After three decades of performing together in the world’s best venues, the Auryn Quartet was chosen to close the Flagler Museum Music Series on March 3. Intentional or not, John Blades, executive director of the Flagler, left the best to last. Perhaps I ought to say the very best to last, as this was a blue-ribbon performance from beginning to end. The Auryn, consisting of … [Read more...]
Fine Orff, messy presentation from Master Chorale
Everything about the Master Chorale of South Florida looked professional until the concert began at the Wold Performing Arts Center of Lynn University on Feb. 22. A choir member took the mic to appeal for funds: What the funds were used for was not explained. Better to capture the names and addresses of the packed audience and mail out an appeal and tell the people why. Next, … [Read more...]
Lang Lang’s pianism, showmanship astound at Kravis recital
Lang Lang came to town last Sunday, and weren’t we the lucky ones. The Chinese pianist played a Steinway — a 10-foot concert grand, the biggest they make — to a packed house Feb. 22 at the Kravis Center. His strolling, casual entrance of nonchalance and self-assurance contrasted mightily with his playing speed, which belonged at the Daytona Speedway. From Artur Schnabel to … [Read more...]
At Flagler, Fine Arts’ Tchaikovsky outshines its Mozart
The well-established Fine Arts Quartet came to the Flagler Museum for the penultimate concert of the museum’s 2015 music series on Feb. 17. Originally founded in Chicago in 1946, the two violinists, Ralph Evans and Efim Boico, have been its mainstay for the past 31 years. Juan-Miguel Hernandez is the violist and Robert Cohen, the cellist. Known as one of the “gold-plated” … [Read more...]
Hampson in strong voice and smart selection at Four Arts
Great opera stars have extended their careers for many years with lieder recitals, and they have a vast repertory of art song to choose from. America’s baritone, Thomas Hampson, came to the Four Arts on Feb. 11 with a lieder recital. The debonair singer is surely one of our finest ambassadors. Still active operatically in 2015, Hampson will be singing on stage in New York, … [Read more...]
Intriguing new work and stellar Strauss at ACO
The Atlantic Classical Orchestra’s concert Tuesday in Palm Beach Gardens featured four works, one a world premiere, conducted by Stewart Robertson, who will retire after this season. Robertson opened this concert with a rarely heard Schubert overture, Die Freunde von Salamanka (D. 326), described in the beautifully prepared program as a singspiel, a German opera with spoken … [Read more...]
Youthful Calidore Quartet wins over Flagler audience
Four young student string players met at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles in 2010 and decided to form the Calidore String Quartet. They quickly won four American grand prize competitions, and the Munich and Hamburg equivalents in 2012. On Feb. 3, the Flagler Museum music series was host to their winning ways. All in their mid-20s, it was appropriate that the … [Read more...]
An impressive night of second symphonies for PB Symphony
The Palm Beach Symphony’s concert Jan. 28 at Mar-a-Lago got a late start owing to the breakdown on the road of the principal horn player’s car. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres were served to concertgoers while they listened to the children’s orchestra from The Conservatory School at North Palm Beach, a new performing arts school, under a tent on a chilly night at Donald Trump’s … [Read more...]
Masterful Beethoven, Mozart from Aspen Trio at Flagler
Taking their name from the famous summer arts festival where they meet every year in Aspen, Colo., the Aspen String Trio is made up of David Perry, playing a 1711 Venetian Gobetti violin; Victoria Chiang, on a 1996 Paris viola specially made for her; and Michael Mermagen, with a 1774 Galliano cello — which was stolen from his car parked on 67th Street in New York City. The … [Read more...]
PBO’s ‘La Bohème,’ Cast 2: Subtle approach makes ‘Bohème’ memorable
I heard the second cast of Palm Beach Opera’s very fine production of Puccini’s La Bohème on Saturday. The Kravis Center was packed to capacity for this, the first opera of the season. It was good to hear from the government last week that the arts in America now account for 4.3% of our gross domestic product. Palm Beach County’s lively arts programming surely contributes … [Read more...]