Sept 13, 2022 [Zoom only] The Old World of the “New World Symphony”
Carnegie Hall, approaching the first-quarter mark of the 21st century, opens the season with a comfortable orchestral chestnut from the 19th. But was it progressive in its own day?
Sept 20, 2022 [Harmonie+Zoom] Toxic Femininity - Medea and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
To a world dependent on maternal nurture, stories of women who kill have exercised a particular horrific fascination through the ages.
When we think of Lucia we think of Lucia - meaning, herself - but the other roles in the opera, and its great instrumental and ensemble scenes, are eloquent, and deserve their own attention.
The most essential element of music is also the most mysterious. What makes a grouping of notes stick in your mind and affect your feelings? Please nominate a favorite tune or two - classical, pop, or folk - and we will use members’ examples for the exploration!
The Philharmonic’s two-week splash of Rachmaninov includes the rhapsodic Second Piano Concerto and the riotous Symphonic Dances. Special bonus for our members: a newly discovered private recording, made by the composer himself in 1941, playing, singing, shouting, and stamping to show Eugene Ormandy how he wanted the Dances to go.
Gustavo Dudamel (will he be the NY Phil’s next music director?) leads a complete cycle of Schumann’s four symphonies, each one of which is a treasure. With amazing rehearsal and performance footage from Bernstein, Karajan, and others.
Strauss set out to write a one-act “afterpiece” for a Molière comedy, and ended up with something unique in history, a touching opera about the problems of creating opera.
Don Carlosbegins in the public world of religious strife, dynastic formation, the duties of government, and the fate of nations. Then after the climactic auto-da-fé scene it withdraws into an intensely personal world of love, disappointment, betrayal, loss, and renunciation. Verdi’s feelings ran strong in both spheres, here woven together as nowhere else. As we have done recently with Wagner operas, we will work through the music and plot step by step in our first two meetings.