Articles Articles

From Pickwick to picnic

Pickwick was a great program from RAI TV. Last December the same RAI TV humiliated the RAI Orchestra in an unprecedented way.

Djamileh – origins and synopsis

Djamileh, Bizet’s first mature opera, came right before Carmen. Its music is rich, sensual and beautifully orchestrated, totally worth the listening.

Ravaged Beauty

The conceptual opera “Audioguide III” ends with the disruption of 66 violins. Does this serve the kantian philosophical underground of the work?

The art of training and developing the voice

The great dramatic tenor James McCray offers his thoughts on some misunderstandings in the modern way of training the voice.

Henri Dutilleux

Henri Dutilleux

The proptotype of the anti-avant-garde, Dutilleux draws from the French tradition of Debussy and Ravel to build his personal language

ARTax – music rEvolution

ARTax – music rEvolution

After almost 3 years, ARTax, a new company based in The Hague, NL, has finally become a reality

From Pickwick to picnic

From Pickwick to picnic

Pickwick was a great program from RAI TV. Last December the same RAI TV humiliated the RAI Orchestra in an unprecedented way.

The rape of Opera

The rape of Opera

The recent production of Guillame Tell at ROH marked a threshold: the literalisation of a woman’s rape on stage. We...

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Latin flavours

Latin flavours

I’m writing this post listening to a great recording of Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic playing...

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On singers’ size

On singers’ size

Dear music critics of the London Times, I have read quite a few of your opera critiques: more often than not, they...

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Is structure mandatory?

Is structure mandatory?

Some say it’s essential to have a structure before you start writing anything. I don’t quite share that opinion, at...

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Gumption ‘n Rose

Gumption ‘n Rose

Rose Beuret, long life companion of Rodin, was not initially part of the plan. After all the opera already had two...

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Conducting Pills

A FREE video series with an analysis of structure, phrasing, and, of course, conducting tips of repertoire works: from Mozart to Brahms, from Beethoven to Debussy. A new episode every week!