A Journey Through Madison's Classical Music Scene
Classically Speaking |
11/12/12University Opera’s “Medea”: Child Custody Battle, Greco-Italian StyleShannon Prickett dominates a strong production — as she must |
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11/09/12Madison Symphony Offers Double Vision, Unified SoundPianists Christina and Michelle Naughton come home to dazzle us again |
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10/27/12Madison Opera Has a Ball Unmasking VerdiAll treats and no tricks are offered via Verdi’s "Un Ballo in Maschera" |
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10/16/12Madison Symphony Balances the Books with Three “Bs”James Ehnes is a compelling soloist, and John DeMain programs old “new” music |
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10/10/12Doubleheader Weekend for the Wisconsin Chamber OrchestraFriday’s concert offers a pianistic pentagon; on Saturday the WCO transforms Overture Hall into “the happiest place on earth.” |
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09/22/12Madison Symphony Opener Is More Than Bargained ForDeMain adds a tribute to Roland Johnson and Paul Haugan, then brings down the house |
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09/06/12Token Creek Chamber Music Festival Bridges Seasons and CenturiesWith “new” Bach and nearly new Harbison, the Festival makes the connections between seasons and places. |
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07/13/12Concerts on the Square, Short-Attention-Span EditionMaestro Sewell offers “half-off” Tchaikovsky, but serves up plenty of bite-sized empty calories |
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07/01/12Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Gives — and Gets — Royal TreatmentWith Wisconsin Public Television on hand, thousands more will share in a cherished regional festival |
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06/28/12WCO Squared: Light Classics, Served HotSewell and friends meet (if not beat) the heat head on |
Years before I contributed my first classical review to the Los Angeles Times in 1988, I started a class in music appreciation for adults that had one aim: to put a few cracks in the “ivory tower elitism” I found pervasive in the classical music world since my boyhood days. Whether as a critic, program annotator or band director, that goal has never changed. After all, Mozart and Beethoven and the gang wrote their music for people like you—not critics or professors!
