Comments for The Naxos Blog on Sequenza21 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos News and Updates from Naxos Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:05:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Happy 102nd Birthday Elliott Carter by Jhon http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=907&cpage=1#comment-8955 Jhon Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:05:47 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=907#comment-8955 Hi Happy Birthday . I was surprised when I find some info about Elliott Carter in the net. Good post !!! Hi
Happy Birthday .
I was surprised when I find some info about Elliott Carter in the net.
Good post !!!

]]> Comment on Happy 102nd Birthday Elliott Carter by Sean Hickey http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=907&cpage=1#comment-8897 Sean Hickey Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:19:23 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=907#comment-8897 That was a wonderful podcast. Carter's mind is clearly as sharp as some people half his age. They say acrostics and puzzles of any kind keep the mind sharp. Clearly composing work of this complexity does wonders as well. I was honored to have been at his 100th birthday with the Pacificas. That was a wonderful podcast. Carter’s mind is clearly as sharp as some people half his age. They say acrostics and puzzles of any kind keep the mind sharp. Clearly composing work of this complexity does wonders as well. I was honored to have been at his 100th birthday with the Pacificas.

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Raymond Bisha http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8887 Raymond Bisha Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:06:05 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8887 The acting really impressed me too. There are all kinds of ways a less accomplished cast could have got things completely wrong. Instead, in my humble opinion, they nailed it dead on. The acting really impressed me too. There are all kinds of ways a less accomplished cast could have got things completely wrong. Instead, in my humble opinion, they nailed it dead on.

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Raymond Bisha http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8886 Raymond Bisha Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:04:50 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8886 You never know. I'm sure the folks at NYC Opera are very aware of what people are saying about this production. You never know. I’m sure the folks at NYC Opera are very aware of what people are saying about this production.

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Raymond Bisha http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8885 Raymond Bisha Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:03:47 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8885 We can both hope it comes back soon. I have talked to any number of people who wished they had seen it during this run. We can both hope it comes back soon. I have talked to any number of people who wished they had seen it during this run.

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Raymond Bisha http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8884 Raymond Bisha Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:03:00 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8884 Dear Lloyd, thanks so much for taking the time to write this detailed, and very personal comment. There are very few people in music who have connected with their listeners the way Bernstein did. Dear Lloyd, thanks so much for taking the time to write this detailed, and very personal comment. There are very few people in music who have connected with their listeners the way Bernstein did.

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Lloyd Arriola http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8882 Lloyd Arriola Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:03:06 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8882 I had wanted to see this work since the 1980s, when in high school. I also rather obsessed over it a year or two later when I bought the CD shortly after Bernstein's death. Seeing it nearly thirty years after its inception, was a deeply moving experience, hearing music that I had known and loved for twenty years, as though I were meeting a longtime correspondent whose voice and presence I had not heard or seen. Outstanding performances and a total commitment to the admittedly difficult task of coordinating Bernstein's multilayered music made this a highly satisfying musical event. Kudos to George Steel for making it happen, and putting New York City Opera back into circulation with such adventurous programming--something that makes opera current, with all due respect to the wonderful goings-on across the plaza. Leonard Bernstein's music should always be heard by first-rate groups, and is surprisingly little-performed still, only at anniversary years. I hope that changes, particularly since his later, post-Philharmonic, music is so highly original in its use of tonality and is some of the best music written in the 1970s and 1980s. And that certainly includes A QUIET PLACE, which encouraged a young man in 1990 to be proud of American music, and inspired this kid to continue to pursue his dream of being a musician. Thanks, Lenny! I had wanted to see this work since the 1980s, when in high school. I also rather obsessed over it a year or two later when I bought the CD shortly after Bernstein’s death. Seeing it nearly thirty years after its inception, was a deeply moving experience, hearing music that I had known and loved for twenty years, as though I were meeting a longtime correspondent whose voice and presence I had not heard or seen. Outstanding performances and a total commitment to the admittedly difficult task of coordinating Bernstein’s multilayered music made this a highly satisfying musical event. Kudos to George Steel for making it happen, and putting New York City Opera back into circulation with such adventurous programming–something that makes opera current, with all due respect to the wonderful goings-on across the plaza. Leonard Bernstein’s music should always be heard by first-rate groups, and is surprisingly little-performed still, only at anniversary years. I hope that changes, particularly since his later, post-Philharmonic, music is so highly original in its use of tonality and is some of the best music written in the 1970s and 1980s. And that certainly includes A QUIET PLACE, which encouraged a young man in 1990 to be proud of American music, and inspired this kid to continue to pursue his dream of being a musician. Thanks, Lenny!

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Ira http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8880 Ira Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:50:25 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8880 What an opera! (to borrow from a line within it). I'm new to opera but not Bernstein. This is, however, best described as an "experience", carrying me through a full range of emotions more than once during the performance. The performers brought to life a work that doesn't quite excite in its written or oral descriptions or summaries. But I can understand why it has been called perhaps the greatest American opera of the late 20th century. I do hope to see it again soon; I hadn't expected to ever see it in my lifetime. Thank you Lennie, thank you Stephen, thanks you cast & orchestra, * thanks NYC Opera! What an opera! (to borrow from a line within it). I’m new to opera but not Bernstein. This is, however, best described as an “experience”, carrying me through a full range of emotions more than once during the performance. The performers brought to life a work that doesn’t quite excite in its written or oral descriptions or summaries. But I can understand why it has been called perhaps the greatest American opera of the late 20th century. I do hope to see it again soon; I hadn’t expected to ever see it in my lifetime. Thank you Lennie, thank you Stephen, thanks you cast & orchestra, * thanks NYC Opera!

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Josh http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8879 Josh Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:55:15 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8879 I saw it twice and it was incredible both times. I've been thinking about it ever since. Bernstein's score is amazing and there were a lot of things about this production that were just really cool and clever; I think Lenny would have appreciated that. I noticed, also, the brilliance with which the cast captured both the humor and the angst of this rather complex story. It's so sad that the opera is over but I'm hoping maybe there will be kind of a revival of the thing and we'll see it in more opera houses around the world... I saw it twice and it was incredible both times. I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Bernstein’s score is amazing and there were a lot of things about this production that were just really cool and clever; I think Lenny would have appreciated that. I noticed, also, the brilliance with which the cast captured both the humor and the angst of this rather complex story.

It’s so sad that the opera is over but I’m hoping maybe there will be kind of a revival of the thing and we’ll see it in more opera houses around the world…

]]> Comment on The New York Premiere Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Opera “A Quiet Place” by Sean Hickey http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897&cpage=1#comment-8874 Sean Hickey Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:21:00 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/naxos/?p=897#comment-8874 Though I'm saddened that I wasn't able to see it, I feel I've learned a lot through others' recent recollections of A Quiet Place at NYC Opera. Glad to see Danny do the notes. I'm sure it's far too much to ask for the company to bring it back within the next five years, but it sounds like it could be ready. Though I’m saddened that I wasn’t able to see it, I feel I’ve learned a lot through others’ recent recollections of A Quiet Place at NYC Opera. Glad to see Danny do the notes. I’m sure it’s far too much to ask for the company to bring it back within the next five years, but it sounds like it could be ready.

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