Franz Liszt News

The Civitas Ensemble, an enterprising chamber group founded by Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians, teams up with Prague's Pavel Šporcl & His Gipsy Way Ensemble for a groundbreaking collaboration at the crossroads of Western classical and Romani folk music on Alla Zingarese, a new album from Cedille Records.

Bargemusic proudly presents an evening recital with Brooklyn-based virtuoso pianist Beth Levin today, July 13th at 8pm. Levin is celebrated as a bold interpreter of challenging works, from the Romantic canon to leading modernist composers. The New York Times praised her "fire and originality," while The New Yorker called her playing "revelatory."  Part of the treasured Masterworks Series, this program will feature Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier" and Handel's Suite for keyboard No. 3 in D minor, HWV 428.

The Music Institute of Chicago announces the 2018-19 season of its Faculty and Guest Artist Series, featuring classical, jazz, and multi-genre artists; holiday programming for families; and a collaboration with the Bach Week Festival. All concerts take place at the historic Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue in downtown Evanston.

Bargemusic proudly presents an evening recital with Brooklyn-based virtuoso pianist Beth Levin on Friday, July 13th at 8pm. Levin is celebrated as a bold interpreter of challenging works, from the Romantic canon to leading modernist composers. The New York Times praised her "fire and originality," while The New Yorker called her playing "revelatory."  Part of the treasured Masterworks Series, this program will feature Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier" and Handel's Suite for keyboard No. 3 in D minor, HWV 428.

The Philadelphia Young Pianists' Academy (PYPA) will be celebrating its sixth year as an international event from August 5 through August 12, 2018. They are inaugurating a new home for the experience at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts located at 1920 Spruce St in Philadelphia. There will be eight days of concerts by world-class pianists, master classes by some of the most highly respected pianists and professors and student concerts. Founder Ching-Yun Hu is pleased to expand the program this year with more concerts and a speaker series.

Hershey Felder returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Artswith Beethoven, directed by Joel Zwick, from July 27 to August 12, 2018. This new production is based on the original Aus dem Schwarzspanierhausby Dr. Gerhard von Breuning with text by Felder and features some of Beethoven's greatest compositions from his keyboard works such as the "Emperor Concerto" to the 5thand 9thSymphonies, his keyboard sonatas, and chamber music. The Samantha F. Voxakis, Karen Racanelli and Erik Carstensen production is an extraordinary one-man musical play that brings the composer to life as it dramatizes the true story of a Viennese doctor who spent his boyhood by the Maestro's side as the son of Beethoven's best friend.

The imaginative and increasingly important Key Pianists concert series, founded by pianist Terry Eder in 2015, embarks on its fourth season with a recital by Norman Krieger, who 'owns a world of technique' (Los Angeles Times), on Wednesday evening, October 17, 2018 at 8 pm at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. His program will include Brahms' Sonata in C Major and Beethoven's Sonata in D minor, as well as works by Chopin, Lazaroff, and Fine. On Tuesday evening, February 26, 2019 at 8 pm, pianist Jason Hardink-dubbed 'a pianist of such extraordinary power-and memory-that he is difficult to forget' by ConcertoNet's Harry Rolnick (14 Dec 2015)-will give a recital of 19th- and 20th-century gems by Eckardt, Debussy, Liszt, Xenakis, and Messiaen. To close out the season, series founder Terry Eder, noted for her 'fascinating [performances] full of life and risk' (New York Concert Review, Summer 2006), performs Schubert's Impromptu in F Minor, Op. 142, No. 1 and Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 28, as well as works by Debussy, Dohnanyi, and Kodaly.

The Orchestra Now (TON), the visionary orchestra and master's degree program founded in 2015 by Bard College president and conductor, educator, and music historian Leon Botstein, will open its fourth season on September 15, 2018. Five individual series and two special events will present 17 different programs offering innovative combinations of familiar and lesser-known repertoire through May 19, 2019. To date, the young members of TON have performed close to 100 concerts for more than 35,000 New Yorkers.

Carnegie Hall today announced that a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), led by its Music Director Gianandrea Noseda, has been added to its 2018-2019 season line-up. The concert, scheduled for Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, will be the National Symphony's first Carnegie Hall performance since Mr. Noseda began his tenure as the orchestra's music director in fall 2017.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, stage and screen star, Patricia Morison died at the age of 103 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A stage icon and legend best known for her starring roles in Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and The King & I opposite Yul Brynner, she established an indelible mark in films with a reputation as a the villainous femme fatale with large blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair that made her a favorite of studios and fans alike. 

Stage and screen star, Patricia Morison died today at the age of 103 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A stage icon and legend best known for her starring roles in Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and The King & I opposite Yul Brynner, she established an indelible mark in films with a reputation as a the villainous femme fatale with large blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair that made her a favorite of studios and fans alike. 

World-renowned piano virtuoso Mona Golabek returns to Hartford Stage for a limited engagement of her inspirational show, The Pianist of Willesden Lane. Back by popular demand, The Pianist of Willesden Lane will run Thursday, July 12, through Sunday, July 22, for 13 performances only. Tickets will be available for sale on Saturday, May 19.

On June 1st, 2018, Art House Productions' JC Fridays will be focusing on accessibility in the arts! Jersey City's premiere quarterly arts festival features art events that take place in restaurants, galleries, stores and event spaces in almost every neighborhood of our great city. ACCESS JC FRIDAYS will showcase a variety of happenings including visual exhibitions, live music, performance acts and educational demonstrations, all showing work from artists with disabilities or offering accessible participation options.

The New York Pops and Music Director Steven Reineke return for their fourth season at Forest Hills Stadium-the historic sporting and entertainment venue located in the Queens, New York neighborhood of Forest Hills-for a one night only performance of The Who's 'TOMMY' on Sunday, June 17 at 8:00 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.) Presented by Q104.3 and Madison House Presents, the concert features Roger Daltrey, joined by a band of seasoned Who players, including guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, guitarist Frank Simes, keyboardist Loren Gold, bassist Jon Button, and drummer Scott Devours.

This August, New York City will host the first ever Classical Bridge, an international music festival, academy and conference designed to build bridges through the music. Presented by New York Concert Artists & Associates (NYCA), the inaugural event runs August 4 - 11 at Merkin Concert Hall atKaufman Music Center (129 West 67th Street, between Broadway & Amsterdam Ave), Symphony Space (2537 Broadway, at 96th Street), and Steinway Hall (1133 Avenue of the Americas at 44th Street). For tickets. reservations and more information visit www.ClassicalBridge.org.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is thrilled to present a very special event production in association with Hershey Felder Presents, HERSHEY FELDER, BEETHOVEN, book by Hershey Felder, the music of Ludwig van Beethoven and directed by Joel Zwick. Executive Director Ellen Richard comments, "We are thrilled to be bringing Hershey Felder as Beethoven to the Playhouse for this very special two week engagement. Our audiences are going to be enraptured by this wildly acclaimed production." Adds Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, "We are fortunate to have such a wonderful working relationship with the genius that is Hershey Felder and are delighted to have him performing once again on our stage with the music of Beethoven!" HERSHEY FELDER, BEETHOVEN will open on Wednesday, May 16 and performs through Sunday, May 27, 2018 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Drive in Laguna Beach.

The Armel Opera Festival presents REKA KRISTÓF, soprano, the winner of 'Virtuosi' 2017, Hungary with Aneas HUMM, baritone and Gergely BOGÁNYI, piano.

In response to overwhelming demand and near universal critical acclaim, Symphonie Fantastique - the singular creation by designer, director, master puppeteer, and MacArthur "genius" Basil Twist - extends its 20th anniversary engagement to July 15. Set to Hector Berlioz's revolutionary 1830 score, Symphonie Fantastique, for the first time in New York, features live piano accompaniment by Christopher O'Riley. Hailed as a creative masterpiece when it debuted in 1998, the production, which opened on April 4, is a presentation from HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program and a centerpiece of HERE's 25th anniversary season.

The Music Institute of Chicago continues the 30th anniversary season of its Chicago Duo Piano Festival (CDPF) with an expanded schedule of public performances featuring international guest artists July 8-20, 2018 at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston. In addition, pianists age eight and older may apply to participate in the education program of the two-week festival, which includes coachings, lectures, master classes, and recitals. The deadline is May 25.

Southern California audiences will experience some of the most captivating and entertaining dance performances during The Music Center's upcoming dance season, with choreography that expresses deep emotions and movement that showcases the dimensions of both classical and contemporary dance.  Featuring a wide range of popular and groundbreaking dance companies, including The Music Center premiere of Company Wayne McGregor and the return of The Royal Ballet to The Music Center's stages after a 20-year absence, along with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, L.A.'s own Diavolo/Architecture in Motion and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Miami City Ballet, the upcoming Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center) season is the most fearless and dynamic to date.  Center Dance Arts is the founding supporter of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.