Aida

Went to the Pacific Symphony's concert Saturday night.  This is seventh one in the 2016-2017 night series.  They have one more performance on Tuesday!

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

This performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on March 19, 2017.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted Giuseppe Verdi's Aida with the following cast.

Aida:  Kelebogile Besong

Radamès:  Arnold Rawls

Amneris:  Milena Kitić

Amonasro:  Mark Delavan

Ramfis:  Julian Close

King of Egypt:  Philip Skinner

Messenger:  Nicholas Preston

High Priestess:  Renée Tatum

Dancers:  Tyquan Christie, Raymond Ejiofor, Lisa Gillespie, Isaac Huerta, Natalie Iscovich, and Andrew Martinez

And this completes the Pacific Symphony opera ABC cycle!  A for Aida, B for Puccini's La Boheme, and C for Bizet's Carmen.

Per Alan Chapman in his pre-concert lecture, this is officially called a "Pyramid Scheme".  :)

Anyways, this is the whole stage in a sandbox.  By the time of intermission, it looks like this.

I liked how they used the spotlights, and focused on the singers when they were singing out their thoughts.  Kind of like the "Cone of Silence."  :)

Here's some trivia, there were 3 CRT televisions like this in the seating sections.  This is so the singers can see Carl conduct.  They can't use a digital one because of the lag time!

[Update] Here's how the pyramid scheme was made!  :)

Strauss' Vienna

KUSC is broadcasting the fourth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Jeremy Denk.

Johannes Brahms:  Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Piano, Op. 15

Richard Strauss:  Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, TrV 227, Op. 59

Johann Strauss, Jr.:  On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314

You can sample Jeremy Denk's piano on Amazon!  :)

Grieg's Piano Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the third concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Rune Bergmann conducted with pianist Joaquín Achúcarro.

Edvard Grieg:  Selections from Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46

Edvard Grieg:  Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16

Ainojuhani Rautavaara:  Cantus Arcticus, Op. 61 (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra)

Igor Stravinsky:  Suite from The Firebird (1919)

You can sample Joaquín Achúcarro's piano on Amazon!  :)

Pacific Amphitheatre

The Pacific Symphony has announced their new summer home, the Pacific Amphitheatre!  :)

This is at the place where the OC Fair is held.

OC Fair & Event Center

88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92626.

Parking is $10 for cars, $20 for limos, and $30 for VIP parking.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth

KUSC is broadcasting the second concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with violinist Arnaud Sussmann.

Narong Prangcharoen: “Absence of Time” for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Orchestra (world premiere)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto No. 3 in G Major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 216, "Strassburg"

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36, TH 27

You can sample Arnaud Sussmann's violin on Amazon!  :)

Kern Plays Rachmaninoff

KUSC is broadcasting the first concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Olga Kern.

Antonin Dvořák:  Carnival Overture, Op. 92

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

Conrad Tao:  I got a wiggle that I just can’t shake (world premiere)

Ottorino Respighi:  Pines of Rome, P. 141

We went to the Saturday concert.  Let's see how Conrad Tao's new piece sounds on the radio.  It inspired by the Renée and Henry Segerstrom concert hall!  :)