Andrew Davis News

From Sibelius to Bernstein, with a detour by Broadway and a foray into the music of Bruckner and Beethoven, the April lineup at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is refreshing as spring.

Ars Lyrica Houston's A Roman Feast Gala, Honoring Rhonda and Donald Sweeney chaired by Drs. Rachel and Warren Ellsworth IV, and Sarah and Gabriel Loperena took place March 3, 2018 in the historic Esperson building in downtown Houston, an event to raise funds for the organization's first fully-staged Baroque opera, Handel's Agrippina to be produced November 2018. The evening began with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the contemporary Rusk Lobby, filled with fragrant lavender, ferns and Romanesque decor with live harp music. An intimate concert of Handel arias followed, performed by acclaimed countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Artistic Director Matthew Dirst on harpsichord, and violinist Alan Austin in the Esperson Neils Lobby. Guests then enjoyed a grand feast on theme and ended with an Italian disco after party in the transformed Neils Lobby complete with dancing, drinks, light bites, and craft beer sponsored by Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.  

American baritone Nathan Gunn and pianist Julie Gunn, partners in life and often on stage, will make their debut at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in an evening of cabaret by iconic composers ranging from Leonard Bernstein and Cole Porter to Billy Joel and Tom Waits.  The evening concert from an eclectic American Songbook joins Bernstein at 100, the worldwide celebration of the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history. An Evening with Nathan and Julie Gunn takes place Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 7:30pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at The Wallis.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) launches its 97th season on September 20 at Roy Thomson Hall (for a 37th season). The opening concert, with Interim Artistic Director Sir Andrew Davis on the podium, highlights the Orchestra through the music of Berlioz-Symphonie fantastique and Fantasy on Shakespeare's The Tempest.

The Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Picture - Live Action was presented to the sound mixing team from “Dunkirk” of Mark Weingarten CAS, Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo CAS, Alan Meyerson CAS, Thomas J. O'Connell and Scott Curtis.

Pride Films and Plays' monthly festival of LGBTQ independent films, which was launched in October, will continue with its sixth monthly festival on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. The theme for this 95-minute program of eight films is 'Social Issues Here and Abroad.”

Artists from the bands Postmodern Jukebox, tUnE-yArDs and Diane Coffee join Broadway and West End talent for Lyric Opera's North American premiere of Timothy Sheader's explosive Olivier Award-winning production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, presented from April 27 to May 20, 2018 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago (press opening April 28).

The McCallum Theatre presents Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel on Monday, February 26, at 7:00pm. This performance, "The Golden Age of the Piano," will feature "Minuet in G" by Ignace Paderewski; "Spinning Song" by Felix Mendelssohn; "Humoresque, Op. 101, No. 1" by Antonin Dvorak; "Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5" by Sergei Rachmaninoff; "April, Op. 39, No. 4" from The Seasons by Peter Ilyich Tchaikowsky; "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" by Edvard Grieg; "Valse Triste, Op. 44" by Jean Sibelius; and "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" by Franz Liszt.

The New York Philharmonic will return to Bravo! Vail in Colorado for the Orchestra's 16th annual summer residency there, performing six orchestral concerts July 20-27, 2018.

A season filled with unforgettable music, thrilling singers from around the world, and stirring new productions goes on sale via subscription Wednesday, February 7 at 10am.  Seven new and new-to-Chicago productions, including four Lyric premieres, will engage and entertain audiences from October 2018 through June 2019. 

St phane Den ve will conduct the New York Philharmonic in an all-Prokofiev program featuring the Violin Concerto No. 1, with James Ehnes as soloist; selections from Romeo and Juliet; and The Love for Three Oranges Suite, Today, January 25, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 27 at 8:00 p.m.

Canadian-American soprano Erin Wall has withdrawn from Faust at Lyric Opera of Chicago to undergo chemotherapy, Anthony Freud, Lyric's general director, president & CEO, announced today. Freud added that her doctors expect a full recovery within a few months, according to her manager. Everyone at Lyric wishes Erin all the best and looks forward to welcoming her back in future seasons. An alumna of Lyric's Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center program (2001-04) with a major international career, Wall has portrayed Marguerite/Faust, Donna Anna/Don Giovanni, Pamina/The Magic Flute, Fiordiligi/Cos fan tutte, Helena/A Midsummer Night's Dream, Konstanze/Die Entf hrung auf dem Serail, and Antonia/Les Contes d'Hoffmann at Lyric.

February Films at Pride Arts Center - PRIDE FILM FESTIVAL 2/13

From the lyricism of R. Strauss, the passion of Prokofiev, and the vitality of Beethoven to the fanciful atmosphere of The Wizard of Oz with Live Orchestra just in time for Family Day weekend February at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is full of fantasy and zest.

Brooklyn Music School presents the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute concert hosted by renowned baritone and BMS advisory board member Lester Lynch. Inspired by Dr. King's legacy and message, the program will feature selections from Mr. Lynch's recent recording On My Journey Now: Spirituals & Hymns as well as performances by BMS faculty and students.

Music Director Designate Jaap van Zweden will conduct the New York Philharmonic in a program pairing the New York Premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner John Luther Adams's Dark Waves with Act I of Wagner's Die Walk re (in concert), with soprano Heidi Melton as Sieglinde, tenor Simon O'Neill as Siegmund (in his New York Philharmonic debut), and bass John Relyea as Hunding.

Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute: Spirit of Hope on January 13, 2018 at 5pm. BMS is located at 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn.

Antonio Pappano will return to the Philharmonic to conduct Britten's Piano Concerto (1945 version), with The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Leif Ove Andsnes as soloist; Saint-Sa ns's Symphony No. 3, Organ, with Philharmonic organist Kent Tritle; and Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Thursday, February 8, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, February 10 at 8:00 p.m.

St phane Den ve will conduct the New York Philharmonic in an all-Prokofiev program featuring the Violin Concerto No. 1, with James Ehnes as soloist; selections from Romeo and Juliet; and The Love for Three Oranges Suite, Thursday, January 25, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 27 at 8:00 p.m.

Baritone Tyler Duncan will replace Andrew Foster-Williams, who has withdrawn due to illness, in the remaining performances of Handel's Messiah.