On This Day

archive-post-image
On This Day
8 November: Orion Weiss Was Born
Commentators and critics suggest that pianist Orion Weiss has a “powerful technique and exceptional insight” and that he commands a “head-spinning range of colours that have dazzled audiences around the world.” To be sure, he has performed with major orchestras
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
7 November: Joan Sutherland Was Born
Luciano Pavarotti once called her “The Voice of the Century,” and during a career spanning more than four decades, she was universally known as “La Stupenda,” The Stupendous One.” Joan Sutherland’s radiant soprano effortlessly stretched over more than three octaves,
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
30 October: René Jacobs Was Born
The Belgian countertenor and conductor René Jacobs made his début in 1974, singing the role of “Clerio” in Cavalli’s Erismena in Amsterdam. Performing with many leading early and Baroque ensembles, Jacobs eventually founded his own group, “Concerto Vocale,” in the
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
29 October: Bernstein’s Candide Was Premiered
Leonard Bernstein’s comic operetta Candide boasts the dubious distinction of representing the most frequently revised and rewritten composition in the 20th Century. Initially, in 1956, Bernstein produced a musical version of Voltaire’s 1759 novelette Candide, adapted by the American playwright
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
25 October: Midori Was Born
Japanese-American violinist Midori has been described as a “visionary artist, activist and educator whose unique career has transcended traditional boundaries through her relentless drive to explore and build connections between music and the human experience.” An astounding child prodigy who
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
24 October: Tito Gobbi Was Born
The Italian baritone Tito Gobbi (1913-1984) was one of the great operatic figures of his time. Throughout his celebrated career, there were few who could match him as a singing actor, and he distinguished himself in a variety of roles.
Read more
archive-post-image
On This Day
21 October: Georg Solti Was Born
Sir Georg Solti was probably best known for his appearances with opera companies in Munich, Frankfurt, and London, and as a long-serving music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He was also famous for his exuberant and forceful podium personality,
Read more
archive-post-image
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
The Violin Sonatas
150 years ago, on 20 October 1874, the leading American composer of art music of the early 20th century, Charles Edward Ives, was born in Danbury, Connecticut. Ives was a unique figure as he remained an amateur throughout his mature,
Read more