Few composer biographies contain as much romanticised mythology as Frédéric Chopin. Over time, selective anecdotes, early biographies, and nineteenth-century ideals of the “suffering artist” have hardened into familiar clichés: the frail invalid, the melancholic recluse, the salon dilettante undone by

The exceptional French baritone Stéphane Degout, born on 9 June 1975 in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, has built a remarkable career spanning a richly diverse repertoire. It encompasses everything from Baroque music and Mozart to French Romanticism to contemporary works. Beyond opera,

On weekends, I just love to get up late and lounge in my pyjamas for most of the day. After making plenty of coffee, I like to sit down at the piano and explore pieces I don’t play every day.

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The solo violin has long been acknowledged as the perfect instrument to express emotions like love, longing, heartbreak, rapture, and romance. The Romantic era lasted from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century and produced numerous works that

Once the modern early music field was established, one of its favourite composers was John Dowland. Rather than characterless songs setting undistinguished poetry, here was a composer who was known for his melancholy, for his dark sounds, and for an

The highly anticipated finals of the Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello took place Monday, May 25, through Saturday, May 30, at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf (Centre for Fine Arts) in Brussels. Each evening, two finalists played the compulsory piece

The French operatic tenor Roberto Alagna, born on 7 June 1963, is celebrated for his lyrical voice and passionate performances. His warm timbre and impeccable diction have made him a leading figure in modern opera. Giuseppe Verdi has always been