Susan Hall
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Recent Articles:
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Tuesdays with Woodie King on Theatre Front Page
Founder of New Federal Theatre Raps with Talent
By: - Jun 09th, 2020New Federal Theatre is fifty years young and going strong. Even in this time of lock down, its founder, Woodie King Jr. persists. On Tuesdays at 3 during June he is discussing theatre with various artists. Not only are these captivating afternoons a superb introduction to aspirants in theatre and the performing arts, they show King at his best, drawing out talent and showing the path for others to follow.
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Translating Movies into Opera Front Page
Why Operatic Movies Fail on Stage
By: - Jun 07th, 2020It is tempting for current composers of new opera to use films as a jumping off place. In two recent efforts, the creative artists miss the strength of the film's story arc and flatten their effort to create opera. Marnie at the Metropolitan Opera (and English National Opera) and Breaking the Waves (Opera Philadelphia) both overlook the strengths which provide drama in the films on which they are based.
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Urban Arias Live Streams Independence Eve Front Page
Racism Sung Through a Century's Lens
By: - Jun 04th, 2020Prescient or just plain lucky, the streaming of Independence Eve occurred in the midst of a new pandemic of racism in America. The opera premiered in Arlington, Virginia in 2017. A triptych of duets between a white man and black man, who end up as 10 years olds in 2063, is a fresh look at the persistence of racial issues. Urban Arias continues to stream on Facebook.
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Ella Sings at Theater for the New City Front Page
Zooming Theater Can be a Pleasure
By: - May 31st, 2020The Theater for the New City, executive director Crystal Field presents a unique on-line production of Ella the Ungovernable by David McDonald, directed by Melania Levitsky. Gracefully bridging the space between a full production and a reading, the actors bring the story to life.
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Art for TB-Aids Then. Covid-19 Now Front Page
Linda Troeller Creates Inspired Pandemic Art Again
By: - May 29th, 2020Linda Troeller exhibited in 2018 at the Griffin Museum in Winchester. Her earlier work focused on TB and AIDS. The Berkshires were a haven for TB patients when the disease was out of control. North Adams had a sanitarium. Gaylordsville was home of a sanitarium recognized nation-wide. Eugene O'Neill spent time there. Now Troeller looks at a new pandemic.
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Library of Congress and Portland Ovation Front Page
What Berkshire Grande Dame Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Hath Wrought
By: - May 29th, 2020Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, a grande dame of Berkshire music, financed the building of a concert hall for the Library of Congress. A concert planned at Coolidge Hall this spring was presented live streamed instead. The Library of Congress joined with co-presenter, Portland Ovation, and the International Contemporary Ensemble to present a program that worked amazingly well in Zoom.
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Opera Philadelphia Digital Festival 2 Front Page
Lembit Beecher's Sky on Swings Reconsidered
By: - May 27th, 2020Can new opera on inmportant contemporary subjects draw in new audiences? Opera Philadelphia's We Shall Not be Moved and Sky on Swings argue yes emphatically. Sky on Swings tackles Alzheimer's. Each member of the creative team reported long conversations following the announcement that they were involved with an Alzheimer's opera.
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LES Festival of the Arts at Theater for the New City Front Page
Pot Pouri of Events Provide Rich Tasting
By: - May 23rd, 2020Theater for the New City has currently scheduled over 150 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers for its 25th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, which will be mounted virtually for the first time May 22 to 24, 2020. All events and performances will be seen on the theater's website, www.theaterforthenewcity.net. Events will stream for three days, from 6:00 PM Friday, May 22 to 11:59 PM Sunday, May 24. Attendees will be able to select disciplines and artists from the website's online timetable and index.
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Nina Stemme and Alan Gilbert from Sweden Front Page
Live streaming Debussy, Wagner and Schubert
By: - May 21st, 2020Live streaming from Sweden, where Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, artists sit six feet apart in an empty hall. Sweden, unlike many neighboring European countries, has not imposed quarantine on its population. Instead the government has called on citizens to "take responsibility" and follow the recommendations of the health authorities. "We are not doing business as usual in Sweden," said health minister Lena Hallengren. People over the age of 70 and those deemed "at risk" are encouraged to stay at home, and high schools and universities, which have been closed since mid-March, are being encouraged to offer distance learning courses. The concert halls have opened, to artists, not audiences.
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Kirill Petrenko Reimagines Puccini's Suor Angelica Front Page
Young Artists in Berlin and Katarina Dalayman Star
By: - May 16th, 2020The second part of Giacomo Puccini's Suor Angelica, is given a deep and satisfying production. Kirill Petrenko, seeking a way to share insights and experiences with young artists, gives us an unexpected and beautifully produced opera. The singing is first-rate throughout. The production, which includes danced gesture and videos, suits the story.
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Rene Fleming Sings Strauss on Carnegie Stream Front Page
Live from Carnegie Hall Twice Weekly
By: - May 15th, 2020Rene Fleming and Rufus Wainwright entertained us on Thursday. Next week Yannick Nezet-Seguin on Tuesday and a tribute to Lynn Harrell on Thursday. From the Super Bowl to Broadway, Fleming has spread her lovely voice across unusual venues and in unusual projects like the impact of music on health.
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Music in Berlin and Amsterdam Front Page
Meeting the Demands of Covid 19
By: - May 12th, 2020The Berlin Philharmoniker, perhaps the world’s greatest orchestra, has opened their digital concert world for free. This allows us to safely enjoy their music, although of course we are denied the pleasure of live. Their annual European Concert was to have been performed in Tel Aviv. Instead they are at their home in Berlin, celebrating their founding on May 1 in 1882.
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Victoria Bond at the Cutting Edge Front Page
Composer, Conductor and Musical Polymath
By: - May 10th, 2020Victoria Bond was born to be a musician. Her grandfather was a composer and conductor. Her father was an operatic bass, and her mother, a concert pianist. She found the piano herself. When her kindergarten teacher scolded her mother for pushing Bond too hard, her mother explained that she was trying to hold her back, but could not.
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Classical Music for Fun Opinion
Tom and Jerry and a Roller Coaster
By: - May 10th, 2020If you need a bit of levity, try opening the music below!
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Opera Philadelphia Digital Festival Front Page
We Shall not Be Moved Reprised
By: - May 09th, 2020We Shall Not be Moved was a hit at the 2017 Opera Philadelphia Festival, a must-attend event held in Philadelphia in the fall. It is available on Facebook, Sunday, May 10 at 7pm.
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Young Arts Foundation Presents Conrad Tao Front Page
Gifted Listener Tao at Home
By: - May 09th, 2020YoungArts brings us artist’s self-designed concerts from home. In the interior soundscape of his home, Conrad Tao presents his own compositions and Arnold Schoenberg’s among others. His electronic composition, sometimes mixed with the piano and at others alone, provides an extension into other sound universes. The outside world is omni-present through a window which extends the room into trees and skies.
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Composer Anthony Davis Wins Pulitzer Front Page
Propulsive, Hummable Opera, The Central Park Five
By: - May 05th, 2020Anthony Davis wrote for dance first, so he sees his music as driving action. To the traditional forms of European opera, he brings the music of his people, African Americans. Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington are honored in his work. He likes to provide for improvisation, so that each performance is unique. The Central Park Five premiered in Long Beach Opera last year.
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Opera Philadelphia Digital Festival O Front Page
Philip Venables and Ted Huffman Create Digital Opera
By: - May 01st, 2020The world premiere of Denis and Katya took place last fall at Opera Philadelphia Festival 2019. Philip Venables is a riveting composer of opera. This work succeeded less well on stage than it does as the opening presentation of this Digital Festival.
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Strauss Streaming from Bard Front Page
View One of Summerscape's Most Delicious Productions
By: - Apr 29th, 2020Bard continues to stream treasured past events from its website. If you missed a production, or conversation, now is your chance to catch up. This week, Die Liebe der Danae by Richard Strauss is offered.
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ArtsFloAtHome from Thire France Front Page
Les Arts Florissants Perform Spring Festival Virtually
By: - Apr 26th, 2020William Christie's and Paul Agnew's Les Arts Florissants is skipping their US tour. In any case, tickets to their events are quickly snapped up. Fortunately these two Baroque specialists have arranged to present their spring festival virtually. It is a treat so far. Past performances are available. Future ones can be seen live or at your leisure.
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The Crucible, an Opera by Robert Ward Front Page
Opera Santa Barbara Mounts a Moving Production
By: - Apr 20th, 2020Robert Ward's Pulitzer-Prize winning opera, The Crucible, is streaming live from Opera Santa Barbara. It is a terrific production with a cast of first-rate singing actors conducted by Kostis Protopapas.
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Pauline Oliveros' Tuning Meditations Front Page
Music on the Rebound Gives New Meaning to Cinq a Sept
By: - Apr 12th, 2020Tuning Meditation is presented by Ione, who lived with the composer, and Music on the Rebound. Participants from 30 countries joined on Zoom to listen for their own notes and others. Find a pitch that no one else is sounding. Tod Machover, America's most wired composer, was there. So too, quietly, piano and composing phenom Conrad Tao. The celebrated and willing joined together in unique sounds.
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Orli Shaham Has MidWeek Mozart Front Page
Offerings to the Housebound and Health Workers
By: - Apr 10th, 2020The gifted Mozart-specialist Orli Shaham is offering excerpts from her soon to be released album of Mozart Sonatas. She and her husband, conductor David Robertson, perform Clapping for the Health Workers. The New York Phil chimes in with Bolera and Heartbeat Opera off Bernstein's "Let Your Garden Grow." What a gift basket.
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American Symphony Orchestra Front Page
Program to Stream Past Performances
By: - Apr 09th, 2020The internet is full of wonderful concerts and operas, some streamed-live and others are reprisals of deserving performances you'll want to hear if you missed them live or appreciate an opportunity for a reprise.
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Jeremy Denk on Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier Front Page
Preludes and Fugues Revealed
By: - Apr 08th, 2020The pleasures of streaming music are revealed in this delightful meeting with Jeremy Denk in his country home. He focuses on the C sharp Prelude and Fugue and dips into two others. What a joy!
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