Sonya Yoncheva, born on 25 December 1981 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, had a very strong mother. In Asia we would call her a “tiger mom,” in Bulgaria she is known as a “lion mother.” Yoncheva recalls, “When I was born, she

Starting with a bow to the great master, Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) opened his 1858 Oratorio de Noël (Christmas Oratorio) with an organ prelude ‘in the style of J.S. Bach’. Written in 1858, the work was recognized in its time for

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Serenade No. 13 in G major, K. 524 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” In the wonderful and whacky world of musical nicknames, there is nothing more famous than “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This “Little Night Music”

Edita Gruberova, the eternal high priestess of “bel canto” is simply a legend. Sporting perfect intonation, ornamentation, and clarity in tone and diction, her vocal agility, dramatic power, and endurance are unsurpassed. And we may add an engaging stage personality

Why is it that some composers are placed on a pedestal, high above their peers; that one might consider Beethoven, Mozart, or Bach, for instance, to be above? And furthermore, why does it provoke such strong reactions when one dares

The philosophical argument titled the “lottery of birth” avers, “no one chooses the circumstances into which they are born.” Essentially, we do not choose to exist and we are faced with a world that we played no part in creating.

I hate going to shopping malls around Christmas time. It is still a great place to meet friends, the shops are beautifully decorated, and there are many exciting bargains to be had, so why do I hate it? My dislike

The city of Atami is located in Shizuoka Prefecture, at the northern end of the Izu Peninsula. Built on the steep slopes of a partially submerged volcanic caldera, the name of the city literally translates as “hot ocean.” That name