Dare to Enter…Bluebeard’s Castle

On Feb. 15 & 16, the Houston Symphony presents Duke Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Gábor Bretz and Ekaterina Gubanova. In this post, discover the dark secrets that lie behind Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. Duke Bluebeard’s Castle is a miraculous accomplishment. The first efforts of most opera composers (Wagner, Verdi, … Continued

Dance of Death: Liszt’s Totentanz

On January 30 and February 1 and 2, the Houston Symphony presents Beethoven 7, a program featuring world-renowned pianist Kirill Gerstein in not one, but two virtuoso works by Franz Liszt. In this post, discover how Renaissance art inspired Liszt’s macabre masterwork, Totentanz. Much like Leopold Mozart, Adam Liszt served as his son’s agent and manager … Continued

Beyond Virtuoso: Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1

On January 30 and February 1 and 2, the Houston Symphony presents Beethoven 7, a program featuring world-renowned pianist Kirill Gerstein in not one, but two virtuoso works by Franz Liszt. In this post, discover Liszt’s innovative Piano Concerto No. 1, a masterpiece that took 23 years to complete. The first sketches that would wend their … Continued

Becoming Judith: Michelle DeYoung on Bluebeard’s Castle

On May 16 and 17, the Houston Symphony presents a spectacular, semi-staged production of Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Michelle DeYoung and Matthias Goerne. In this post, star mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung discusses her take on the role of Judith in Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. “I think it’s one of the greatest pieces … Continued

Inside Bluebeard’s Castle: Bringing Bartók’s Masterpiece to Life

On May 16 and 17, the Houston Symphony presents a spectacular, semi-staged production of Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Michelle DeYoung and Matthias Goerne. In this post, the production’s creative director, Adam Larsen, discusses his vision for Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. When we asked the musicians of the Houston Symphony which concerts … Continued

Modern Times: Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

In 1934, the Swiss conductor Paul Sacher married Maja Stehlin, the widow who had inherited the Roche pharmaceutical fortune. Finding himself now one of the richest men in the world, Sacher poured his wealth into one of his greatest passions: new music. In 1926, Sacher had founded the Basle Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to … Continued

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