The concept and simple, minimalist staging of Philip Glass’s Piano Etudes last night made for one of the most elegant and exciting evenings of music I have ever experienced. The row of ten piano benches along the back of the stage — each of them spotlighted and brought forward for each individual pianist, then replaced…
Tag: Music
Oxbow
I always try to pick a few shows each Next Wave Festival that I know might be hit or miss. Oxbow by Ivy Baldwin was one such performance. There were moments that were hits: the wonderful set design of massive tree roots; the opportunity to be sitting so close to the dancers that you could hear…
Exposed: Songs for Unseen Warhol Films
I attended Exposed last night at BAM because I was interested in the Warhol films. I would have happily watched them with no sound. To be honest, I was afraid the music would detract from the films. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the music/film pairings. I thought that having three short films per…
The Death of Klinghoffer
I had a very thought-provoking couple of days of opera this week. It began with The Source by Ted Hearne and ended with The Death of Klinghoffer at the Metropolitan Opera. The subject matter of both made me very uncomfortable, and I am glad I saw these productions. I am a big fan of John Adams’ compositions…
L.A. Dance Project
I first saw L.A. Dance Project at Montclair State University’s ambitious Peak Performances series. What drew me to them at that time was the music by composers I admire, plus the restaging of Merce Cunningham’s dance, Winterbranch. I was delighted by the dancers’ skill and the varied choreography of that evening. When I saw that they were…
Alarm Will Sound
I was sorry to see the house not completely full at BAM for the Friday 9/12 performance by Alarm Will Sound. The whole program (music by John Adams) was fantastic. These musicians are supremely talented and a real thrill to hear live. (I first heard them at the thrilling close to the 2012 River to…
The Philip Glass Ensemble & Steve Reich and Musicians
I wish I could have attended every single Glass/Reich performance. I could only attend September 10, and it was thrilling to be able to hear both composers and their respective ensembles in one concert. I love that they each played with each other. I will never forget this electric and historic event. Thank you to…
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