By Donald Waxman One hundred years ago this past May, in the elegant Theatre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Pierre Monteux lifted his baton to begin the premiere of a new ballet score by the young Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. Three years earlier, tout Paris had been captivated by the exoticisms and color of Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird, and then a year later by his … [Read more...]
Elegant setting enhances richness of Beethoven
In olden days, the Elector of Cologne nurtured the young Beethoven and gave him the opportunity to play in his Bonn Court Orchestra. The nobility, back then, knew that cultivation of the arts made for a happy populace: Music-making reflected well on them. Jump to the 21st century and we find another kind of nobleman, billionaire Donald Trump, baron of all he surveys, placing … [Read more...]