From a charming hero to a perfect dad In any high school drama movie, there is always a scene like this: when a handsome boy walks pass, all the girls would turn their heads, look, and giggle. It happens in

The Dandy Have you ever wondered what a superstar in the 19th Century looked like? Predictably, male idols had incredibly good looks; broad shoulders, wavy hair, distinguished facial features, masculine chins, and chiseled profiles. Lacking anabolic steroids, they sported wiry

The Prince of Harp Tall, charming, intelligent were words that came to my mind when I first met French harpist Xavier de Maistre for a recording session at a radio station. Xavier shines through his beautiful playing, eloquence, and polite

Flow my tears! According to various theories of personality differences, regardless whether they are based on a biological, psychological or social analysis, each human being belongs to one of four types of basic temperament, or “humours.” The Sanguine bodily temperament,

Lucy Crowe has established a reputation as one of the world’s leading lyric sopranos. Acclaimed for her powerful stage presence, she is a regular performer at the Glyndebourne Festival, and increasingly in demand at opera houses across the world, from

“No rights reserved” Vanhal, Violin Concerto in B-flat major If you have ever wondered about the competitive nature of the music business in the 18th Century, Johan Baptist Vanhal (1739-1813) would be a good person to ask. He rubbed shoulders

Martin Fröst is one of the world’s most highly-acclaimed clarinettists, well-known for his huge versatility. Concerto appearances, chamber music, conducting: he is highly respected across all these fields, in addition to being a proponent of commissioning new works for the

Fishing for Souls The premier of Witold Lutosławski’s Cello Concerto in 1970 was greeted as “an epic confrontation between an individual and an oppressive mass, in which the cello’s voice is symbolically squashed by outbursts in the brass and orchestral