A delightful recording — and the first ever! — of arias from Hasse’s and Gluck’s operas about Tigranes and Cleopatra of Pontus. Plus four arias by Vivaldi for that same Cleopatra.
Classical Music
Opera Album Review: August Enna’s Wagnarian “Kleopatra” — Revived on Danish Soil After 122 Years
August Enna’s colorful and vividly melodramatic score does justice to the robust exoticism of H. Rider Haggard’s novel.
Concert Review: John Williams’ Violin Concerto no. 2 at Tanglewood
On first impression, John Williams’ second violin concerto didn’t strike me as an instant classic, but there’s more than a little here to warrant repeated listening.
Classical Album Review: American Quintets — Why Has it Taken so Long?
This disc from the London-based Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective pairs piano quintets by Amy Beach and Florence Price with Samuel Barber’s haunting “Dover Beach.”
Classical Album Review: “One Movement Symphonies” — Let’s Have a Follow-Up
This is a disc that begs for a sequel (or a whole series).
Opera Album Review: Up There with Handel and Vivaldi — One of Gluck’s Earliest Operas, in Its First-Ever Recording
This world-premiere recording of Gluck’s Demofoonte is stylishly performed, under the experienced hand(s) of conductor/harpsichordist Alan Curtis.
Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Celebrating a Great Year in Music (July Entry)
Arts Fuse writers continue their countdown of great music celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and this month’s list includes Little Feat, Jonathan Edwards, Hot Tuna, The Red Detachment of Women, and Jimmy Witherspoon & Eric Burdon.
Opera Album Review: A Captivating World-Premiere Recording of One of the Most Oft-Performed Operas in the 17th Century
Cross-gender disguises and comic banter liven up the melodrama in this presentation of Antonio Cesti’s famous opera, thanks to a spirited and virtuosic traversal by a mostly Italian cast.
Concert Review: The Boston Symphony Orchestra Performs Carlos Simon, Sibelius, and Dvorak
The orchestra’s summer home is operating at reduced capacity this season, but it’s wonderful to have the BSO and its public reunited.
July Short Fuses – Materia Critica
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.