The Natty Bos. Gary Rowan has presented his annual Uncle Gary’s Rock & Rib Fest (www.UncleGarysRockandRibFest.com) for a decade, and watched the event grow exponentially. Yet he wishes he never had to. The festival honors his only child, daughter Ashley, who succumbed to the rare childhood liver cancer hepatoblastoma in 2002 at age 3. “This is truly a labor of love; my … [Read more...]
Hiromi, trio bring powerful energy to Davie show
Jazz pianist and composer Hiromi. Japan native Hiromi Uehara has gained first-name recognition worldwide since moving to the United States to attend the Berklee College of Music in 1999. The 37-year-old pianist’s recording and touring career began a few years later, and has essentially been split between her 2004-2009 trio with fellow Berklee grads Tony Grey (bass) and Martin … [Read more...]
Brilliant, absorbing ‘The Passenger’ marks FGO milestone
A scene from The Passenger. (Photo by Brittany Mazzurco-Muscato) Florida Grand Opera’s current production of Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Holocaust opera The Passenger is more than just a show that opera devotees and fans of the arts in general should make sure to see in its brief run this week at the Ziff Ballet Opera House. The Passenger is a milestone for FGO’s 75th season in … [Read more...]
Dichter’s Beethoven sparkles at last Symphonia concert
It says something important about the connections our area arts leaders have in that for the last concerts of the season for the Symphonia Boca Raton, the orchestra was able to feature one of the leading pianists of the older generation and an encore appearance by one of the country’s most intriguing conductors. The final Symphonia Boca Raton concert of its Connoisseur Series … [Read more...]
Cellist Parnas shows she’s one to watch
The young cellist Cicely Parnas grew up listening to recordings of her celebrated cellist grandfather Leslie, and there’s little doubt that aural education has paid off. Cicely Parnas, now 23, gave a recital Thursday night at the Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens, and in everything she played on her program, which consisted of sonatas by Barber, Brahms and Ravel, she … [Read more...]
Pianist Ax’s Beethoven survey high point of Broward classical season
By Robert Croan Classical recitals are all too scarce in Broward County. A recital of the caliber of Emanuel Ax’s all-Beethoven program, in Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater on March 22, would be rare anywhere, anytime. Professionally, the Polish-born pianist, 67 this year, is at the top of his field, and as the present concert demonstrated, he is in top form technically and … [Read more...]
Poland’s Meccore Quartet closes Flagler season in brilliant fashion
The last of this year’s fine crop of string quartets to play in Flagler Museum’s Music Series came from Poland. Introduced by the museum’s new executive director, Erin Manning, the Meccore String Quartet, established in 2007, has won numerous awards for their innovative approach. Each member currently receives scholarships from the Polish Ministry of Culture and teach at the … [Read more...]
PBO’s ‘Ariadne,’ ‘B’ cast: Wagner, Young Artists stand out
Jeffrey Hartman and Amber Wagner in Ariadne auf Naxos. Palm Beach Opera’s last opera this season, Ariadne auf Naxos, was a singing triumph. The company brought together some of the freshest and best voices — all 16 of them — that ply their trade in the opera world today. I heard the second-cast stars on Saturday evening, sitting among a very new but appreciative audience. … [Read more...]
PBO’s ‘Ariadne’; ‘A’ cast: Top-to-bottom vocal strength lifts Strauss confection
Wendy Bryn Harmer and Brian Jagde in Ariadne auf Naxos. The audience response Sunday afternoon to Palm Beach Opera’s final presentation of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos wasn’t the kind of enthusiastic ovation a more familiar opera from the Italian repertory would have won. But if they weren’t crazy about the opera itself, the troupe deserved all the warm approbation … [Read more...]
Amernet Quartet offers rare (Michael) Haydn at Chameleon
By Robert Croan Pity poor Michael Haydn! Posterity has not treated him kindly. A respected composer in his time, he has suffered from the fame of his older brother, Franz Joseph, as well as comparisons with his younger contemporary Mozart. Michael Haydn’s best-known symphony found its way into the Köchel catalogue of Mozart’s works as Symphony No. 37 because Mozart happened … [Read more...]