit and Jake Gardner.
Turner will conduct and Stephen Lawless will direct the Weber, presented on Jan. 27, 29 and 31 in Norfolk, Feb. 4 and 5 in Fairfax, and Feb. 17 and 19 in Richmond.
Virginia Opera’s ’16-’17 season concludes with Giacomo Puccini’s last opera, “Turandot,” staged on March 17, 19 and 21 in Norfolk, March 25 and 26 in Fairfax, and March 31 and April 2 in Richmond. Kelly Kae Hogan will sing the title role, and Roger Honeywell will co-star as Calaf, voice of the popular aria “Nessun dorma.”
“Turandot,” sung in Italian with English captions, will be conducted by John DeMain and directed by Lillian Groag.
For information on ticket subscriptions for the Norfolk and Richmond seasons, call (866) 673-7282 or visit http://www.vaopera.org
Fairfax subscriptions will go on sale this spring.
