The music of Donnacha Dennehy

Love and Death is the name of one of Woody Allen’s earlier films, one built around parodies of Tolstoy and other Russian 19th century literary giants.

Mahler, Royal Festival Hall

My response to much of this and last year’s Mahler anniversary bonanza
has been to stay away: certainly not out of antipathy, nor out of boredom, nor on account of any other negative reaction to the music of a composer whom I admire as greatly as ever, but simply because there are too many unnecessary performances of that music on offer.

Excerpt: ‘Anna Bolena’ at the Met

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/09/27/arts/music/100000001076456/excerpt-anna-bolena-at-the-met.html?ref=music

Independent podcast – ENO OperaTalks: David Pountney

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/independent-podcast–eno-operatalks-david-pountney-2362895.html

Bluthaus, Theater Bonn

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/f8bc389c-e9c2-11e0-bb3e-00144feab49a.html#axzz1ZHEnUjra

Faust, Royal Opera House

When the Royal Opera House London does things well, it does them very well indeed. This Gounod’s Faust was a sizzler!

The Dallas Opera Announces Meeting of Key Milestones in the Planned Turnaround of the Company’s Finances

http://blog.dallasopera.org/2011/09/28/the-dallas-opera-announces-meeting-of-key-milestones-in-the-planned-turnaround-of-the-company%E2%80%99s-finances/

Lucrezia Borgia in San Francisco

Bad news travels fast. Though you are about to read another version of how American diva RenÈe Fleming failed to bring Lucrezia Borgia alive, let us begin by discussing a few other things you already know.

Ioan Holender Farewell Concert

What better way for the long-reigning director of the Vienna State Opera, Ioan Holender, to celebrate the end of his time in the post than with a lengthy gala featuring such stars as Gergely NÈmeti, Roxana Constantinescu, Krassimira Stoyanova, and Keith Ikaia-Purdy?

Billy Budd at the Barbican

Among recent recordings of Britten’s opera Billy Budd, the recent
release conducted by Daniel Harding has much to offer in terms of performance
quality, interpretation, and also the quality of recording.