London Zeal For Music Tells As Crowds Cheer ‘Peter Grimes,’ Wagner
LONDON – Two powerful performances that drew charged public response, Britten's opera led by Jakub Hrůša and a London Symphony Wagner concert under Simon Rattle, left little doubt that these classical traditions remain vibrant here.
Bountiful Chamber Fest Buffs Stellar Tradition With Grand New Piano
ROCKPORT, Mass. – Pianist Jon Kimura Parker opened the 45th Rockport Chamber Music Festival with three gentle Brahms intermezzos played on a brand-new Hamburg Steinway, and then a plethora of ensemble works filled the air.
Rossini’s ‘Cenerentola,’ Centuries-Late Premiere Reward Paris Excursion
PARIS – The Palais Garnier's La cenerentola dispensed with the oft-encountered farce to plumb the opera's real drama, while the Opéra Bastille mounted what seems to be the actual premiere of Antonia Bembo's 1707 Ercole amante.
‘Ancient Mariner’ Redux: Violist As Narrator, And Thirsting For Real Depth
CANBERRA – Conductor-violist Lawrence Power added the role of speaker in Garth Knox's The Ancient Mariner, a dramatic concerto based on Coleridge's epic poem, with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Missing was a true actor.
Ojai Festival Observes Milestones, Transition As It Marks 80th Year
OJAI, Calif. – Among peak moments of this year's four-day festival was a stellar performance of Ligeti's Violin Concerto by Leila Josefowicz with the Colburn Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen, who served as the event's music director for 2026.
Montreal Orchestra Displays Rapport With Diversity Of Americana
MONTREAL – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, artistic director of the Orchestre Métropolitain, tested the cross-border appeal of sundry American composers, including Gershwin's Concerto in F with pianist Hélène Grimaud, all to good effect.
Chamber Music Festival Pairs Creative Agenda With Surprising Venues
MONTEREY, Calif. – In novel locales, a lecture-demonstration became a foray into early-music performance practice, and a concert probed Schubert's late Quintet in C. Both reflected Cindy Wu's vision for Sunkiss'd Mozart's Summerfest.
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CVNA MARKS 12TH ANNIVERSARY!
Classical Voice North America has won praise for the quality of its informative reviews, articles, commentary, and occasional podcasts at a time when many newspapers have cut back or eliminated coverage. We explore the richness of the classical music scene: opera productions, leading and regional orchestras, new works and upcoming artists, plus calendar listings. But access is free, so we need your support!
IN THE NEWS: MCANA MEMBERS' PICKS
- Los Angeles Philharmonic announces Daniel Harding as next music director - by Imogen Tilden at The Guardian
- Harmonium of Texas, Kahane's new start for San Antonio – by Jack Morgan at Texas Public Radio
- Leif Ove Andsnes on Geirr Tveitt, Norway’s Lost Genius – by Qobuz at YouTube
- Six podcasts about classical music – by Emma Dibdin at NY Times
- Encore! Encore! Maybe only one. Kissin’s fans were dazzled; he was dazed by da bum’s rush - by Lawrence B. Johnson at Chicago On the Aisle
- Elim Chan named SF Symphony's next music director - by Janos Gereben at SF Classical Voice
- The Wayward, new on CD at Bridge Records, is vivid reminder how vivid Harry Partch's music can be - by Ralph P. Locke at The Arts Fuse
- Musicians of the Old Post Road take on Graupner, Telemann, and others - by Ralph P. Locke at Boston Musical Intelligencer
- Gustavo Dudamel receives $1 million award from musician Herb Alpert: ‘We can change the world, but it starts with educating young people’ - by María Porcel at El Pais
- ‘Time to Act’ Review: Pittsburgh Opera’s Didactic Trauma Drama - by Heidi Waleson at WSJ
- After ‘Priceless’ Violin Flies on Lap, Lufthansa Changes Carry-On Rules - by Christine Hauser at NY Times
- More than 40% of musicians may suffer from tinnitus - and it’s not just rockers, according to new research - by Hazel Davis at Classic FM
- Remembering Helmuth Rilling, Who Brought Bach to a Wider Audience - by Tim Page at WSJ
- Klaus at Chicago's Art Institute - by Hannah Edgar at Chicago Sun-Times
- Is Lise Davidsen the soprano of the century? - by Fiona Maddocks at The Observer
- From Kythera to Boston: The Greek pianist setting fire to classical music - by Anna Cominos at Greek Herald
- 2025 in classical music: A year of small triumphs, against all odds - by Michael Andor Brodeur at Washington Post
- Vancouver Symphony offers sophisticated delights with launch of Modum - by David Gordon Duke at Vancouver Sun
- Philip Glass pulls world premiere from Kennedy Center - by Michael Andor Brodeur at Washington Post
- 2026: Gabriela Lena Frank, Composer of the Year - at 2026 Musical America Awards
- The Cliburn, Known for Piano Competitions, Will Hold One for Conductors - by Derrick Bryson Taylor at NY Times
- Yo-Yo Ma plays for the whales - at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- A new ‘Petrushka’ is bringing shape-shifting human puppets to Philadelphia - by David Patrick Stearns at Philadelphia Inquirer
- New Man for the Paris Opera - by Ronald Blum via Musical America
- Met Opera season broadcast dates - at MetOpera.org
Around the US
Mahler ‘Resurrection’ Gets Personal Spin By Singer Turned Maestro
ATLANTA – Nathalie Stutzmann, who made her name as a contralto and recorded the pivotal alto solo in Mahler's Second Symphony with Seiji Ozawa, capped four years as Atlanta Symphony music director with a reading of fierce intensity.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Welcome to Classical Voice North America, the online magazine of the Music Critics Association of North America. Since 2013, CVNA has been a vibrant outlet for music criticism, providing expert coverage by members and occasional guest contributors. If you are a writer with experience in classical music, please consider joining MCANA. Together, we will keep music criticism alive and well.
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INTERNATIONAL
DISC AND STREAM
Sinking Petals, Ozone, Nature’s Quiet Sorrow: Songs Of The Earth
DIGITAL REVIEW – On a new recording, tenor Nicholas Phan, with pianist Myra Huang and the Jasper Quartet, offers a compendium of works contemplating the world around us by modern composers and the likes of Schubert and Ives.
GAIL WEIN FOR CLASSICAL GAS
ISSUES IN THE ARTS
100 Years Ago, Electric Recording Injected New Spark In Music’s Legacy
PERSPECTIVE – In 1926, the classical recordings industry became possible. Replacing a primitive, temperamental recording horn with microphones revealed new depth of sound, allowing us to widen our perspective on the art of making music.
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