Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).By Greg StepanichDELRAY BEACH -- In this bicentenary year of the birth of Felix Mendelssohn, no fewer than three string quartet ensembles have played the composer's final, anguished quartet in local concerts.The Delray String Quartet closed its fifth season Sunday afternoon with a somewhat limp reading of the Mendelssohn Sixth Quartet (in F minor, … [Read more...]
Opera review: Second-cast ‘Boheme’ understated but effective
Timothy Mix as Marcello and Carelle Flores as Musetta in the Palm Beach Opera production of Puccini's La Boheme.By Rex HearnWEST PALM BEACH -- As a boy of 10, I could sing Che gelida manina, Rodolfo’s aria from the first act of Puccini's La Boheme, using my own invented words that I thought sounded like Italian.Such is the genius of Puccini: Tune after tune penetrates even very … [Read more...]
Opera review: Musicianship distinguishes decent PB Opera ‘Boheme’
Alessandro Liberatore as Rodolfo and Norah Amsellem as Mimi in Palm Beach Opera's La Boheme. By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH -- Ask an opera fan for a favorite Puccini aria and you'll get different preferences for the songs that stand out in the fabric of the drama, from Vissi d'arte to Un bel di and Nessun dorma.But the Italian master was in a fundamental way an ensemble … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: April 3-5
Things don't look so good for Mimi in Act IV of La Boheme.Soprano Norah Ansellem is Mimi, with Alessandro Liberatore as Rodolfo. Surrounding them are Carelle Flores, Timothy Mix, Eric Jordan and Christopher Bolduc.Opera: The Palm Beach Opera closes its season beginning this weekend with the world's most popular opera, Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme, in a staging by the great … [Read more...]
Music review: ACO closes season with cabinet of curiosities
Atlantic Classical Orchestra director Stewart Robertson.By Sharon McDanielSTUART – The Atlantic Classical Orchestra is an encouraging anomaly. It’s a healthy organization, with a devoted following of Treasure Coast residents. Artistically, it has found its niche in music off the beaten path, and you can just about chart the steady yearly upswing in its technical assurance and … [Read more...]
Music review: Sierra shows star quality with Lynn Philharmonia
Soprano Nadine Sierra. By Greg StepanichBOCA RATON -- One way to measure the still-developing art of the young soprano Nadine Sierra is this:After her climactic high B-flats at the end of Un bel di, Sierra waited out Puccini's brief postlude not as a singer waiting for the orchestra to finish or as a happy musician smiling at the audience. Instead, she was staring straight … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: March 27-29
Reflection: West Palm Beach, by Elle Schorr. Art: Five local artists are offering interpretations of their environment in a show wrapping up this week at the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, which is at 6301 Summit Blvd. in West Palm Beach.The show, called Native Offerings II, is curated by Talya Lerman and features photography by Jacek Gancarz, Elle Schorr and Lyn … [Read more...]
Music review: Goode’s Bach, Chopin recital deep, beautiful
Pianist Richard Goode. (Photo by Michael Wilson) By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH -- Frederic Chopin, we are told, revered the work of J.S. Bach, and the Polish pianist's attention to the multiplicity of colors available through counterpoint gives his and his great predecessor's work the same power of enduring harmonic freshness.The work of these two composers was the sole … [Read more...]
Music review: Artymiw, Shostakovich shine at Boca Symphonia
Pianist Lydia Artymiw. By Greg StepanichBOCA RATON --- Area concertgoers haven't had enough opportunities in the past 10 years or so to hear live performances hereabouts of the symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich, an important group of works whose best examples are likely to swell in stature as the years go by.Now they can add another one to that small list, as Alexander Platt … [Read more...]
ArtsBuzz: Ballet Florida cancels rest of season
A scene from the Ballet Florida staging of The Nutcracker.WEST PALM BEACH -- Citing the failure of a proposed partnership with the city of West Palm Beach and "unforeseen financial challenges," Ballet Florida this afternoon canceled the remainder of its 2008-09 season.The troupe had been scheduled to present performances at the Broward Center on April 4-5, the Duncan Theater at … [Read more...]