The Chronicles of a Modern-Day Mozartian

The Flourish of Mozart Year 2006: A Beginning

2012-02-10T03:40:00.009-05:00

At the end of January, just before Mozart's birthday, I was appropriately re-connected with someone who was a voice for The Chronicles even before it was truly realized. Chris Andrews. Acknowledging the person, the catalyst, the story of how I came to authorship is actually something I aspired to do last year in celebration of the fifth anniversary. I had saved a draft entry in July, but with a very busy life and spending more time on social media rather than blogging, it was never published. Thankfully, our recent reconnection encouraged this post into creation, rather expeditiously at my request, in honor of the forthcoming Grammy Awards this weekend and Chris's contribution to the Recording Academy.

I met Chris via Mozart.com at the end of 2005 when the world was abuzz on the eve of Mozart's 250th birthday anniversary on January 27, 2006. As owner of the Mozart.com domain (arguably the most sought-after domain of the year), Chris was developing a platform where Mozart's admirers could access the latest resources regarding the composer, especially those relating to travel to the 200 cities in Europe where Mozart performed. The site was also a place where admirers could connect and leave birthday wishes for the beloved genius in celebration of his birthday anniversary. Mozart Year 2006 was to be the largest birthday party on the Web or elsewhere...ever. The Economist's May 2006 article captured the essence of Mozart Mania quite well as did Chris's interview with BBC Radio Worldwide (Chris is the second interviewee after Austrian President Heinz Fischer). Electrified by the prospect of being involved in such a campaign, I inquired with Chris immediately upon discovering the site. After some time was spent in correspondence, collecting resources and creating content on the forum, Chris came up with the brilliant idea to have contributing writers for Mozart.com.

Chris approached a few of us to author blogs. I was hesitant. It was the dawning of my career, and I lacked confidence. I wasn't sure if others would consider my writing worthwhile and interesting. How would I craft it? What would I say? Chris (fortunately!) turned a deaf ear to my reservations and set up my blog with the domain http://sherrymozart.blogspot.com. He recognized my passion and encouraged me to embrace that passion and put it into words, put it into action. This encouragement made me feel like I truly had something to offer a readership and it gave me enough confidence to approach the intimidating blank canvas that awaited. There was no title, no template, nothing, and from this void, emerged The Chronicles.

As if giving life to my authorship wasn't significant enough already, Chris was also responsible for connecting me to Phil Grabsky, Director of In Search of Mozart, the first feature-length documentary ever created about Mozart's life. Chris had published an exclusive interview with Phil on Mozart.com about the film's upcoming release in 2006 and when I expressed interest in the film, he made the introduction. Months later, I was hired as the Marketing Manager for the North American theatrical release. I worked remotely with Phil and his team at Seventh Art Productions in Brighton, England through their American distributor, Direct Cinema Limited, in Santa Monica, CA. It was an unprecedented opportunity to embrace my stewardship through this campaign and take Mozart to a broader audience through the accessibility of cinema, one of the greatest platforms through which to excite, empower and enlighten.

Although it was initially considered a temporary writing venture with no certain future, The Chronicles evolved beyond 2006 and created its own niche based on my own personal and professional experiences with Mozart's music and history. And along the way, it has become something much more substantial to me than an authorship. It has taught me a great deal about myself, the world, and God's profound promise of what's possible through my enduring love for the music. I owe a great deal to Chris for being there in the beginning to supply me with the proverbial push that I needed! (Thank you, Chris!) 2006 was a time where my life intersected with and was changed by a great moment of collaboration that would begin my mark, my flourish, on the Mozart legacy.

Aside from being a great Mozart enthusiast, I didn't know much about Chris when we initially met, but I was very curious to learn more about the person who owned Mozart.com and was so passionately cultivating it during the most significant global Mozart celebration in modern history. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. Chris is an entrepreneur and innovator in music, business and electronic publishing. He has shaped our culture by being the world's first CD-ROM producer, launching the first CD-burning system, and pioneering digital broadcasting methods with his company Livecast. Chris further pursued his love of music by being the architect/executive producer of the Grammy digital media programs and Head of Business Development for the overall organization. A highlight of his over 10-year relationship with the Grammys was the Grammy Webcast, the world's largest music webcast, with major sponsorships from such companies as IBM, Apple and Ericsson. Over 250 major recording artists had their first experience being on digital media, and being on the Internet, in a production where Chris was the executive producer. On that note of introduction...

Sherry: Welcome, Chris! I'd like to start by expressing my sincere gratitude to you once again. Would you have ever guessed we'd still be talking about this six years later? Although Mozart.com focused primarily on providing a narrative and dialogue for the anniversary year, did your vision for the platform go beyond 2006?

Chris: Thanks Sherry, and I'm certainly glad we are still talking about Mozart. For both business and personal reasons, Mozart.com did not go beyond 2006. On a business level, an Austrian company made an offer to myself and my business partner, and we decided to sell Mozart.com. On a personal level, my activities in Austria had been so demanding on me, I decided it was time to concentrate on my life in the Silicon Valley, my business and my kids needed me!

Sherry: Today, we rely heavily upon technology to communicate Salzburg's native son to audiences. Yet, as you mentioned in your BBC interview, Mozart stands on the merit of his compositions alone. How do you feel technology is helping and/or hindering his music today?

Chris: That's a great question. I really viewed my role as being Mozart's "Personal Manager," because all top musicians employ a person like that to help them with their career. I still believe Mozart needs this, a person or group of people to make Mozart relevant for people who do not know him well. So technology is providing the means to do that, there are many amazing tools to facilitate Mozart's music moving into new audiences, but it takes a vision of where to take him. This makes me think of something very interesting though, I am very familiar with how services like Pandora broaden people's musical tastes by introducing them to music that is similar to what they like. What I don't know is how well that is working with classical music, in particular Mozart.

Sherry: The story of your Austrian heritage is fascinating. What did Mozart mean to you during this period of discovery? Does he continue to be a figure of inspiration in your life?

Chris: I connected on a very deep level with Mozart. As I studied who he was, listened to his music being performed in Viennese opera houses, and became more aware of his impact on so many people -- including very famous musicians -- I thought, one man can do all this? It seemed impossible, how can this be? And in my mind, I thought, anything is possible! But it is really in listening to Mozart's music, with only your ears and your heart, where one finds the inspiration. And I was fortunate that a good friend of mine is a conductor in Vienna, so I saw many operas and symphonies.

As you know I was deeply involved with difficult negotiations with the Austrian government, and Mozart's music would continually inspire me to look at the artistic and musical side of Austria, not just the complex historical issues. Plus it was fun to get involved with the Falco estate there, and there is this very popular musical in Germany and Austria called Falco Meets Amadeus. Falco is the "Austrian Elvis" who had a worldwide #1 hit with "Rock Me Amadeus."

Sherry: Mozart was first and foremost a composer and performer, but his genius also encompassed exceptional abilities as an inventor, showman and entrepreneur. If he were alive today, he would certainly be pioneering sound in some way. Innovation in the music industry is a unique connecting point between the two of you, aside from your Austrian ancestry! Your latest invention is SoundLink. Would Mozart be proud?

Chris: I have always been fascinated by the effect that sound has on people, in particular two types of sound - music and voice. By voice I mean the process of speaking, which in itself is a creative expression, and then the effect that voice has on people listening to it. Voice is the emphasis of SoundLink, a tool that you can talk into anytime you want to, when you have something to say, and you can easily share it. Yes Mozart was an extraordinary entrepreneur and inventor, and he did it in an era where a lot of the tools we use today to do these kinds of things did not exist. No cars, no recordings, no phone, nothing. I think Mozart would like SoundLink for one reason in particular, because it turns anyone into a showman. So I do not consider myself a showman, but I do consider myself a builder of tools to bring out the "inner showman" in people!

Sherry: In honor of the Grammy Awards this weekend, a few questions! Why is Classical music not featured alongside other genres at the (televised) Grammy Awards? How many Grammy award-winning albums feature Mozart as composer?

Chris: I would encourage you to look at the Grammy Awards on a broad perspective, and see how many Classical Grammy Awards there are. There is a list of the nominations here www.grammy.com/nominees. I can't really comment on the televised Grammy Awards and the selection of the music, there are a lot of factors involved with that, and there is a very capable committee to handle this. With regards to the number of Grammys featuring Mozart, I don't know! But I bet you could find out at Grammy.com!

Beneficence. True Concord. New Crowned Hope.

2011-09-30T00:29:00.011-05:00

Beneficence. True Concord. New Crowned Hope. All of which I feel so delicately define the grandeur of the purposeful depths of music and recall anniversaries on this day, anniversaries through which God continually reminds me of my own purpose in life. And it's even more interesting as to how I came up with these exact words to describe the aforementioned: they are the names of Mozart's Masonic lodges in Vienna. In an anonymous 1790 painting, Mozart is portrayed on far lower right, attending a lodge meeting.

Mozart delivered Beneficence, True Concord and New Crowned Hope to his fellow man on September 30, 1791, with the premiere of his singspiel "Die Zauberflöte" ("The Magic Flute") at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna. It was to be the last stage work he would conduct from the fortepiano in his brief 35 years. Today, 220 years later, "Die Zauberflöte" remains a giant in standard repertory and continues to inspire and delight audiences through its effervescent fusion of comedy and serious philosophical drama.

Mozart was a child of the Enlightenment who reveled in the splendor of his era, but struggled to reconcile the social and political landscape which so readily robbed a layman of a fair chance at life, himself included. Mozart brilliantly intertwined themes of fantasy, magic and fairytale with universality, brotherhood and enlightenment to entertain while advocating for the greater good. He was undoubtedly the first person in history to bind activism and "message artistry" with the highest aesthetic of musical genius to achieve what we refer to now as "superstardom." As the Economist's article "Mozart Mania" stated, Mozart was "a pioneer for believers in culture as a unifying force." I believe this, wholeheartedly, and it's one reason why I find his music so magnetizing.

Ten years ago today, on September 30, 2001, I found myself amidst one of the most powerful moments, musical or otherwise, that I had ever encountered in life. My collegiate marching band took the field to perform at the first New York Giants game since the September 11th terrorist attack. In front of over 70,000 fans, we took part in one of the most memorable football games in recent history (I'm pictured below during this performance as the second trumpet player from the left).

After our pregame show, the Harlem Boys Choir sang our National Anthem and Tony Bennett led in the singing of "America the Beautiful." The moment was highlighted by the visit of representatives of the NYC Fire and Police Departments. Our band presented a financial contribution to the N.Y.F.D. in memory of those lost. The moment was brimming with intensity and just as with Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte," it was a moment where music served humanity well through the cultivation of unity, love and consolation. This experience changed my life, and it is just one of many experiences God has placed in my path to provide direction and reassurance. Through these collective experiences, my passion has evolved in strength and conviction. Having a passion in life is the greatest gift of all. Beneficence. True Concord. New Crowned Hope.

I find great joy in sharing my love of Mozart's music with others. It is creative, artistic and generous. My pursuit of what I refer to as "creative altruism" has further evolved with my newly established non-profit organization, 2300, which pays homage to one of the greatest artist-humanitarians of our time, Michael Jackson, a man of faith, who devoted his humanity, his sensitive and creative soul to the art of music, which he designed though the lens of social consciousness. To say I'm inspired by these men would be a severe understatement, for I live a life of service through their music.

Music is art and it depicts the human experience abstractly, realistically, superficially, egotistically. In all matters of the aesthetic, be forthright, but to lose sight of its capacity to bring about love, healing, enlightenment and fraternal union is an unforgivable disservice to the art form. Great music, the most profound music, is music that answers the call. Beneficence. True Concord. New Crowned Hope.

Sherry

Joe Vogel: Man in the Music

2011-08-23T09:30:00.017-05:00

Since I began writing about the relationship between Wolfgang Mozart and Michael Jackson in the summer of 2009, I’ve been so fortunate as to encounter many readers who were inspired by my biographical and artistic comparisons, but I was not so fortunate as to meet anyone else so dedicated and passionate about the pursuit of this particular subject.

Despite the insurgence of popularity following his death, it seemed as though Michael Jackson was still not on the radar of the musicological world, or academics generally. I felt isolated in my interest, but not uninspired. Afterall, it was more than gratifying to annex the artists who have long ruled my universe, bringing forth a fresh examination to establish their complimentary relationship. I was on a mission to open eyes and ears to the artistry of an icon and his lost genre, classical music.

Joe Vogel is an accomplished author and musicologist who I recently discovered through the announcement of his upcoming book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson (in bookstores on November 1, 2011). He is currently one of the only individuals providing recognition to Michael Jackson’s oeuvre through serious study and resulting exclusives. He balances academia by writing about popular music and culture for The Huffington Post and PopMatters, making him ace in my book. And when I read that Mozart was named amongst his favorite composers, I knew I had to approach him for commentary on this subject. And much to my excitement, he accepted.

Thank you, Joe.

With Gratitude,

Sherry

Man in the Music

Sherry: It’s truly a pleasure to meet you and to have the opportunity to share this dialogue with others in hopes of advancing the study, understanding and recognition of this very deserving topic. Congratulations on your upcoming release! Does this work address Michael’s classical preferences or influences in any manner?

Joe: Thank you very much, Sherry. It’s my pleasure. I do discuss some of his classical interests in the book. Michael began listening to classical composers at a very young age and his love for it continued throughout his life. He tended to be drawn to work with strong melodies and a vibrant or dramatic emotional quality. He often liked pieces that were attached to or evoked some kind of visual representation. Most of his favorite modern composers (Copland, Bernstein, Barry, John Williams) did films scores, ballets or musicals. His all-time favorites were probably Debussy, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and Mozart.

A Corresponding Virtuosity

Sherry: You mentioned that you enjoyed reading some of my entries. Did you learn anything new from Michael and Mozart: A Corresponding Virtuosity?

Joe: You drew out some wonderful parallels. I just recently finished a piece on Michael’s Dangerous album, which was a real artistic turning point for Michael, so I enjoyed the parts where you talked about their shared desire for total creative freedom. It’s not an easy thing to follow your creative vision when there are so many pressures (commercial, corporate, family, conventions, fads, etc.) that seek to box you in. Not to mention the negative response from critics. Your quote from a Leipzig publisher about Mozart—"Write in a more popular style, or I can neither print nor pay for anything of yours!"—was a sentiment often leveled at Michael.

Music, Drama and Ideas

Sherry: In a reflective entry I published two summers ago, The M Icon: My Story, I described Michael Jackson: “He was a significant part of my early artistic life, instilling in my childhood compass the righteous marriage of music, drama and ideas. He redefined the popular music genre with the deliverance of autobiographical sentiment, sophistication and intelligent craftsmanship, adding new dimensions of depth and creativity.”

Music, drama and ideas. The same is true of Wolfgang Mozart, whom I also came to adore for the same reasons. With the conceptualization of works that challenged the status quo such as Mozart’s “Figaro” and Michael’s “Black or White,” they were musical protagonists, shouldering a great weight of social ideology through the performance art of their time, delivering grand fantasy and escapism in the same flourish.

The extensive study you’ve undertaken for Michael’s “Earth Song” reveals a rich tapestry of musical genres, social and historical references. I wholeheartedly agree that no other artist could ever embody the plight of our planet as well as Michael did with this work. Is it any coincidence that its creation began in Vienna, where Mozart composed the immortal anthem of “Figaro?” When I watched the trailer for your study on “Earth Song” and heard Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem, I knew you understood.

So, is this the ultimate common denominator? Is this why they are so profoundly beloved, because they spoke directly to their audience, in advocacy of their audience, and in cathartic escape for their audience?

Joe: You’ve captured it eloquently. People seek many things in art and music, but what makes an artist like Michael Jackson (and Mozart) so resonant for me is its soul. There is a component to their work that is intensely pleasurable and that is important; but whatever the emotion, whether absolute despair or transcendence or some strange combination, they allow you to feel alive and in tune with what Emerson calls the “Over-soul.” You hear the music and suddenly have that feeling, Yes! Yes! This is the way it is! It often captures something so deep and profound it can’t be expressed in words. But the really beautiful thing is when you can identify some of those connections and see, as you put it, the “rich tapestry.”

Nature and Nurture

Sherry: Mozart learned how to read and articulate musical notation at a very early stage in his childhood, but prior to gaining this knowledge, it was clear that he was naturally gifted. Michael displayed precociousness at the same tender age, but unlike Mozart, he never learned how to read music. He later stated in interviews that he felt it wasn’t necessary. I’m not suggesting that his music lacked in any way because he didn’t receive this particular educative source, but I wonder how his music and artistry would have been different had he achieved fluency, particularly in regards to incorporating classical sentiment.

Could he have possibly been more influenced by masters like Mozart if he knew the art of composition? Instead of using an excerpt from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony to preface “Will You Be There” and interweaving synthesized strings with melodic contour, could he have composed original material himself? Speaking of quoting the masters, I’m just curious as to which of Michael’s songs would you preface with a Mozart work?

Joe: This is an interesting question. On the one hand, you may be right that being able to read and write music may have opened up certain possibilities and made him more independent. On the other hand, Michael really enjoyed working collaboratively. He liked to test out different creative partners to see what kind of chemistry existed or what kind of unexpected synthesis might occur. Many of his closest partners (Quincy Jones, Brad Buxer, etc.) were classically trained. And he was very good at communicating what he was hearing in his head.

As for a song that might be prefaced with a work by Mozart, maybe something like “Fantasia in D Minor” before “Scared of the Moon.”

Classical Sentiment

Sherry: When I discovered that Michael was composing an album of classical music with Emmy award-winning composer David Michael Frank at the time of his death, another dimension was unveiled. It seemed almost like I received permission to truly embrace his relationship to the genre and to Mozart from this point. Was the news of this album’s existence at all surprising to you?

Maestro Frank said that Michael’s music was similar to the sweeping strings of John Barry. He was orchestrating these works for Michael, so again the question arises: how would nurture (education) have modified his artistry? Given the film score reference, it would seem likely that Michael’s vision was more Romantic in style than Classical, especially since Debussy and Tchaikovsky were two of his favorite composers (Tchaikovsky referred to Mozart as the "Musical Christ"). What do you anticipate to be the nature of this album? Do you think this music will remain in the vault? Or will it be finished and released?

Joe: Well, I knew that Michael had worked on classical and jazz pieces through the years, so it wasn’t a total surprise. But it was fascinating to hear that even in the midst of his high-stakes comeback and all the pressures of a new pop album and tour, he still wanted to do music for the sake of music

Of all of Michael’s unreleased material, this is the work that I’d like to see released the most. It would be a great showcase of Michael Jackson’s artistic ability and range. From what I understand it is not on the priority list at the moment, but I really do hope that David will get the green light from the Estate at some point and complete it for Michael.

Posthumous Work and Enduring Legacy

Sherry: Mozart is the only musician in history to enjoy uninterrupted success since his lifetime. He has been dead since December 5, 1791 and his works are played on heavy rotation around the world in 2011. He left a bounteous catalog to fulfill humanity’s insatiable appetite. I’m certainly not alone in the opinion that Michael Jackson also left us with enough music for generations upon generations. So, why was it necessary to release the “Michael” album full of unauthenticated works just one year after his death?

Mozart died before completing the famous Requiem mass and this unfinished work was a quagmire shrouded in mystery. It was completed by many mediocre composers, following Mozart’s sketches, yet it was passed off as his work. Sadly, the story as well as the mass itself has become legend which has transpired into the idea of legacy. A 19th Century musicologist would say quite confidently that the Requiem was Mozart’s legacy, but nothing could be farther from the truth. And in the same way with Michael, would he have wanted us to see his tour footage? “This Is It” and “Michael” all other posthumous works are continuations or extensions of his legacy, but alas, they are not his legacy.

They were perfectionists, lest we forget, who crafted their art so meticulously and lovingly. Mozart hid manuscripts under his bed. He was paranoid and took great pains to ensure that his music was kept from prying eyes until he was ready to bring it forth to the world. Michael was the same way. When the unfinished song “Hold My Hand” was leaked in 2008, Michael was devastated. Yet, it was released in the posthumous “Michael” album in 2010. I recall the Boston Herald's review when it was released: "'Michael' is filled with sequencing mistakes, rough takes and off vocals. Surrounding weak vocals that Jackson would have NEVER let stand..." And from Entertainment Weekly: "It can be hard to listen and not wonder what he would have done differently — or if he would have wanted us to hear it at all."

In both cases, consumerism, the artist as product, was placed before the honor and integrity of the artists themselves, despite being two of the world’s greatest musical icons. It seems that nothing is off limits. How do you think the posthumous cycle will continue?

Joe: There is no question that artists are often treated as products, and exploitation is often rampant following a great artist’s death. Joe Jackson was treating his son like a product just days after he died. There are times when the exploitation is truly sickening.

That being said, I personally have no problem with unfinished material being released. Once a great artist dies, there is naturally an enormous amount of interest in what they left behind. I don’t believe it harms an artist’s legacy to release something like “This Is It,” where you get a very raw, authentic glimpse into how he operated. Now, obviously under ideal circumstances Michael would have been able to perform the actual show. But under the circumstances, I thought the film was cathartic for most fans and illuminating for many non-fans who didn’t realize how involved Michael was in all aspects of his work, what a perfectionist he was, and how spectacular these concerts were going to be.

The album, Michael, is a bit different, because you have people trying to complete Michael’s creative vision, and in some cases, making bad decisions. And then, of course, you have the Cascio tracks, which were accompanied by all kinds of uncertainty and controversy. But still, there are some very nice tracks on the album, and I’m not sure with a historical figure like Michael (or Mozart) you would just want to let music gather dust. People are smart enough, for the most part, to realize there is a big difference between a posthumous album and an album that the artist sees through from start to finish. So all it really can be from now on is fragments, pieces of an unfinished puzzle. But I’d personally like the public to hear and see many of those pieces. There is some still phenomenal material Michael left behind that has yet to be released. I think the key is transparency. If a demo is “completed” or embellished by a collaborator, release the demo as well, so the listener can compare the two.

Michael and Mozart: A Corresponding Virtuosity

2011-08-02T16:48:00.014-05:00

*This entry was originally posted on July 29, 2009. I've made edits and additions to the content since this time, which I believe augment the topic tremendously. Per an update today (8/2/11), I've decided to re-publish for your review and enjoyment. Thank you! -Sherry

A striking image depicting the fictional meeting of musical prodigies Wolfgang Mozart and Michael Jackson. This photo was taken in 1997 at the Grévin Museum in Paris where Michael's waxed likeness is also on display. It takes my breath away for its implications and imaginings. There exists an uncanny congruence between the two artists, both of whom died in a cloud of suspicion while on the verge of revivals, which followed unwarranted plateaus.

Before pursuing a single detail about their biographical similarities, a strong relationship between these artists can be drawn simply from their names. Mozart's name "Gottlieb" ("Amadeus") means "Beloved of God." The name "Michael" is commonly translated as "Who Is Like God?" which expresses a question or rather an inquisition to inspire humans to seek the identity of God. Indeed, the music created by these two individuals has evoked spirituality amongst listeners to a degree of great significance. It may be a Mozart mass or one of Michael's humanitarian anthems, but one thing is for certain: millions have been inspired and fulfilled spiritually by their music. A quote by Sir Georg Solti is appropriate to mention here: "Mozart makes you believe in God - much more than going to church - because it cannot be by chance that such a phenomenon arrives into this world and then passes after thirty-six years, leaving behind such an unbounded number of unparalleled masterpieces."

And yet another similarity can be drawn before delving into biographical beginnings, and that is their success in 20th Century popular culture. The 1980s represented a decade of significant popular and critical acclaim for both artists, especially the year 1984. The Mozart revival was led by Milos Forman's film "Amadeus" and Falco's hit tune, "Rock Me Amadeus," while the decade itself generally embraced 18th Century themes in fashion and culture. This simply reinforced and popularized Mozart's existing worldwide renown. Meanwhile, Michael was busy securing his status as a global phenomenon. In 1984, "Thriller" won a record-breaking 8 Grammy Awards. "Amadeus" was released in 1984 and won 8 Oscar Awards.

In terms of significant numerology as it pertains to a particular year of biographical similarity, Mozart's breakout work, the singspiel "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio"), was in 1782 while Michael's breakout work, the album "Thriller," was 200 years later, in 1982.

Michael was the seventh child in his family, as was Mozart. Lucky number seven! As children, they possessed a musical maturity which granted fluency of expression. Daines Barrington of London's Royal Society wrote a detailed report in 1770 about Mozart's ability to extemporaneously capture emotions such as love in his music, emotions that he could have hardly experienced himself at nine years of age. The same applies to little Michael. Motown's Berry Gordy described him singing "Who's Lovin' You" by Smokey Robinson: "He sang it with the sadness and passion of a man who'd been living the blues and heartbreak his whole life."

In addition to playing the violin and keyboard, Mozart also sang on tour as a prodigy. By contemporaneous accounts, he had a softer, delicate voice, but it was incredibly powerful when necessary. The same can be said of Michael's vocalizations. It's uncannily significant to note that even the authenticated portraits of Mozart vary as greatly as the photos of Michael Jackson throughout his career.

For all of the doting and fame that ensued, these artists remained sensitive and concerned about being loved. As a child, Mozart was inquisitive and would constantly ask others if they loved him. It seemed to be his utmost concern. Andreas Schachtner, Salzburg court musician and friend, said, "He would often ask me ten times in one day if I loved him, and when I sometimes said no, just for fun, bright tears welled up in his eyes, so tender and kind was his good heart." Michael said in his 1993 interview with Oprah: "I love what I do and I would love people to love what I do and to be loved. I just simply want to be loved wherever I go." And in terms of romantic love, it seems by all accounts that both of these young men were hopeless romantics, articulating that their lives would ultimately be incomplete without love and family.

An excerpt from Henri Gheon's In Search of Mozart captures the essence of a child prodigy's incessant need to feel loved: "We are told that Mozart, dragged all over Europe from the age of six, exhibited like a performing dog before kings, overloaded with flattery, presents and kindness, often asked those who seemed interested in him the naive question, 'Do you love me?' It was his greatest need. Even before his genius had time to mature, he was discarded like a plaything which no longer amused. At each stage in his life he had to be remade. With each proof, a new proof was required."

The fathers of enterprise ruled as strict disciplinarians and held rigorous schedules to cultivate the qualities of genius they discovered from their sons. Both Michael and Mozart were estranged from their paternal patronage at the end of their lives, but despite having experienced complicated father-son relationships, they were both deeply involved in the lives of their own children as exceptional fathers. Michael had two sons and Mozart had two sons (who survived into adulthood). Both artists highly regarded arts/music education for their children and they implanted the foundation themselves. There are numerous accounts, by journalists, friends and family members, describing the loving environment Michael provided. Moments were often musical and his voice could be heard accompanying playtime. "He taught them about art and music," said the Jackson family attorney. "They are bright, they are so intelligent, they’re so talented. They are just wonderful children. They are a reflection of Michael Jackson."

As for Mozart, it was unheard of for an 18th Century father to be so attentive and nurturing. His final letter to his wife in October 1791 concerns his elder son Karl's manners, his studies at the boarding school and their trip to the opera together. Danish actor Joachim Daniel Preisler visited the Mozart family once on a Sunday and wrote about his experience there: "This small man and great master improvised twice on a pianoforte with pedal, and so wonderfully, so wonderfully it staggered belief! He interwove the most difficult passages with the loveliest themes. His wife cut quill pens for the copyist, a pupil composed, and a little boy of four walked about the garden singing recitatives. In short, everything surrounding this splendid man was musical!"

Mozart's father was dishonest about Wolfgang's age to prolong his childhood novelty. Michael's biographer Taraborrelli says that "Motown's public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old, two years younger than he was, to make him appear cuter and more accessible." This came at a great price. Their publics readily reminded them that they preferred their former, younger selves, which made growing up markedly painful. Mozart wrote about this from Paris: "...these stupid Frenchmen think I am still seven years old." He was no longer the cherubic prodigy, but a pockmarked young man with disproportionate features, namely a larger nose. Even a newspaper had called him "Great-nosed Mozart."

Also facing an aesthetic transition, Michael dealt with severe acne and resulting taunts about his appearance during adolescence. Like Mozart, his facial scarring and nose were prime targets. He was teased relentlessly as "big nose" and "ugly." In an interview in 2003, Michael talked about how affected he was by a woman who kept asking, "Where's little Michael?" She had scanned the crowd and easily overlooked him. When somebody finally pointed him out, she glared at the teenager's face and said, "Ewww! What happened to YOU?" This clearly had a profound affect. "I could have died right there," he said solemnly in the interview, several decades later.

Michael and Mozart shared a love of dancing and they learned this art form as children. Mozart's first public performance was not as a musician, as you would easily assume, but as a dancer at age five in a Latin play, Sigismundus Rex, the same age Michael began his own career. His love of dance is well documented by contemporaries and by his own admission. In fact, Mozart's friend, Irish tenor Michael Kelly, wrote in his memoirs that "His talent lay in that art (dance) rather than in music." That's quite a statement for history's greatest composer!

Dance only occupied a part of their energetic existence. Such playful dispositions inevitably led to games and pranks, a sense of humor that provided a necessary diversion to musical genius and all that it entailed. It was a ritual for Michael to surprise his crew with water balloons and flying whipped cream pies after wrapping up on the set of a short film. There are countless stories of Michael's antics at Neverland, many of which you can see in videos made public online. Mozart created many jokes in his music and through word play. Schachtner once said: "But before he had begun music, he was so ready for any prank spiced with a little humor that he could quite forget food, drink and all things else." And in this similarity, they shared a deeper level of congruence, which was the loss of a childhood that was sacrificed for musical genius. This inspired the incorporation of child-like innocence, fantasy and nostalgia into the dramatic narrative of their musical contours, almost as a means of auto-biographical catharsis. "Give Mozart a fairytale, and he creates without effort an immortal masterpiece." (Camille Saint-Saëns, Portraits and Souvenirs)

For all of the accolades and superstardom, there was an equitable amount of criticism. Many critics felt that the work of Michael and Mozart was too lavish, grandiose, extreme and novel for audiences. For instance, in January 1787, the Viennese correspondent of the "Magazin der Muzik" reported of Mozart: "He is the best piano player I have ever heard; but it is a pity that in his ingenious and really beautiful compositions he goes too far in his attempt to be new, so that feeling and sentiment are little cared for. His new quartets, dedicated to Haydn, are too strongly spiced - and what palate can stand for that long?" Due to such criticisms, both undoubtedly faced pressure to conform to the musical conventions of their day. Michael conformed to the Motown machine in his earlier years and developed independence along the way while Mozart had to conform on certain commissions. A Leipzig publisher once wrote to Mozart: "Write in a more popular style, or I can neither print nor pay for anything of yours!"

An affinity for opulent fashion was also a shared likeness and it's one of my favorite topics to discuss about these gentlemen. Michael and Mozart both performed for crowned heads and found themselves courting aristocratic circles, respectively. Their sense of fashion was not influenced by this societal notion, but it was rather an outlet of creativity and imagination where they naturally excelled, inventing and re-inventing themselves as spectacles, men of the theatrical realm. Michael liked military details because they "demand attention...have clean lines and they fit almost like dance clothes," explained tailor Michael Bush. Mozart's contemporaries noted that his dress was often garish and this has certainly been said of Michael's stylistic preferences.

"Mr. Mozart was an extremely eccentric and absent-minded young man, but not without a certain spirit of pride. He was very popular with the ladies, in spite of his small size; he had a most unusual face, and he could cast a spell on any woman with this eyes..." noted Luigi Bassi, a singer in Mozart's operas. Mozart biographer Piero Melograni also made an excellent point which I think can be attributed to both artists: "It is true that Wolfgang always sought to compensate for his physical limitations by an elegance in dress. The care he took with his clothing and his hair must have helped him deal with the powerful on an equal basis."

The photo below from the LA Times (May 26, 2005) depicts Michael's penchant for 18th Century fashion. He wore many elaborate silk waistcoats and jacquard designs. He even wore pieces of British and Austrian regalia (Mozart was Austrian).

And perhaps even more fulfilling are the photos my friend Jacqueline Marie sent to me of her 1994 issue of Black and White magazine which capture Michael posing in 18th Century gentleman's attire.

Michael and Mozart reveled in the fact that their music brought joy and happiness to others. Taking on various forms of prejudice, such as racism, classism and elitism, they were all the more happier to deliver progressive sentiment with their artistry. Michael's lyrics and monumental humanitarian efforts speak for themselves. He expressed sincere love and appreciation for his admirers at every turn. And it's impossible to forget the vivacious remark by Mozart about his revolutionary opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" living in the streets of Prague amongst average folks, away from the exclusivity of aristocratic salons. "I looked on with the greatest pleasure while all these people flew about in sheer delight to the music of my Figaro, arranged as quadrilles and waltzes. For here they talk about nothing but Figaro. Nothing is played, sung, or whistled but Figaro. No opera is drawing like Figaro. Nothing, nothing but Figaro. Certainly a great honor for me!"

Indeed, brotherhood was of immense importance to these artists, both personally and professionally. Mozart was a member of the Viennese Masonic lodges "Zur Wohltaetigkeit" ("Beneficence") and "Zur Neugekroenten Hoffnung" ("New Crowned Hope") and also attended meetings at the lodge "Zur wahren Eintracht" ("True Concord"). The lodge was full of intellectuals and progressives who wanted equality for all, an end to aristocratic society. Beneficence, New Crowned Hope and True Concord certainly describe Michael's personal philosophy and philanthropic mission as well as the sentiment captured in his songs such as Heal the World and Will You Be There. As Schubert famously exclaimed, "What a picture of a better world you have given us, Mozart!"

Both artists were connected to Africa personally and professionally. Michael used rhythms, dance and incorporated the African language of Swahili as lyrical content. Mozart was influenced by Afro-French composer and violinist Joseph Bologne (Le Chevalier de Saint-George) on an early visit to Paris. Mozart was especially inspired in regards to his writing for violin as Bologne was a virtuoso on this instrument. Bologne's gifts were great, but his advancements were hindered by prejudice. He became known as "Le Mozart Noir" ("The Black Mozart"). In 2005, a film was made about his life entitled, "Le Mozart Noir: Reviving a Legend." Mozart also had an esteemed African colleague in Vienna, but his name unfortunately escapes me. I came to know of him when I saw his portrait hanging in Mozart's apartment museum (Mozarthaus) in Vienna a few years ago. This connection demonstrates that although great musical artists may seem worlds apart across time, geography and genre, they are all bound by the same fibers of genius and humanity.

Despite such lavish success, thoughts of premature death were articulated. "I never lie down at night without reflecting that, young as I am, I may not live to see another day," Mozart wrote at age 31. Towards the end of 1791, Mozart became convinced of his demise, despite his wife Constanze's efforts to redirect him. Something very similar had happened in Michael's case. According to former wife Lisa Marie Presley, Michael told her (while also in his 30s) that he thought he would die early like her father, Elvis Presley. She wrote on her blog after Michael's death: "At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty: 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him.' I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that."

Mozart's father had also articulated concern for his son's early demise. "Your countenance...was so grave that many intelligent persons, seeing your talent so early developed and your face always serious and thoughtful, were concerned for the length of your life," Leopold wrote in a letter to his son.

Michael and Mozart worked tirelessly, often neglecting their own care, as they faced various ailments and rigorous performance schedules over the years. Physical appearance seemed to trumpet the end. Josepha Duschek described her friend Mozart in September 1791 on his visit to Prague, three months before he died: "His face looked like cheese and his eyes were dark and full of melancholy." In the concert film, This Is It, Michael did not look well in some scenes, and members of his creative team expressed concern about his health in those final weeks.

Doctors did not agree conclusively on Mozart's cause of death and they still don't agree. As recently as August 2009, at a time when Michael's death was being heavily debated, the investigation into Mozart's cause of death surfaced and made headlines worldwide. "What Really Killed Mozart?" questioned the New York Times. It could have easily been, "What Really Killed Michael?" The ambiguous deaths of two of the world's biggest names in music history, although 218 years apart, had entirely monopolized the media.

It has been long believed that Mozart died of rheumatic fever, but the latest medical studies show that it was likely from strep throat complications. Due to funeral customs of the day, Mozart was buried in an unmarked communal grave, a location that has never been established. At present, the circumstances surrounding Michael's death are still being debated, and as is the case with Mozart, it seems as though we may never know the entire truth.

In his interview with Good Morning America in August 2008, Michael said he hoped to "be myself" in future works. He was planning a film adaptation and a classical music album amongst other projects. Mozart reflected quite similarly during his final illness: "I must leave my art now that I am no longer a slave to fashion, am no longer tied to speculators; when I could follow the paths along which my spirit leads me, free and independent to write only when I am inspired. I must leave my family, my poor children, just when I would have been in a better position to look after their welfare." Mozart's referring here to financial debt that was to be eradicated by these new commissions and opportunities, just as Michael's This Is It tour was also to remove a significant financial burden. Amongst ideas and plans Mozart had for the future? Just like Michael, tour performances in London.

An excellent question to entertain here is whether or not Michael himself acknowledged any kind of relationship to the Salzburg genius. He mentioned listening to his music in interviews, but did he feel a connection biographically or artistically? Perhaps we'll never know for sure, but I found some interesting evidence concerning this topic from artist, Dagmar Herrman, via the Fine Art America website, where his work is featured. "This one, the 'Pop Mozart' is one of the two paintings Michael Jackson himself has chosen and I delivered it to him personally in 2002, Berlin, Hotel Adlon. In my artworks dedicated to Michael Jackson, I tried to show a deeper insight in the tragedy and loneliness of his life, but nevertheless the glance and the expression and passion that he presented in his art too. I did it with my honest admiration and the respect he deserves."

These are striking parallels, to be sure, but the greatest denominator in terms of their art, in my opinion, is their passion, mastery and innovation of musical drama (another topic deserving of its own attention!). As the greatest of opera composers, Mozart redefined the genre. With his theatrical stage performances and short films, Michael redefined popular music with sentiment, sophistication and intelligent craftsmanship, adding new dimensions of depth and creativity. As Michael once said, "Today's cutting edge is tomorrow's classic."

I think it's appropriate to close with a quote from Wolfgang Hildesheimer, which is applicable to both artists. "The riddle of Mozart is precisely that 'the man' refuses to be a key for solving it. In death, as in life, he conceals himself behind his work."

Sherry

Opera Talk with Opera Betty

2011-05-15T03:27:00.005-05:00

Allow me to introduce you to Susan Blood, aka opera siren and radio hostess, “Opera Betty.” It all started when my sister Sheryl came across her Facebook page and suggested that I take a look. All I had to read was a single sentence to know that I was interested in what she had to say: “It's like a frat boy putting down his plastic cup long enough to write a column on fine wine.” I also was immediately drawn to the fact that she was just as passionate about other genres of music as I was (In her case, indie alt/punk!), and as Susan and I both know, this always gives one greater insight into any one particular genre like...opera.

As I read Susan's posts on Facebook and her website, I soon understood her great value as a preservationist of our beloved art form, opera, through the medium of radio and social media. A sharp-witted individual with a foot in each world (code for arts professionals!), she’s academically (and passionately!) versed in opera as an aficionado as well as in the communicative demeanor necessary to introduce the unacquainted and curious to opera in a way that’s fun and inviting. Combine this with a very likeable personality and a triple-threat abounds. I wanted to give her a platform to speak to my readers, so I asked her for a Q&A and she kindly obliged. Thank you, Susan!

And something exciting happened during the interview process…new archived mp3’s of her show were uploaded to the site! Click here to listen to episode five, which Susan describes this way: “In Episode 5, we threw Tosca off a roof, met some aliens and discovered an opera about irritable bowel syndrome (which we did not play. sorry.)”

Ok, now that you know what you're up against with my interviewee, buckle up and hang onto your Viking headgear...here we go!

Sherry

Sherry: Tell me about your show. When did your larger-than-life radio personality enter stage right?

Susan: Two years ago I was invited to be a guest host on The Cheap Seats - a radio program that showcases local music. I wrote a post about my experience, which led to an invitation to be a guest on The English Breakfast Radio Show on WOMR. At the end of that, a friend at the station suggested an Opera Betty radio show, which would sound like the website, but with samples of the music. I thought he was kidding but started harboring a secret desire for a radio show.

When I heard about an opening for new shows on WOMR I did something completely uncharacteristic and sent a proposal (I am my own worst advocate). I suggested a show that focused on different operas and various aspects of opera. I wanted the shows to be informative but light-hearted. I wanted to reach people who were new to opera, in hopes that the show would be a gateway to hardcore opera use.

The shows have always been a mix of musical genres. My husband is sure I'm alienating both camps, but the general consensus is that the mix of music diffuses the aura of inaccessibility. Every time I hear someone say they might actually like opera after listening to a show, I feel like I'm doing my job.

My post on the Cheap Seats: http://trouttowers.blogspot.com/2010/02/cheap-seats.html

Sherry: What do you find are the most frequent offenders in terms of operatic myths and prejudices?

Susan: I find that most people who don't like opera have never seen one. The adjectives I hear the most are "boring" and "stuffy." Which is hilarious. There's also the argument that they are not in English, although people are fine going to subtitled foreign films.

People define themselves by what kind of music they like - rap, jazz, indie, country - and because they like that, they can't like this. I was introduced to opera and Devo in the same breath. It is okay to like different kinds of music. It is okay to mix it up.

People also say they find all that singing annoying. There's nothing I can do about that.

Sherry: You're very candid, witty and humorous with your commentary which is quite the opposite of the dry and verbose which typically comes with the territory. How is your language generally received by fellow opera-goers?

Susan: I'm mostly concerned with how my language is received by non-opera-goers. There are people who enjoy dry and verbose (you said it first) and there is plenty of material out there for those people. What is lacking, or has been lacking, is writing that speaks to the general public. I want to make opera more approachable and accessible and the way I can best do that is through my language.

That said, I have been delighted with positive response from the opera community, including one especially lovely supporter at the Met. Opera companies have found me and not sent hate mail. People who are in the industry know that outreach is vital - especially to younger, unacquainted audiences. These audiences are reading Spin and Paste, not Opera News, and are used to a different kind of writing.

I did have one heckler at an opera guild presentation once. Honestly, I think it was because I wasn't 102 and the usual presenter. Toward the end, in the dreaded Q&A, I happened to mention seeing War and Peace at the Met. After that, he invited me to his house so he could share his library with me. Letting people know how much you love opera is like a secret handshake.

Sherry: Is a radio audience more receptive?

Susan: I have no idea. I've had my radio show for almost a year now and haven't been fired so something must be going right. Radio is the only medium in which I can't measure success. I was asked by a stranger once if I was Opera Betty, which must count for something. (I denied it just in case she didn't like the show.) I did have a nice response on Twitter from opera people who were listening to the last show online. It was the first time I was nervous about the mix of genres. All these people I didn't know were listening to the show and I was sure I'd be deafened by the sound of crickets as they all politely backed away. It turns out people who sing opera also like the Lemonheads, Lou Reed and whoever else I threw at them.

Sherry: How do you feel about opera on DVD? Are you familiar with the Mozart 22 Collection from 2006? The Salzburg Festival staged all 22 of Mozart’s operas and created an opus from these performances. I immediately purchased the collection’s double-feature of two early works, “Apollo et Hyacinthus” and “Die Schuldigkeit des Ersten Gebots” as I haven't seen them available on DVD before, but you can correct me if I'm wrong!

Susan: I haven't seen the Mozart 22 collection so can't speak intelligently about the quality, but I do think if you write 22 operas you get to have your very own dvd collection.

I love opera dvds. Love, love, love them. Last year we initiated Opera Betty Hell Week here at headquarters (aka our house). We invited people who loved opera and people who knew squat about opera. Over the course of the week we watched La Boheme, Romeo and Juliet, Salome, Magic Flute, Barber of Seville, La Fille du Regiment and Tosca. We ate snacks and, heaven forfend, chatted during the operas. People asked questions and other people answered them. It was fun.

I maintain that opera broadcasts are a gateway drug to hardcore live opera use. Two of last year's Opera Hellions are going to see live opera with me this week (Boston Lyric's Agrippina and ART's Death and the Powers).

When I go to a baseball game (which I'm new at), I love sitting next to someone who knows a lot about the players and the game. It makes it so much more interesting. You can't ask questions at a live opera, but you can at a recorded one. I've joked about this, but I would truly love a bonus track that has pop up trivia about what's happening.

I'm reading The Metropolis Case by Matthew Gallaway right now. He references Tristan and Isolde, which I've never seen, so I streamed it from the Met website. Having operas available online is handy during an opera emergency.

Sherry: Musicologists and opera studies...love them or hate them?

Susan: There will always be a place for well-crafted music writing. I like it on an academic level and enjoy hearing musicologists talk amongst themselves. Growing up we went to three concerts a week in the summer (seriously. That's nuts) but I still have a hard time understanding much of what's written about music. There's a professional vernacular that we mere mortals are supposed to understand but for the life of me I can't understand why.

I love reading Jeremy Denk because he sneaks the language of musicologists into his writing. He tells stories and makes the reader feel what he hears in the music. Not many people can do that.

Sherry: How do you feel about cross-over artists? Oh, and how about another breed altogether...Prince Poppycock from America's Got Talent? I went to see the show when it was on tour, really just to see him, I admit. Also, unabashedly, I did don a costume of his likeness for Halloween. (I guess you could say that it doubled as a very over-the-top Cherubino!)

Susan: I have mixed feelings about cross-overs. I played a song off Renée Fleming's Dark Hope cd on my radio show a few months ago. I love Rene, but if I'm in the mood for Death Cab for Cutie (which I sometimes am), I'm going to listen to Death Cab for Cutie. The songs on Dark Hope didn't feel like Rene. When she sings operatic roles, she owns them.

Last week I heard Boston String Quartet perform. They played Dvorak's "American" along with an arrangement of Santana's "Oye Como Va." When I see things like that on a program, I get a little nervous because there's a very real possibility it will be elevator music. They rocked it.

My impression is that Boston String Quartet had this music they loved and they wanted to play it on the instruments they love. I feel the same way when I listen to cellist Matt Haimovitz. He can't not play what he plays.

I think people need to play or sing what they need to play or sing.

Now I need to admit something embarrassing: I have no television and have never seen America's Got Talent. It's not a socio-cultural statement; it was physically in the way. I have clearly missed the boat and will now look up Prince Poppycock on Hulu!

Sherry: You're never at a loss for great insight on this subject, and as I mentioned in the intro, you have the gift of knowledge and amusement, which is next to impossibility in our craft. On this note (boom-boom-crash!), I’m sure you have a very memorable and final thought for our readers?

Susan: I do! I have been wondering how I fit into this puzzle and finally learned, at Opera America's Opera Conference, that I am the all-important 18%. Someone noted that 18% of people in the audience are the decision-makers. They are the ones who motivate the other 82% to come. Did you realize how important 18% is? You and I are those people - the decision-makers and motivators. I think we can be very proud of that. And we should keep it up.

Mozart on Vinyl

2011-04-14T19:58:00.002-05:00

Amadeus on vinyl. One of my social media clients actually took me by great surprise yesterday when he played his pristine 1960 vinyl of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra on Deutsche Grammophone. To this point, I've never heard Mozart on vinyl before, so it was one of those beautiful, sacred musical moments. In the spirit of the occasion, I decided to take photos of the only Mozart vinyl in my personal collection...the "Amadeus" soundtrack (1984). It was a random and rare find that was brought to my attention by a friend at a music emporium a few years ago. When you least expect it, indeed! For being in very good condition, I couldn't believe that the price tag was only $5, yes, $5! It's the only Mozart vinyl that I own and it's a prized piece. It's especially valuable when introducing others to Mozart from the perspective of popular culture!

Sherry

Ohio's Modern-Day Mozartian

2011-03-28T18:43:00.008-05:00

Maestro Paul Stanbery conducts the Ohio Mozart Festival Orchestra.

"We have new locations, new events, new ways of doing things," he said. "Mozart stays the same, but our approach to him changes." I couldn't have said it better myself, Maestro. I found this quote in a 2009 Journal News article from Paul Stanbery, Founder and Artistic Director of the Ohio Mozart Festival, one of the only festivals in the world devoted to the sole performance of Mozart's music.

Maestro Stanbery is known for artistic excellence, and equally well known for his initiatives to take classical music to young audiences and to a broader audience generally. His approach, embodied in the aforementioned quote, is undoubtedly a testament to the festival's continued success. Maestro Stanbery is certainly someone I would call a "Modern-Day Mozartian," whom I define in these words:

"It refers to a person who understands the enduring appeal of the music and has the passionate capability to assume full command of the responsibilities necessary to bring it to life in our century. The intention is to be a pioneer in the art of taking the music to a mainstream populace and sustaining that presence with reinforcing enthusiasm, intelligence and reverence. It represents a philosophy of mutually beneficial relationships, community engagement, educational commitment and artistic excellence."

I attended the Ohio Mozart Festival a few years ago, where I was afforded the much-anticipated opportunity to hear Mozart's Serenade KV. 286, Notturno in D for Four Orchestras. This work is not performed often, so it was a real delight to hear the four small ensembles bring this gem to bear within the acoustical environs provided by the St. Peter Catholic Church, the festival's primary concert venue. This moment made me very proud that my native state was home to such a celebratory occasion.

Recently, when I took notice that the festival was quickly approaching in April, I immediately dashed a message to the Maestro to request an interview. To my great excitement, he accepted, and what you see here is the result of our exchange. I've enjoyed learning from our dialogue and look forward to meeting him at the festival, hopefully with a few Mozart newbies in tow!

Thank you, Maestro, for all that you do for Mozart, his adoring public and for future patronage.

Sherry

Sherry: It has been a theme of my professional initiatives, from The Chronicles to the Mozart Society of America, to ensure that the legacy of Salzburg's native son is presented and maintained in such a way as to receive as much limelight as possible from a broader audience. This has meant eliminating elitist stigmas and introducing the history in a renewed manner via candid discussion (ie. "humanizing" the genius), social media, connecting to popular culture (ie. Mozart in the movies) and connecting with people in the industry (ie. interviews...like this one!), and so on. What does the Ohio Mozart Festival do to make Mozart, and classical music generally, more accessible, relevant and appealing to non-traditional publics, such as the younger demographic? Do you feel that these methods are successful?

Maestro Stanbery: We pride ourselves on making music important to folks at the grassroots level. The Post-Corbett Organization actually recognized us for this in 2005, as we beat out the venerable Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra when we were up for the same award. One tradition is to have people dress in period outfits (including me as Mozart himself) at various functions during the week; we have sponsored tours of several local neighborhoods, many of whom date from the time of Mozart (late 1700's); food that is presented is of the period; and last year, we merged athletics and health with the music of the master in our first annual Meters for Mozart 5k race and walk. We are doing that again next Saturday (9th). Mozart's humorous side is legendary, and our annual "Feast and Frolic" reflects that. And, the Cincinnati Symphony itself is now going to present a mini-Mozart Festival this fall. We take it as a compliment!

Sherry: There are very few festivals dedicated solely to Mozart's music throughout the world, so I'm all the more ecstatic that one exists in my home state of Ohio! What's the story behind the founding of the Ohio Mozart Festival?

Maestro Stanbery: I had always dreamed of doing an all Mozart series of concerts. My wife, Pat and I were celebrating our first anniversary in Hamilton (we lived on the East side of Cincinnati at the time) during the weekend of the very first Mozart Festival concert in 1997. In our room at the Hamiltonian Hotel that weekend, it was she that came up with the idea of breaking the musical boundaries and making the music accessible by including other activities that non-concert goers would enjoy. Pat actually formed the very first committees that organized the events, and chaired the committee for many years. It is that connection to folks that has made all the difference. No longer a museum experience, but something the whole city can enjoy, right where they are.

Sherry: Describe some of the traditions that are exclusive to the Ohio Mozart Festival. I see that you're hosting your 2nd Annual "Meters for Mozart" 5k walk/run, which is fantastic! Tell me more...

Maestro Stanbery: You got it, the stable traditions include “Feast and Frolic Dinner; Grand Finale Concert; Meters for Mozart; me dressing up as Mozart. Each Grand Finale concert has concluded with his motet “Ave Verum Corpus” which, as the great musicologist Paul Henry Lang has called it": “the greatest 47 measures of music ever composed”. A particularly sweet moment for yours truly, I don’t mind telling you.

Sherry: As an Artistic Director and Conductor, do you feel that Mozart makes artistic decisions simpler because of his enduring appeal? Or, rather, does it make it more difficult? Decisions regarding the interpretation of Mozart works have always been deemed in black and white terms, as either liberating or an insatiable nightmare. And in terms of programming decisions, I assume you've come across situations where patrons have requested favorite pieces, which are popular (ie. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), and thus, reinforced by the PR/marketing team to appeal to the mainstream, especially in a difficult economy. Meanwhile, the administration and artistic staff are thinking of another approach entirely. This has become a significant problem for some organizations. How do you reconcile the needs of the public with the needs of the orchestra?

Maestro Stanbery: I must have the most special situation here, because none of the issues you mention are ever a problem. My orchestra and chorus are always happy with our Mozart choices, as is the audience. I think our community is pretty much devoid of the typical artistic snobbery one might encounter in other communities, and I think everyone trusts my interpretations to be as true and authentic as possible. I am not a subscriber to the “early instrument” mania as a means of getting at authenticity. I do think one has to know what is tastefully appropriate, but to merely use older instruments and modern impressions of “what it sounded like and how it was played” is foolish. These interpretations leave me cold, and often come across as machine-like and note perfect, and little more. If truth be known, during the time of Mozart and earlier, the MOST usual type of presentation was played out of tune (the instruments-especially the winds) were incapable of playing in tune; played by a different set of players (who were commonly late) than showed up to rehearsals; and frequently in a drunken state at that. Now that’s authenticity. The fact is that Mozart experienced very little in the way of a “perfect” performance situation, and all attempts to replicate “what he heard in his time” need to take that into account. Makes more sense to just be tasteful.

Sherry: Who are your favorite interpreters of Mozart's music and dramatic works? My favorite Mozartian coloratura soprano is German artist Diana Damrau. I feel that she's by far the greatest contemporary "Koenigin der Nacht." I attended her performance as Konstanze in Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serail at the Burgtheater in Vienna and then also her performances as Pamina in Die Zauberfloete and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Met in New York. I could go on and on about conductors and pianists too, but lest I forget that this is an interview, not a soapbox!

Maestro Stanbery: Being a conductor, I focus on other conductors. I love Szell and Karl Boehm, but also Bruno Walter. Carl Richter is fabulous as is Neville Marriner.

Sherry: Ohio has some of the highest unemployment and poverty rates in the country. Many orchestras and opera companies have been forced to close their doors, minimize their seasons and make other reductions in order to survive. What's the secret to succeeding in this climate? A crystal ball would be ideal for this next question....what do you think the future looks like for Mozart and classical music generally? For the Ohio Mozart Festival?

Maestro Stanbery: We have not been immune to some of the same issues. We are not offering a Chamber Music program as in past years, because of deficits and cash flow issues. I do think that many others have folded while we have thrived because we deal in reality, and not in artistic dreamland. Too many artistic planners do so without costs in mind, leaving that to the poor executive directors to implement. Then the fund raisers must weigh in, and often the cupboard is bare. In our case, I am conductor/executive director and chief fund raiser. Me, myself and I meet regularly, and the result is clarity of focus. This is not to say that others are not involved, but having a clear vision and getting others to sign on is crucial to our continued success. Too often there is a disconnect between these functions within some of the larger organizations. I think that as long as the audience and performers are in dialogue on a regular basis (as we are), the future of classical music should be bright. It is here.

Mozart 2011: Redefining Celebrity

2011-03-15T04:48:00.004-05:00

I was working on content for Facebook, particularly a summary of my writing, when I was surprisingly thrown into reflection. I began to think a great deal about the purpose of The Chronicles, and what I wish to ultimately achieve through its platform. Now in its fifth year, it arrives at a defining moment. Since the time of its founding, the world of art has fallen victim to a great recession, thus compromising the creative landscape and the very existence of the classical genre. The new order is devoid of passion and integrity as it prioritizes the monetary bottom line over sound artistic decision making, which has unfortunately become a mainstay of our stages.

A shared fate, I've struggled along with the music, juggling an abundance of unrelated freelance work with only intermittent opportunities in the industry. There were certainly points during these past few years when I felt my authorship of The Chronicles would end in irrelevance, along with any dream of fulfilling a musical life. The fact that I've never fit the conventional descriptions of musicologist, educator, artist or any other position in the musical world continues to be a burden in such a competitive professional environment, but I'm not dismayed. Creativity, afterall, does not derive from the confines of convention.

Mozart's music is fierce and he has quite the reputation, being the only composer in history whose music has had uninterrupted success in mainstream musical culture since his lifetime (1756-1791!). He's more than capable of sustaining an audience. He just needs a little help, and in unconventional form, I've attempted to do so. Over the years, it has become more challenging to successfully redefine Mozart's celebrity in an increasingly judgmental and combative entertainment realm that often tends to dismiss classical music as muzak in derogatory fashion, but for all that it's worth, here I stand, with unrelenting passion.

In the spirit of Mozart's Age of Enlightenment, I find inspiration. The Chronicles represents a revolution in the way in which information about his life and music, its history and its presence in popular culture, is communicated, shared and defined. It's not about making Mozart something he's not, rather, it's about enhancing his existing history and persona through a change in presentation and a shift in focus. Specifically, from the fictitious mundane and elitist stigmas to Mozart's exciting and innovative artistry that continues to stand the test of time, and conquer it.

Sherry

The Chronicles Launches New Domain

2011-02-05T07:32:00.005-05:00

It's an historical day. Five years, endless improvements to Blogger and almost 150 posts later, The Chronicles will leave its beloved http://sherrymozart.blogspot.com behind for a new look and new domain, www.moderndaymozartian.com. This is just one of the many changes to come in celebration of the fifth anniversary year. My expectations are heightened because of you, the readers, and the interest you've shown in learning more about the extraordinary life and music of Wolfgang Mozart. I appreciate your support during this exciting time of transition!

Sherry

The Immortal Swagger of 255...

2011-01-27T23:35:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday, Mozart! Two-hundred and fifty-five years later, I'm celebrating the life of a man today whom I absolutely adore, with all of his flaws and flourishes. Although I've never met him, I feel I know him well after years of studying his biography and artifacts, reading his letters and visiting his haunts. I've advocated the brilliant genius through film, societies, events, writing and scholarship and will continue to tell the world of his divine gift. Of course, to me, the culmination of these efforts are dwarfed by what Mozart has given me with his life and music.

Today has been an exceptionally busy day full of rushing and errands. Before I left the house, I made sure I was well equipped with Mozart tunage. What did I take? An Alfred Brendel performance of piano concerti and rondos with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Listening, I felt empowered and contemplative. Many ideas came to me about my next steps. Amongst them, higher expectations for The Chronicles in terms of directly benefiting the history. For example, I would like to generate revenue to donate to the Friends of Bertramka towards their efforts in restoring this sacred Mozart landmark, perhaps by creating and marketing my own line of merchandise.

I also feel a great need to do something commemorative for Mozart's wife, Constanze, who ensured that her husband's music survived so that we could enjoy it. She spent nearly 50 years after Mozart's death in advocacy, yet she has received more criticism than recognition from the unwarranted bias of early historians. In 2011, it's time to eradicate the ignorance that has hidden her remarkable story.

As with anything, I'm always striving to hit a greater mark, to evolve from experience and seek the innovative beyond convention. It's so important to have periodic "performance reviews" especially on important dates such as today. They are reminders. Whether I'm posting exciting performance videos to engage my Facebook audience or I'm contributing my time and efforts as a committee member of the Mozart Society of America, it's all about doing my part to keep Mozart in the game, and having greater expectations are necessary. I can aspire to Mozart's work ethic, but rarely does one achieve it. In the famous words of Wendy Wasserstein, "Because of Mozart, it's all over after the age of seven."

Gluecklicher Geburtstag, Wolfgang!

Mit Liebe,
Sherry

Symphonic Rock Meets the Popular Music Icon

2010-12-28T02:17:00.020-05:00

Maestro Havens conducts the music of The Eagles with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Since childhood, I've held artists and compositions of both classical and popular music in high esteem. As I evolved musically, it became my intention to reconcile these two worlds in which I found an equal capacity for artistic innovation, integrity and intelligence. Much to my dismay, whether encouraged by professionals, admirers or the media, animosity has existed between them, and loyalists have proclaimed their disdain towards attempts at hybrid creations. Classical perceives popular as inferior and popular perceives classical as elitist. There have been triumphs and tragedies in collaborative, cross-over jointures, but nevertheless, each genre has had to invent and reinvent itself to capture hearts and imaginations in the quest for posterity, which has sometimes meant taking on board elements of the other, whether orchestral or popular in design and intent. I believe that when their collaboration is artistically sound, it is to our greater benefit.

One such example is the creation of a symphonic rock series by Brent Havens and his company, Windborne Music. I happened upon his work when I discovered that he was scheduled to conduct The Music of Michael Jackson with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra on January 7, 2011. It's an initiative like this one that helps the classical and popular genres, in partnership, reach new audiences and new heights. I was fascinated by what I read, so I decided to contact the symphony about the possibility of conducting an interview.

The orchestra's administration was very welcoming. Trish Ciaravino, Press and Publications Manager of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, so graciously brought my request to fruition and kindly provided these images of Maestro Havens conducting the orchestra during previous performances. Thank you, Trish!

It's my hope that this interview and the success of the series created by Maestro Havens will banish barriers and shed light on the grand possibilities of orchestral music as an avenue and advocate for both the classical and popular genres in the 21st Century.

Sherry

Maestro Havens conducts the music of Led Zeppelin with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Sherry: Congratulations on the success of your new show, The Music of Michael Jackson! Taking classical music to a broader audience through the medium of popular music, and consequently popular culture, is of tremendous importance to the survival of the genre. The efforts you have made with your symphonic rock series cannot be overstated. Since 1995, you have combined the live production of classic rock music with orchestra showcasing Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Queen and The Eagles. Michael Jackson isn't primarily recognized as a rock artist, although he certainly had hits in this genre and influenced it, notably collaborating with virtuosic guitarists Slash and Eddie Van Halen. How much of a departure was it for you to take on the music of Michael Jackson? How does this show differ from others in terms of its staging and audience? Is the experience different for you as a conductor?

Maestro Havens: Thanks for the kudos. I'm not sure you could call what we do taking classical music to a broader audience but rather using the tools that make up much of classical music (an orchestra to be specific) and using those tools to present music from a different era in a new way...for both the orchestra members and the audience. Bringing the music of Michael Jackson and our other shows to audiences who love that music and presenting it with a full orchestra gives the music a new dimension and allows the audience to experience something that they haven't experienced before. Michael's music is a departure from what we have been doing in that we have previously only presented classic rock shows and I don't think Michael could be labeled classic rock. What we like to call it is presenting the music of a legend. Michael performed for four decades so there was a lot to choose from and a lot of material in a much different genre than what we've been presenting with the other shows. The challenge is to make that genre work with an orchestra and some of Michael's material is more "groove oriented" rather than harmonically or melodically driven. But we are trying to give a taste of the styles that he performed both with the Jackson 5 and as a solo performer. In the end I think it works. The audiences are similar in many respects...they are fans of that particular artist or music. Each show has some differences in the people that attend but overall they are fans of the artists so we try to stay as close to the originals as possible with the addition of a 50+ piece orchestra adding all of those colors. As a conductor, it's almost exactly the same for each show. I'm a traffic cop on the podium that keeps everything together and flowing so that everything mingles correctly and presents the music in this new way.

Sherry: Michael Jackson adored classical music and often mentioned Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Mozart amongst other composers. On the set of his short film for "Beat It" in the early 1980s, an MTV interviewer was shocked when Michael said that he principally listened to classical music at the time. Michael incorporated classical elements into his songwriting, including an excerpt from Beethoven's 9th Symphony as a prelude to his gospel anthem, "Will You Be There." When Michael died, Maestro Riccardo Muti conveyed Michael's musical significance to the Italian media, comparing his rise and fall to the legendary Farinelli. After Michael's death, it was discovered that he was working on an album of classical music with composer David Michael Frank. When selecting songs to arrange for the show, did you find classical influence or inclination to be a determinant in his music?

Maestro Havens: I wasn't aware of either of those points... Michael's love of classical music and that he was working on new material in that vein. Fascinating information. For our shows, whether it be Michael's or any of the classic rocks shows, the determining factors that I looked for when I began working on the arrangements and putting the show together were really twofold. I was looking for the most popular tunes of Michael's and secondarily, if I thought I could make the tunes work with a full orchestra. Certainly harmonic and melodic structure was important in the second factor but it would be tough to not do some of his most popular material at a concert where that's expected even if it were difficult to pull off with an orchestra.

Sherry: Although two centuries apart, as wunderkinds and artists of tremendous musical bequest, Michael Jackson and Wolfgang Mozart shared similar lives, biographies and experiences. Through dramatic characterization in his operatic works, such as "Cosi fan tutte," Mozart often held a mirror to his audience and society, reflecting its imperfections. Similarly, Michael did this with many of his songs, including "Man In The Mirror." Do you feel there's a similar kind of melodic consciousness or lyricism that these artists convey about humanity which makes them so compelling and sustainable, beyond musical aesthetics?

Maestro Havens: That's a tough one to answer in that both of them wrote particularly compelling music that drew the audience to them but I can't speak to the perception that it had to do with their awareness of human nature or humanity as a whole. But it's entirely possible I suppose because somehow, they both reached their audiences and touched them in particularly significant ways but whether it was the music or what the material had to say to the audience is difficult to determine.

Sherry: With an abundance of posthumous material to be released in the coming years, what role do you feel your performance art plays in the continuance of Michael Jackson's musical heritage? What are your expectations? "This Is It" was just released in 2009 and is credited as being one of the arrangements in your show. Do you anticipate the creation of an additional show to usher in future material?

Maestro Havens: I think our shows are just another way of helping to keep this music alive. And not just Michael's music but all of the shows that we do. It's all wonderful music that has so far stood the test of time and I think it will continue. And we will continue to update our shows with new material as it appears as we periodically review the songs that we are performing and change them as needed. Many times we perform our shows in the same cities over the course of time so making alterations to the set-list is important to keep the material fresh. But I wouldn't be creating new shows for the same artist. It's mainly a matter of altering the set-lists.

Brent Havens, Conductor and Arranger
Email: bhavens@windborne.net
Website: http://WindborneMusic.com

The Eccentricity of Self

2010-12-13T06:12:00.006-05:00

It’s December and I’m always reflective at this time of the year. I look inward to assess my life, my ambition, my passion. I always make a conscious attempt to stay attuned to my heart and mind. It only serves one well to be self-actualized. I studied the discipline of psychology as an undergraduate and once considered pursuing a career as a psychologist, so human behavior has always been fascinating to me and is at the forefront of my studies of music, artists and audiences.

So, let's pose some questions...why am I pursuing this authorship and my current projects? Why am I drawn particularly to musical genius? What makes me so willingly passionate to devote my life to advocating artists I will never meet? What is the defining fabric which binds us together? The artists which I hold in the highest regard have defied the gray-scale of convention and have often been called eccentric by critics, historians and peers. It makes me wonder…am I eccentric too? It’s a subjective and ambiguous term to be sure, but it's nonetheless intriguing and worth investigation!

I love the extraordinary, the epic, the fantastical. Grand performance art of the stage, an all-encompassing invention of the imagination through a medium such as opera, is the pinnacle. It consumes one spiritually, emotionally, physically and psychologically. I love to be swept away by creative intelligence that informs, challenges and enhances the human spirit. Antiquity inspires modernity. History is the finishing powder of this glamorous palette. I love the generosity of artfulness, which is boundless. It's a lifelong friend, loving and faithful, who is ever at my side. Musical phrasing, dramatic play, costumes, artworks, architecture. I love to search for, find and create glimmers of this atmospheric in my everyday life. I express myself through writing, fashion, music and excursions to provoking venues, landscapes and performances. I find theaters and cinemas to be magical places. My adoration implies modest simplicity as much as it implies the splendid and grandiose. Affluence, and any derivative of the sort, is irrelevant.

An invention of my own design, no matter how modest, is just as gratifying as the world’s finest museum. The sense of satisfaction from artistic achievement is the greatest reward imaginable, and has been for me, since childhood. The absence of this creative fire is the best indication that something is wrong in my life. Do you remember when you painted your first artwork in kindergarten? You couldn’t have been happier with yourself if you had created something comparable to Monet. All that mattered was the art and love of inventiveness, the expression of self.

My travels, near and far, are always chosen based on the value of historical, imaginative and creative intensity; wonderment. You could say I have an insatiable appetite, or need, rather, to augment my life in order to provide a landscape that's conducive to creativity. Prior to writing this entry, I'd never thought of it this way. Whether in unassuming or elaborate fashion, I enjoy being surrounded by scenes, people and situations that heighten my awareness of the artful, mysterious, beautiful and divine with childlike amazement. Everyday is a blank canvas, another opportunity to create, experience and behold. I'm often idealistic, so practicality is not always a consideration, but nonetheless, I attempt to make my ideas a reality. It’s harmless contention. At the end of the day, if someone's greatly disappointed, it’s only me. Although they've been introduced, I don't think creativity will ever fully understand practicality!

I particularly adore the dark and haunting splendor of autumn, the season of my birth. It's my home, my imaginative world, my wonderland. A new energy abounds during this time of the year and always instills in me direction and purpose in life. I long for these beautiful amber days. While it's considered the season of nature’s death, for me, it's a joyous renewal of life.

Although hardship is never easy to endure, there's truth and peace of mind in the starving artist philosophy. I’m a person who is not inspired, nor impressed, by materialism and money. Quantities of this sort are of no importance to me. Rather, I’m driven by an inner purpose to inspire and elevate others through the avenues of music and creativity with the greatest reward being the qualitative sum of a joyful heart. If being eccentric is ultimately for the greater good, and my idols are certainly eccentric, then I'm happy to be considered amongst the faithful.

Sherry

The Story of an Unlikely Opera

2010-11-08T22:18:00.020-05:00

When reflecting upon the difficulty faced by the arts community in regards to staging operas and other performances amidst the global recession, I think of an unlikely opera, an opera entitled, Brundibár, that succeeded under far worse conditions. In fact, its story affords new meaning to the phrase, "The show must go on." The advent and performance of this opera took place amidst a Nazi concentration camp (Terezín, near Prague), arguably the most horrific of circumstances imaginable, especially for children. Yet, the opera was designed for and performed by children. It was a survival tactic of artistic magnitude, and for children to create and exude such joy and happiness in the absence of light, it was truly humanity at its finest.

I came to know this opera in the most unique way. It was a gift. When interning for Opera Columbus in 2002 during the holiday season from my studies, I was asked to interview Ela Stein Weissberger, the only living cast member from the opera. I was overwhelmed. It was my first experience with a professional opera company. I can more than recall my attempts to pass the interview along to Heidi Gordon, the Public Relations Director. She was amused, but did not waiver, and gave sole responsibility to me to conduct the interview and provide the synopsis and accompanying details for the press release and other promotional materials. Ela was going to participate in the company's upcoming production of Brundibár. It was an exciting time for everyone.

I wasn't sure how to approach her about the subject, for fear of being too invasive about such an encounter of great sensitivity, but I was assured that she had a kind heart and was incredibly open and enthusiastic about interviews. I drafted all of my questions and went over them countless times before making the call. I was beyond nervous, but on the other end of the line, I found a very friendly, agreeable person, who to my surprise, recalled this period of her life as happy one, all because of the opera. Our interview was brief, but a beautiful experience.

Two years later, in 2004, while taking a tour of the Old Town and Jewish Quarter in Prague with friends, I came across a photo of the children in the Brundibár cast, as well as an old libretto, in a synagogue museum. I was so excited to make this connection and immediately explained to my friends its significance. I was staying with my friend Zuzana, a native of Prague, who was my Westminster roommate at the time. Another roommate, Adam, and his family had joined us for the tour as well. Adam's grandmother survived the Holocaust and moved to Sydney, Australia, so his family was on a pilgrimage to trace their ancestry. It was a very special day for us all.

I just learned that this rare Nazi propaganda film of Brundibár was used to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, 2010 (All rights to the Jewish Museum in Prague).

I hope you enjoy the interview and derive from it an understanding of performance art as an avenue for health, happiness, fraternity, enlightenment and creativity, which is always the aim of my writings. Never underestimate the empowerment of artistic innovation, nor the human heart's will to find and execute it. May this triumphant story always serve as a source of inspiration to us all. When we feel we cannot create and produce our art, let us remember...

Sherry

Brundibár: An Interview with Ela Stein Weissberger
by Sherry Davis, December 2002

Ela Stein Weissberger was only 11 years old in 1942 when she was taken to the Nazi concentration camp of Terezín. There were 15,000 children at the camp and Ela was one of only 100 to survive. At 71 years of age, Ela lives to tell her story…

Sherry: Why is it important for you personally to be involved with children who perform in productions of Brundibár?

“I feel that I am speaking their voices,” she replies. Ela then goes on to talk about the joyful aftermath, the revival of performances and the reactions elicited from child actors. “The children write me letters. It’s unbelievable how much it’s touched them.” As she further examines her ties with the young performers, she realizes a feeling of cohesiveness, one similar to the original experience in Terezín. “Children who perform Brundibár have a different outlook on life. We connect in many ways and they are very special to me.”

What was life like for a child in Terezín?

“The Nazis let us sing, play, write and paint. I was a very active child in the camp. I don’t know why,” Ela laughs. “The music and comradery helped us,” she said of the artistic and motivational survival strategy. Ela said that over 4,000 original paintings were recovered and exhibited into the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles and that her own works were discovered amongst the historic artifacts.

What’s so significant about “The School of Terezín?”

Ela explains that “The School of Terezín” was a small book written by Jewish artisic director Rudolf Freudenfeld, whom she refers to as “Rudy.” Amongst the belongings she brought to America, this little book was one of them. She adds that he was indeed the person who secretly smuggled the Brundibár piano score into the camp, but besides being the artistic director, he was also her public school teacher. Like Ela, Freudenfeld was also a survivor. However, she said that they never again met in person, but rather kept in contact via telephone and letters of correspondence until his death. “I have his last letter,” she said. “In it, he wrote ‘You know, Brundibár was our life. It kept us going.’” “He really liked me and I very much loved him,” she said of their friendship.

What was your original role in the opera?

Ela says that upon the casting of the opera, “Rudy” selected her and two other children for the audition almost immediately since he had noticed their participation in the camp’s musical activities. “I was so happy,” Ela said upon hearing the news that she would play the role of the cat. When Ela told her mother that she was cast to portray a feline in the children’s opera, she was very surprised. “A cat in the opera?” Ela laughs as she recalls her mother’s words. Ela was cast in this role all 55 times the opera was produced at Terezín.

CBMR Genius Without Borders

2010-10-01T15:19:00.017-05:00

As is evident from my blog description and previous entries, one can surmise that Michael Jackson has been a significant musician in my life since childhood, one who greatly informs and supplements my love of Mozart's music as well as other genres of music. See previous entries, The M Icon: My Story as well as Michael and Mozart: A Corresponding Virtuosity.

It seems there has been a lack of serious musicological study concerning the music of Michael Jackson, but as with all great artists who depart our world, a niche will undoubtedly be created in attempts to define his legacy. And of course, artists who leave us in the prime of their creativity, such as Mozart at age 35 and Michael at age 50, it is all the more a tragedy to address in the musicological sense when taking into account the heavy overtones of social psychology.

The Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College in Chicago hosted a symposium in honor or Michael Jackson for their Genius Without Borders series during the September 24th, 2010 weekend. Papers and presentations were given by renowned scholars. Topics ranged greatly and included such titles as "Michael and the Motherland," "The Postmodern Genius of Michael Jackson," and "Sampling Michael: Rhythm, Masculinity and Intellectual Property." Click here to view abstracts and here for their live blog summary.

As for Mozart's musical connection to Africa, he was influenced by Afro-French composer and violinist Joseph Bologne (Le Chevalier de Saint-George) on an early visit to Paris. He was especially influenced in regards to his writing for violin as Bologne was a virtuoso on this instrument. Bologne's gifts were great, but his advancements were hindered by prejudice. He became known as "Le Mozart Noir" ("The Black Mozart"). In 2005, a film was made about his life entitled, "Le Mozart Noir: Reviving a Legend." View this video here. Later on in life, Mozart had an esteemed African colleague in Vienna, but his name unfortunately escapes me. I came to know him when I saw his portrait hanging in the Mozarthaus in Vienna a few years ago.

Although great musical artists may seem worlds apart across time, continent and genre, they are all bound by the same fibers of genius and humanity.

Sherry

Mozart L'Opera Rock

2010-09-26T19:50:00.015-05:00

The invention and subsequent success of the French musical, Mozart L'Opera Rock, has given contemporary Mozartians something to celebrate, a victory of sorts, for like-minded individuals who endorse the notion of liberating Mozart's music from the shroud of elitism that continues to hinder its appeal in our century with progressive performing art.

Mozart L'Opera Rock is provocative and energizing with stunning costumes, sets and choreography, marrying new music and ideas with historical flourish to create a fresh interpretation of his life and biography. Watch! This musical knocks on the door of the historical dramas Amadeus by Shaffer and Mozart and Salieri by Pushkin, to address these feuding rivals yet again.

Click here for the music video "Vivre à en Crever" which features the dueling composers. The translation means to live as much as the direct consequence can only be death, living to death in excess, because death is ultimately inevitable. This certainly corroborates Forman's Academy award-winning creation. Historical accounts tell us that Mozart loved life, dancing and socializing, but by evidence of his otherworldly work ethic and resulting output in his short life, the careless playboy character is very much a fantasy of playwrights and screenplays.

Sherry

The Mozart Sonata: 2010 Style

2010-08-09T22:58:00.011-05:00

In the words of the Anderson and Roe Piano Duo ... We play the piano. We compose and reinvent. We create. We strive to make classical music relevant.

I couldn't have said it better myself! I just discovered this young duo when I happened upon their You Tube video Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos, K. 442, Allegro con spiritu, recorded in Sprauge Hall at Yale University. I was instantly captivated. Their playing was not only technically superb and the passion palpable, but the divine oratory was accompanied by something that does not typically accompany a classical performance...playful personalities, unpredictable artists and innovative cinematography! Click here to see their performance.

This is the first successful attempt I've seen in terms of representing a Mozart Klavierwerk (piano work) through visual media for a 2010 audience. Chic, elegant, passionate, humorous, playful, personable, real. Mozart himself was all of these things. Classical music should never be staid or one dimensional, especially Mozart's music. Keeping the genius concealed artistically to meet standards of performance etiquette created in the 19th Century is baffling. It is an injustice to Mozart and his interpreters. Romantic era conservatism (ie. the infamous no applause rule) informed performance practice in the 20th and 21st centuries and it is why the genre struggles to be attractive and vibrant. Artists are too serious and predictable, audiences are bored. The classical concert of Mozart's 18th century was entirely different from today's solemn and timid affair. It was exciting with lots of applause and audience interaction.

Although I personally love to revisit the past from where these melodies derive, the music should always be reinvented in live performance to reflect the audience and the creative avenues of its time, such as in this brilliant use of cinematography to augment the duet. History and modernity can happily co-exist, lest we never forget.

Sherry

Villa Bertramka: Mozart's Eden

2010-07-20T20:48:00.014-05:00

In summertime, I always think of Mozart and the stunning summer residence Villa Bertramka within the splendid city of Prague. To my fortune, I've visited this precious landmark during three summer seasons within the past six years. Its history, music and magic, are otherworldly. With its beautiful flowers, radiant sunshine and echoing musical phrases, there's a simplistic elegance about this jubilant walk with the past. It is home to memories of the great Mozart, his relics and the musical revelry of his time.

I've often written about Bertramka and its relationship to the Mozart history, which is well-documented and sentimental. The villa is sacred to all who adore Mozart's music around the world. Once a farmhouse surrounded by vineyards, Bertramka was converted into a genteel 18th Century villa with a park and gardens. Mozart stayed here during his visits to Prague. Welcomed by friends Josefa and František Dušek, it was where he composed and relaxed with his fellow musicians and friends. Mozart found inspiration in the quaint countryside and fell victim to its charms. "If there be Heaven on Earth, it is certainly here." It was in this city where his opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" was first hailed as a masterpiece. Not only did it serve as an artistic oasis, Bertramka served as a second home to Mozart's sons after his death. There is much to be said about the regard in which Mozart was held here. It was unrivaled.

Deceived by the idea of its invincible glory, at the end of 2009, the most horrific incident was realized when the property was severely compromised. Nearly everything was stolen, including the furniture, artifacts and instruments, even the white double-manual harpsichord. I had just visited Prague months prior for the Mozart Society of America conference and everyone was full of excitement for our friends in the Czech Mozart Society because the property was to be returned to their rightful ownership. But when they went to the villa to sign the official documents, what they found could not be described. The thought of Bertramka being assaulted for greed or any other purpose was unimaginable. My heart sank when I saw photos depicting the aftermath. How could this be?

Without spending too much time in mournful debilitation, Kathryn Libin led the Mozart Society of America in creating the Friends of Bertramka, a group of individuals dedicated to the future of this beloved Mozart monument in Prague who support its revival for a new era of Mozart plans and projects. The group will assist the Czech Mozart Society in repairing both recent and long-term damage and restoring its museum and educational programs. This will be one of the most significant and ambitious initiatives for Mozart's legacy in recent years. It will certainly be an undertaking to restore the villa's beauty that was so heartlessly devastated, but with faith, love and dedication, success is inevitable.

Mozart's son, Karl Thomas, leaves us with a joyful recollection of the villa in his letter to the owner, Adolf Popelka, in 1856. "Even blindfolded, I could still find my way there today – after 59 years! I still remember every room in the house and every corner of the garden. In the garden – on the left – there was, first, a little flowerbed and beyond it a path leading uphill and overgrown by fruit trees, with a large pond on the right, then the greenhouse that I saw being built and, finally, the hillside that was used for farming and at the very top of which there was a pavilion from which you could look down on the cemetery. I also remember – and, as you can imagine, with special affection – the lower part of your estate, where the orchard was situated and where I tried to slip away whenever I could. It was like an Eden to me.”

Sherry

Glücklicher Geburtstag, Mozart!

2010-01-27T16:57:00.028-05:00

Glücklicher Geburtstag, Mozart! Happy 254th Birthday! Although it hasn't been quite four years, it seems like an eternity since I traveled to Mozart's native Austria to celebrate his 250th birthday anniversary in May 2006. I was in a dream-like state for the entirety of the holiday. It was my second trip to Vienna and Salzburg, but the operas, concerts and exhibitions were truly beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Nostalgic geography aside, the beautiful reality of Mozart's music is that celebratory regard can be just as jubilant and sentimental at home as it is anywhere else in the world.

As an alternative to strolling the streets of Vienna, I spent my day at the office listening to his music and I watched excerpts of "In Search of Mozart" during my lunch hour, introducing a colleague to his music and biography. My sister Sheryl ordered a Sacher torte from Vienna which served as the most delectable dessert imaginable (only an authentic birthday cake would do!) and afterwards we watched part of the irresistible Academy award-winning "Amadeus."

Amidst the festivities, I reminded myself that this celebration also implies a necessary reflection upon my service to the legacy. What am I doing to support initiatives that advocate the scholarship and performance of this music? What measures am I taking to ensure its sustainability? Recent developments from my trip to Prague last summer have presented new opportunities to do so.

In June 2009, I was given an award to attend the joint conference of the Mozart Society of America and the Society for Eighteenth-Century Music where I met many brilliant scholars and artists. I met a theater scholar, Michael Huettler, from the Don Juan Archive in Vienna. He was studying Mozart's early Singspiel "Bastien und Bastienne" and his findings on its performance history were fascinating. Our meeting and correspondence led to my freelance work for the archive as an independent research assistant. The archive's significance lies in its examination of the role of the Ottoman Empire in the history of European musical drama, which includes the study of Mozart's unfinished "Zaide" and his Viennese breakthrough Singspiel "Die Entfuehrung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio").

Another inspiring outcome from my trip to Prague was a progressed relationship with the Mozart Society of America. I became a member in 2006, but until June, I had only known and worked with members remotely on projects relating mainly to scholarly online sources, our new website and Facebook group. Dialogue following our successful and enjoyable meeting in Prague indicates that my membership will include greater responsibilities in the new year. I'm incredibly excited! Future tasks pertain to providing assistance with meeting and concert organization in the US and Europe as well as the Friends of Bertramka, a group devoted to supporting the rehabilitation efforts of the Villa Bertramka in Prague, a significant Mozart historical landmark.

Although this past year was plagued with disappointments from a lack of professional opportunities and scholarships for graduate studies due to the economic recession, there have been advantages to this hardship. It has certainly tested and proven my affinity, devotion and enthusiasm for annexing my life to musical vocation. I'm relentless in my pursuit. It is a love that is boundless. This artistic light is sometimes suspended, but never diminished, and it has remained an ever constant strength in my life. I'm very excited and hopeful for what is to come in 2010!

Sherry

The M Icon: My Story

2009-08-28T00:24:00.072-05:00

Majestic showman. Fashion icon. Artistic innovator. Affable humanitarian. My reflections on the death of Michael Jackson, musical genius and theatrical pioneer. This will undoubtedly be my most personal entry to date and its contents may surprise those of you who've assumed all along that this blog deemed Mozart as my one and only man in music.

Michael, in fact, represents my musical advent. He was a significant part of my early artistic life, instilling in my childhood compass the righteous marriage of music, drama and ideas. He redefined the popular music genre with the deliverance of autobiographical sentiment, sophistication and intelligent craftsmanship, adding new dimensions of depth and creativity. His vocabulary of dance was limitless. He revolutionized the music video and made it an art form. His choreography and dramatic staging concepts combined with cutting edge technology changed concert culture and performance art forever. His artistic and fashionable avidity shall never be met by the talent and fervor of any other individual.

Indeed, there are two significant silhouettes in my musical life, and the word “silhouette” describes each figure, perfectly. Michael and Mozart. Lives in profile. Divinity in motion. They gave everything of themselves to ensure that the world would always enjoy a contented existence in music, their music. From one cherubic prodigy to another, my love of music was born. From one dramatist to another, my understanding and passion for musical drama evolved, and is still evolving. The charisma and exuberance that radiates from their music gives me strength, hope and purpose. Their characters are rich and full, their similarities, striking. (Reference my entry Michael and Mozart: A Corresponding Virtuosity)

Musicology focuses so much on Mozart's premature death at age 35 and the unwritten compositions which are forever lost to us. With Michael's early departure, we face this loss now, in our own lifetime, not just in the pages of history. I dearly love these two spires of musical ingenuity and this historical recurrence is much to endure, but as other admirers, I must celebrate and carry these legacies forward with love and honor.

Michael reminded me of myself in many ways; extroverted artistically and introverted socially with a sometimes inhibiting shyness, yet embodying an astonishing sense of independence and mission. Michael was my first crush and consequently, my first "boyfriend." I ignored the fact that he was courting the imaginations of millions of other girls worldwide! My twin sister Sheryl and I owned albums, dolls, shirts, jackets, even a phonograph with the picture of Michael looking handsome in his yellow vest and bow tie. I remember receiving these signature gifts for many birthdays and Christmas seasons in the 1980s, a wonderful period in my life. We knew his signature moves and attempted to emulate them through our impromptu performances in the family living room. I was a child when "Heal the World" was released and I remember how special I felt because Michael loved children and featured them in this song.

We visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and inevitably doted over Michael's costume from the Bad short film, a staunch favorite that was directed by Martin Scorsese. I love that he conquers an impending violent confrontation with the use of ballet, aggressive swagger and clever lyricism ("You're throwing stones to hide your hands") while donning his belted bravado (Sheryl just LOVES to tease me about this!). He was merely 30 years old when the Bad era delivered him to the stars. There was a certain Pepsi commercial from this period that was especially magical to my childhood eyes. I wanted to see it during every tv program interlude. I was certain there was a piece of divinity in his cameo when he asked, "Lookin' for me?" with the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen.

Sharing Michael's music with my sister over the years has been a very special and extraordinary gift. I can't remember exactly when we became fans, but our memorabilia dates back to about age four or five. Our father was born in Rensselaer, Indiana, so of course the distance to Michael's childhood home in Gary, Indiana was calculated. To be exact? Only 52 miles. And our mother was born in JACKSONville, Ohio, so it's a family joke that we were destined to be Michael Jackson fans!

Michael's intense affinity for classical music drew me closer to his artistry. I could feel the influence in his work. It also had a tangibility. Who could forget his incorporation of an excerpt from Beethoven's 9th symphony as a prelude for "Will You Be There?" It was not only an artistic gesture reflecting his love of the music, but also a humanitarian gesture. The original German "Ihr stuerzt nieder, Millionen? Ahnest du den Schoepfer, Welt? Such ihn ueberm Sternenzelt, Ueber Sternen muss er wohnen" is translated into "Do you come crashing down, you millions? Do you sense the Creator's presence, world? Seek Him above the starry firmament, For above the stars he surely dwells."

In interviews, Michael constantly referenced his love for classical music, mentioning composers such as Mozart, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. In this photo with his Bösendorfer piano, he looks every bit the part of an isolated master, a typical characteristic of musical giftedness. He was very much like Mozart in that there were two levels to his artistry: the popular recognition and a lesser known perspicacious capacity. When Michael died in June, it was revealed that he was working on an album of classical music. It was surprising to the majority, but it made sense. This was Michael. He shared the stage with Luciano Pavarotti and The Three Tenors for a benefit concert in Modena in 1999. I didn't have the opportunity to meet Michael in person, but I saw The Three Tenors in concert and also met Placido Domingo during my apprenticeship with the Washington National Opera in 2008, so this is my operatic connection to him, so to speak!

In regards to opera, Michael's unique fame and voice have been compared to the famous castrati (male sopranos) of a bygone era. Maestro Riccardo Muti was quoted recently about this connection. "He is without a doubt one of the most legendary, controversial (and beloved) singers of all time... His controversial story, his weaknesses, the extreme restlessness and his exhausted last days remind me of the lives of the great castrati like Caffarelli or Farinelli, who became objects of adoration and idolatry. And they often became victims of this adoration."

With this relationship in mind, I was vying to hear Michael interpret his own version of the lamenting aria Lascia ch'io pianga from Händel's opera, Rinaldo. Imagine! Its soaring melodic consciousness and dramatic intention suits Michael's maligned life incredibly well, focusing on liberation of the individual. "Let me weep over my cruel fate and sigh for my lost freedom. May the pain shatter the chains of my torment with mercy."

Andrew Lloyd Webber recently disclosed that Michael had approached him in the 1980s, after the stage premiere of The Phantom of the Opera, about possibly taking on the title role himself in a movie version. This is hardly surprising, given his love of musical theater, the genre used to showcase his talent for the first time at age five with Climb Every Mountain from The Sound of Music in a school talent show. In his article from London's Telegraph on 27 June, Webber brings to light Michael's genius from a theatrical perspective which I find incredibly fascinating, for it reveals his core artistic being. "The story got to him. I think he had a connection with the lonely, tortured musician. He found the idea of somebody working through music and having a girl as a muse very intriguing – and he loved that there was illusion in the show. Of course, he was a great showman himself, but he found the whole stagecraft of musicals extraordinary."

A lack of good timing kept my sister and I from the concert experience. Michael's Bad tour (1987-1989) was his last in the United States and we were far too young for our parents to allow us to attend such tumultuous concert affairs in Europe in the 1990s! We just missed him in New York in 2001. On 7 and 10 September, Michael had given two concerts at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his solo career. We were so thankful that it was televised on CBS! Click here to see his stellar performance of Billie Jean! We were in the city just a few weeks later with our collegiate marching band on 29 September to perform for a New York Giants football game. On 7 November, Michael made an appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square to promote what would be his final album, Invincible.

However, over this past year, Sheryl and I remained excitedly hopeful about Jackson 5 reunion rumors that surfaced now and again. And when Michael held a press conference in London for his This is It tour in March, we were over the moon. This was our chance to finally see the artist we had admired from just beyond toddlerhood, but fate would not hear of it. Tragedy struck in June. A part of my childhood, my own musical history, died with him. Denial, anger, countless tears. I had just returned from Prague a week prior and had thought about Michael in the Bohemian capital upon seeing Madonna's tour posters everywhere.

The reality of this loss was painstakingly dark, especially as I watched the haunting rehearsal footage that was released, over and over again, which displayed his ever powerful voice and unparalleled command of dance. A singer's vocal prime is roughly between the ages of 35 and 50, so Michael still had his legendary sound. Perhaps the most chilling aspect revealed in this footage was the lyrical content from the song itself, They Don't Really Care About Us. Sheryl and I entered the lottery for tickets to the memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but our names weren't chosen, so we watched the coverage on television all day, wore commemorative t-shirts and even designed a cake for the occasion.

Although we weren't able to attend this significant event, Sheryl and I are incredibly excited to have tickets to the Tribute 2009 concert event in Vienna on 26 September! The Austrian capital was chosen because Michael cherished this city for its musical history and Hapsburg imperialism. Mozart spent his greatest years here. The tribute event will be staged at the Hapsburg summer residence Schloss Schönbrunn where Mozart famously performed for the young Marie Antoinette. I've been to the palace twice for tours and classical concerts, and to Vienna generally to pursue Mozartian history, but I never would have guessed I'd be visiting the city to celebrate the artist I've known since childhood, the artist who first opened my heart and mind to music. It's estimated that the televised tribute will reach an audience of one billion fans.

I've learned an abundance from Michael's artistry. Where do I begin? It would take far too long to write on this topic, so I'll attempt to summarize! His musical benevolence has greatly inspired my own love of sharing music with others and volunteering my time and resources towards philanthropic activities, especially those relating to music. Michael used his musical gifts for his fellow man, supporting over 30 charities with more than $300 million dollars, surpassing any other celebrity in history.

Internalizing Michael's poignant voice at such an early age led to my development of a preference for the high male voice across several genres. For example, my affection for Mozart's tenor arias is far greater than those belonging to the female characters of his operas and scenas. I love material written originally for castrati (male sopranos), now performed by countertenors and mezzo-sopranos. I associate Michael's higher register and physical virtuosity with the melisma and athleticism of the Baroque voice. Michael's extravagant sets, costumes and employed classicism corroborate opera's ideal. One aria which reflects this sentiment is Doppo Notte from the Händel opera, Ariodante. Another example of this type of association is Mozart's motet Exsultate Jubilate which was originally written for Venanzio Rauzzini, a male soprano who had performed in his opera Lucio Silla in 1772.

In terms of 20th Century popular music, I'm taken by the expressive tenor voices of Doo-Wop, Rock and Soul from the 1950s and 1960s. As a teenager, I was the proud owner of Time Life's Dick Clark collection and along with my sister and friends, simulated a session of American Bandstand for our school's drama club. Frankie Lymon's Why Do Fools Fall in Love is certainly one of my favorites! And never to be forgotten from this period is Michael's Who's Lovin' You from 1969. Every song is remarkable from his early years, but I feel that this song, in its singularity, shows his genius more radiantly. As Berry Gordy said, "He sang it with the sadness and passion of a man who'd been living the blues and heartbreak his whole life."

The voice of Savage Garden's lead singer Darren Hayes caught my attention in the 1990s with the song I Knew I Loved You. Darren was greatly inspired and influenced by Michael's artistry. In his tribute, he wrote, "When I was 13, I saw him live in concert and from the second he arrived on stage, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life. It was September 1987 and I have to this day never seen anything more extraordinary. To this day, I've never seen a reaction from an audience like the one he received. I've never seen magic and glitter fly through the air and witness that electricity to start up hearts the way he did that night. And now I'm certain the world never again will. Thank you, Michael Jackson. On behalf of dreamers the world over. The world is a duller place without you. I'm so privileged to have lived in the same lifetime to witness even a moment of your glory."

The image at the beginning of this post is from Michael's 2007 photo shoot with Ebony magazine in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his immortal album, Thriller. This is one of my favorite images of Michael, not simply because he's stunning and dapper in his top hat, but because I believe it readily portrays him as he wanted to be perceived and accepted: as a serious artist with classical sentiment, notwithstanding his signature edge and attitude with modernity's style and finesse. This is certainly how I'll remember him. I started drafting this entry on 6 July, but I've not had the time or energy to finish it until now. And I can't think of a better way to end this account, further capturing my sentiment, than disclosing a poem I wrote in honor of Michael's legacy, recalling my fondest memories. It's simply entitled, Michael Jackson: Memory. This tribute photo accompanies my poetic melancholia while reflecting my love of the Bad era, the period when I truly began to understand the man and the music.

Silhouette in adorning fashion. Love. Humility. Flash of contour, flash of light. Gains of a thousand words. Faintly come distant, shining bright. / Cherubic prodigy. Gentleman artisan. Blanketed in stunning, amplified blessing. Darkest eyes of benevolence and mysterious splendor. Consummate love expressing. / Precision. Pathos. A generous embrace. Lyrical sentiment, oh gentle lyre. Relentless genius. Truthful existence. Virtuous imagination, fantasy and fire. / Dramatic innovation, humanistic connotation. Unbreakable line. Promenade of recognition, through barriers risen. Protagonist of music and ideas. Divine. / Ethereal vibrato. All-encompassing bravado. Childhood memory and jest. Tender innocence, soulful smiles and abiding laughter. God be praised, we were blessed.

Sherry

New Mozart Death Theory

2009-08-17T20:37:00.006-05:00

Mozart May Have Died of Strep Throat Complications
CNN.com By Shahreen Abedin
Copyright Health Magazine 2009
August 17, 2009

Many of you have been notifying me of this piece of news over the last few days, which is brilliant! Thank you! I share the same opinion as the quoted medical professionals: strep is plausible, but not definite. I didn't realize that thorough examination of Vienna's daily death registry had previously gone amiss. This incident teaches us never to assume anything, but to continue our rigorous and restless investigation for answers. The above portrait is an inauthentic rendering of Mozart's death from an anonymous 19th Century artist.

Sherry

Mozart Compositions Unveiled

2009-08-03T16:58:00.008-05:00

Two New Mozart Works Presented in Austria By Veronika Oleksyn, The Associated Press
ABC News, August 2, 2009

*Click here for video from CBS News Online!

Mozartstadt Prague

2009-06-19T16:10:00.043-05:00

Mozartstadt. City of Mozart. A more than appropriate title for the Bohemian capital of Prague. During the three years that I've authored the Chronicles, I've often mentioned Prague's centricity to the Mozart biography. The citizens of Prague held the first signifcant memorial service for Mozart, they were the first to erect a memorial in his honor in 1837 and Czech native Franz Xaver Niemetschek wrote one of the earliest biographical accounts of the composer in 1797. Niemetschek wrote, "The Bohemians are proud that he recognized and honored their good taste with so noble a work (Don Giovanni), coming from the depths of his genius." The photo above was taken during my visit to the Villa Bertramka, the home of Mozart's friends and fellow musicians Franz and Josepha Duschek, where Mozart stayed as a guest. "Meine Prager verstehen mich," Mozart exclaimed. "My Praguers understand me."

One week ago on 16 June, I departed the beloved city and other loyal devotees with whom I had been on a level of professional and personal exchange in the good name of Mozart. And without hesitation, I'll simply gush! The conference delivered brilliant scholarship, exquisite dining (with too many courses to mention!), delightful concerts and redolent visits to Mozart landmarks. MSA President Kathryn Libin surpassed all expectations with her instigation of this grand event and I'm incredibly grateful to her for giving me the opportunity to attend.

So, da capo! (from the beginning!) On 8 June, after a restless red-eye flight across the Atlantic, I found myself enveloped in a magical morning in Prague. Unable to take a much-needed nap at my friend Zuzana's flat due to overwhelming excitement, I ventured out into the city. I spent most of my afternoon strolling on the 13th Century Charles Bridge where I took in the stunning cityscape and the language of musicians. It would be quite easy to spend several days there! I took pictures and curiously observed the passersby. The 17th Century Crucifix and Calvary on the bridge drew my undivided attention in regards to my faith and the Mozart history. These were overwhelming moments. I reflected on my purpose, my devotion, the people in my life who have supported my passion, and was caught up in tears and poetic nuance...

The crucifix where you pondered, is now where I wander. Your darkness, my light, in my heart your music has sight. With tears in my eyes as you so often penned, how lovely it is to meet you again.

Shortly after these renderings of poetry, I met my friend Ruediger Mandry from Dresden. After a bit of walking and browsing in a music shop, we had dinner in the Old Town Square and attended a performance of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" at the Estates Theater, where Mozart himself conducted the opera. It was certainly a highlight of my week! The photo below was taken in the theater following the performance that evening.

Speaking of highlights, it's best if I adhere to this format, as it would take me forever and a day to describe the entirety of my trip! As I've been to Prague twice before, I'd already seen the most significant Mozart haunts, but this time I saw some of them from a different perspective and of course there were new additions! Highlights included attending a service at the Strahov Monastery to listen to the organ that Mozart improvised on in 1787, seeing manuscripts in the Beethoven Room at the Lobkowitz Palace, which included Mozart's arrangement of Handel's "Messiah" in his own hand, visiting the Czech Museum of Music and seeing a basset horn from 1791 which is significant for Mozart's writing for this instrument in his opera "La Clemenza di Tito" which premiered in Prague in 1791 and visiting the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Lesser Town where Mozart's memorial service was held on 14 December, 1791 to a congregation of 4,000 Czech citizens.

Another noteworthy adventure was my trip to the Kanzelsberger music shop, where I discovered the first Prague edition of a Mozart sonata for four hands. It did not have a KV number or a date, but I was permitted to take a few photos of the exterior and score, so I was able to later identify it as KV 521, Sonate in C für Klavier zu vier Händen (Sonata in C for Keyboard for Four Hands) which dates from 29 May, 1797. At the moment, I'm researching the date of the Prague edition. This photo was taken holding the sonata in question!

Scholarly discussions aside, the conference was simply about people! I had the opportunity to meet scholars from Denmark, Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, North America and the Czech Republic. My dialogue with musicologists, theater scholars, fortepiano experts and artists offered reassurance for my chosen path. The biggest surprise was a visit by Prince William and Princess Alexandra Lobkowitz, descendants of Mozart's aristocratic patrons. This occasion also granted yet another visit with a dear friend, Zuzana, who is so fortunate to be a native of this unparalleled city. It was through her invitation that I came to know Prague for the first time in 2004 and she's also responsible for consequent visits which I hope will continue! Děkuji, Zuzana! And never to be forgotten, there were several people not present at the conference who encouraged my travel to Prague and I certainly carried their loving support in my luggage! Specifically, my family and beloved friend, Stephanie Cowell.

When on a pilgrimmage such as this one, where our aim is in part to absorb as much as possible that still exists from Mozart's world, a certain emptiness surfaces sooner or later with the realization that no matter hard we try, we'll never be able to touch him, talk to him, or hear his music as he intended it to be heard. There's so much we'll never know and this notion leaves a void, a stark dissatisfaction. However, the advantage for me personally is the resulting encouragement and inquisitiveness that drives my passion onward in hope of further musicological discovery. Hours after writing the previous little poem, and shortly before the performance of "Figaro," I was yet again encouraged to take up my pen and dash a little something on paper...

The streets you once knew, voice their story of you,

but you are not here, and soon the clouds seem shear.

Where to find you? Within these walls from time?

No, no, in the stave, beyond masonry and grave.

Let it be known to all, who seek a tangible story,

that you are not here, but singing God's glory.

Sherry

En Route to the Musicopolis...

2009-06-06T00:27:00.012-05:00

It's now Saturday, far past the midnight hour, and I'm only a day away from my departure for Prague to attend the Mozart Society of America conference. My travels will take me to the city that adored Mozart, where his music met with unrivaled success. Indeed, the Bohemian musicopolis is the most appropriate place in which to celebrate Mozart's life with musical performance and scholarly applause. The conference will address Mozart's relationship to Prague with lectures, concerts, museum/residence tours and so forth, representing an impressive array of activity any admirer would only concoct as dreamy happenstance.

Perhaps you'll recall the previous entry concerning my Figaro Year. I kept wondering when and where I'd come across the opportunity to see a performance, but the search has ended with the best of scenarios, quite unexpectedly! On Monday evening, I'll attend a performance of Mozart's Figaro at the Estates Theater, which is shown above. Little did I realize until a few months ago that this opera would be performed during my visit by the National Theater troupe (Narodni Divaldo). This is the venue where Mozart himself conducted the opera in 1787 in addition to the premieres of Don Giovanni later in 1787 and La Clemenza di Tito in 1791, just a few months before he died. In 2004, I attended a performance of Don Giovanni in this historic theater, so Tito will be my aim to complete the trio on a future visit to the city! For now though, allow me to be still a moment and reflect on what is to come...

Adieu! I'll write upon my return!

Sherry

The Musiker from Maastricht

2009-06-03T19:50:00.012-05:00

After years of following his PBS performances and admiring the joyful transference that occurs between the Maestro and his audience, I finally had the opportunity to see André Rieu perform live in concert. Despite the size of the crowd, the atmosphere felt more intimate, much like old friends gathering for a musical evening. I had soon forgotten myself, my surroundings, all of my misfortunes. I was suddenly back in Vienna and so happily in love with the music! Nothing else mattered. I saw genuine enchantment in his face, reflecting the pleasure of musicianship in sharing these beloved compositions. His 1667 Stradivarius violin was all the more striking for Franz Lehár's Silber und Gold Walzer, the very piece that secured his passion for Viennese music. My smile is endless when I see him take up his instrument. And heaven be praised, he never forgets Mozart! He certainly doesn't please purists with his presentational style, but that was never the idea.

Rieu's convivial disposition and comedic antics, his dialogue concerning the music itself, and his sincerity about bringing this music to the fore was gracious. At one point during the performance, he recalled attending a classical concert as a child in Maastricht. How joyful the music was to his ears, but how cold the hearts of the people, how rigid, how unreflective of the melodies! He set out to remedy this offense when founding his Johann Strauss Orchestra at the age of 29 and now, in 2009, he's celebrating his 30th year with a worldwide tour. He inspires us to enjoy the music, which is exactly what we forget to do amidst analysis and criticism. He aims to do what I aspire to achieve professionally. That is, to remove the elitist stigma from the genre and create awareness of the music's purposeful existence which is benevolence and joy for all, not an exclusive constituency. Click here for excerpts from André Rieu: Live in Vienna. I'll close with an excerpt from Dr. Alexander Weinmann's notes from the 1962 album Creampuffs from Vienna: Rare Old Vienna Dances with the Boskovsky Ensemble.

"Dance, a musical form that has adorned life from the earliest times, holds a prominent place in Viennese tradition. It is an engaging expression of a people's life, polished with high artistry, that's intertwined with the heart and mind and music of other peoples. It has the spark of eternal life and can be savored affectionately today. The notes loosen and blossom forth into treasures of melody and rhythm, with a sweet and bitter intimacy, with roaring furiosos that alternate with profound melancholy and pungent impudence. A bygone time comes to mind, clear and uncontaminated."

Alles Walzer!
Sherry

Beethoven: My Encore with Classical Film

2009-05-27T19:06:00.015-05:00

Fulfilling my role as Marketing Manager for the North American release of Phil Grabsky's stunning film In Search of Mozart was a highly pleasurable experience, one that I will always adore. We enjoyed a successful run which lasted nearly a year and a half with the film gracing screens in New York, Chicago, Boston, LA, Seattle and countless other cities, filling hearts and minds with divinity from Grabsky's film-making and the Salzburger named Mozart. For me, there's nothing more satisfying than bringing his music to others and with cinema being popular, progressively popular as a platform for opera and classical music, who could ask for a more perfect medium or opportunity than what was before me?

Well, the truth is that I'll never be able to retrieve such an experience again. However, a film about his famous could-have-been pupil from Bonn would more than suffice as an encore to my experience with the classical documentary. Yes, you heard this correctly! As of last Wednesday, plans are in motion for our collaboration on In Search of Beethoven. I can't express just how thankful I am for this second opportunity to advocate classical music on such a level.

The film is currently in the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and it will surely sweep more countries with its passion and originality, just as Mozart did in recent years. The U.S. premiere will be in Chicago in July at the Gene Siskel Theater, where Mozart broke a box-office record in 2007. Speaking of the late critic Gene Siskel, Beethoven has already received a fantastic review by his British equivalent, Philip French from The Observer: "One of the finest movies about a great musician I’ve ever seen." An excellent interview with Grabsky can be found on MusicalCritisicm.com by Dominic McHugh.

The meeting of Mozart and Beethoven has been debated and naturally fantasized. For example, in this scene from the 1942 film Wen die Götter lieben (Whom the Gods Love). Given the documentation that does exist, many scholars believe that the young men probably met in Vienna in April 1787 when Mozart was 31 and Beethoven was 16 years old. Having studied and pursued public relations within the context of classical music, I find it amusing that a strategy found its place even surrounding this supposed "meeting of the masters." Legend proclaims that after hearing Beethoven play, Mozart said something like "...someday he will give the world something to talk about." What an accolade for the promoter's artillery!

Beethoven admired Mozart tremendously and studied his music in depth. Because of his talent, I think expectations were even greater for him to emulate the genius than Mozart's own son Franz Xaver, who himself was praised as being one of the finest pianists of his day. Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792, one year after Mozart died, to further his musical career. Johann Heinrich famously wrote to him: "Mozart's genius hovers over you and, smiling at you, lends its approbation."

Do take a gander at the official Beethoven site and read more about the Mozart-Beethoven nexus. There's fascinating history to be found there!

Sherry

Mozart im Frühling

2009-05-15T01:06:00.011-05:00

Is there any greater feeling of pleasure constructed than from one's imaginings of a Rococo spring? This painting by Francois Boucher, The Four Seasons (Spring) from 1755, is one of its most superb renditions. I'm as guilty as any other who is caught in this breadth, its playful, wistful and seemingly ideal existence. Mozart's Haffner Serenade comes vividly to mind as I admire the young couple in view. Afterall, it was written for performance on the eve of a summer wedding in 1776.

When casting oneself into such a perfect state of being, as many do when experiencing art from this period, a recollection of reality is due, a sobriety found in the history itself. One needs the performance aesthetic (bliss) but also informed musicology (reality). If you attend a Mozart opera and knows nothing of his biography aside from the program notes, it's a reinforcement of this idealogical state, especially if the opera is staged as a pastoral playground. You see and hear the 18th Century just as one views the above portrait: prim, proper, perfection. Mozart's life is often painted as picturesque as his own era, but let's brush some black and white on those pretty pastels, shall we? Charles Dickens is appropriate here...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

Mozart's music is so beautiful and generous to our souls that one finds it simply unbelieveable that this man lived anything other than the happiest of days. This is one of the most popular myths in circulation and it has an insatiable appetite! It's not to suggest that he led an afflicted life which diminished the light radiating so brightly from his métier and personality, but it's vital not to ignore historical blemishes as they make our love and understanding for his story even more profound.

Sherry

Life's a Pitch: Arts Publicity

2009-04-07T11:51:00.014-05:00

I've interviewed artists, directors and novelists for The Chronicles, but never a publicist. Given my background in public relations via Mozartiana, it's long overdue, I must say! Perhaps the issue was that I simply didn't feel a connection with anyone I'd met or read online, but as of last week, I had a eureeka! moment.

Upon reading Amanda Ameer's blog, Life’s a Pitch, I discovered how much I identified with her frustrations concerning publicity and marketing for the arts. She disclosed stories of her own experiences on the scene in New York which elicited witty, candid and fresh assessments. We have matching philosophies. She seeks to desegregate genres and artists to unleash an array of possibility. Yes, classical music CAN live happily combined with jazz and 21st Century texts! As I read on, I discovered information about her company, First Chair Promotion, which she launched in 2007 after departing IMG Artists as Publicity Manager.

My experience in public relations has been organizational to this point and with Amanda, I knew I'd found a good opportunity to learn more about the artist-publicist relationship, so I wrote to her to request an interview and the rest, as they say, is history. Of course, discovering that she was Hilary Hahn's publicist brought forth yet another incentive! (You're #1, Hilary!) Click here to see her perform the final movement of Mozart's violin concerto in G major, K. 216. I tremendously appreciate Amanda taking time from her busy schedule to answer a few questions and cast light on curiosity. Sincerest thanks. And now, on with the show!

Sherry

*An Interview with Amanda Ameer*

Sherry: Your client roster ranges from the illustrious classical violinist Hilary Hahn to the vibrant new sounds of Gabriele Kahane, composer of Craigslistlieder. In fact, all of the artists you represent display a passion for contrast in their artistry, merging and experimenting with various styles/genres while maintaining standard repertory. Given the current landscape of classical music and opera, this trait is undoubtedly desirable and marketable. Although these new ideas are welcomed by countless communities, significant adversity exists from purists who influence programming decisions. This sentence from your site addresses the divide between these two publics. “First Chair will bring its clients to new audiences while introducing long-time fans to fresh artistic experiences.” Is tackling this polarization one of the most challenging aspects of artist promotion?

Amanda: I should mention that I don’t, as a publicist, book artists or work with presenters on programs. That said, in my opinion, the key to representing unique artists to different communities is that, no matter how confusing their genre or lack thereof may be to some folks, each client performs or composes at an exceptional level. Despite writers’, presenters’ and eventually audiences’ tastes, it’s difficult to question a certain degree of artistic excellence. That doesn’t mean I’ll be able to get stories for every client in every media outlet I pitch, but it does mean I can confidently encourage journalists to take risks on stories they may not have otherwise written.

Sherry: Hilary Hahn is known for expressing sincere appreciation to her admirers and seems to be quite exceptional in this manner. Artists interact very differently with their fans. How has marketing dramatically changed the fan-artist relationship with the latest generation of classical artists?

Amanda: Artist blogs, in addition to sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and to a lesser degree now, MySpace, have all completely changed the expectation for fan-artist relationships. When artists blogs are actually written by the artists - like the excellent blogs of pianist Jeremy Denk and composer Nico Muhly - I find myself enjoying their performances 100% more than I would if I didn’t have that public insight into their personalities and professional lives. I was furious when a friend at a record label forwarded me Jeremy’s “interview” of Sarah Palin and asked if I thought his publicist wrote it as a PR stunt. Of course his publicist didn’t write it! Read his other blog entries! That interview is very clearly Jeremy Denk, and it’s cool that I can say that about a pianist I’ve only met in person a few times. Similarly, people always ask if I write Hilary’s Violin Case’s Tweets. (I don’t – who has the time?) That skepticism exists because publicists look at high-trafficked artist blogs, YouTube channels, Twitter feeds and Facebook pages and think, those are good marketing tools - I’m going to make my artists (or organization) sign up for them, or worse, blog/Tweet/update for them! That’s always painfully transparent, because the real deal – Hilary, The King’s Singers, Jeremy, Nico – are out there! I update a few of my artists’ Facebook and MySpace accounts, but it’s made very clear from the tone that they are official, not personal, pages.

That said, a commitment to interacting with fans at that level is incredibly time-consuming. Thirty years ago, artists had to show up at a venue, perform, and maybe do a few newspaper and radio interviews; now they’re expect to vlog what they had for dinner and post it on YouTube. I encourage my artists to do what comes naturally to them, that is, if they like to write they should blog, if they like on-camera interviews, they should utilize YouTube. If not, they can always connect with fans the old-fashioned way: in performance, imagine that!

Sherry: Americans for the Arts estimates that the U.S. could lose up to 10,000 arts organizations this year due to the recession. Opera and classical music communities have proven to be more recession-proof than their counterparts in the past, but they cannot avoid disruption altogether. Artists will rely heavily on the resourcefulness of their managers and publicists. What can we expect to see during this economic downturn?

Amanda: While times are indeed tougher than usual, when did arts organizations and artists really have money to spare? I think we actually live in ideal times to not have marketing budgets: the best ways to market are free. Can’t afford to buy TV ad spots? Put your ad on YouTube. Don’t want to invest in buying e mail lists? Set up an interesting, unique and informative Twitter account and offer sales and special offers (that expire in five minutes) up there. I’ve done one big CD mailing since I started working on my own and the postage cost $192, not including the padded envelopes, labels, business cards, paper press release, and album itself. I will never do that again, but rather, have been e mailing critics download links and offering physical copies by request only. If Great Depression Take 1 resulted in a renaissance of artist creativity, I think our Depression is generating a similar flourish of marketing creativity.

Reflect, Rethink and Renew

2009-04-06T19:28:00.006-05:00

Renewable resources. Reflect, rethink and renew. These three words inevitably come to mind as publicists think of their artists and directors embark on their interpretation of an operatic work from the list of standard repertory. How many Figaros have we seen grace the stage over the past two-hundred years? Reinvention achieves success, revitalization and longevity that propels a work to classical status. Lest we forget, these three words also address our ailing environment and performing arts communities. Non-profit organizations have similar philosophies and concerns, but more often than not, collaborative efforts to address shared issues are uncommon.

However, as organizations now face unprecedented burdens from the global recession, such collaborations are springing to life. In my own community, a recent weekend event was devoted to raising the profile of local artisans, musicians and visual/performing arts organizations while benefiting local eco-intiatives from concert proceeds. This progressive awareness is also reflected in the Americans for the Arts convention in Seattle this summer. Their theme is dedicated to the significant potential that could derive from this mutually beneficial relationship: Renewable Resources: Arts in Sustainable Communities.

There is much to learn and gain from each other in our quest to support these causes which are so dear to us. Encouraging citizens and constituents to support activities for both the environment and the arts will be vital. I cannot help but think that if Mozart were alive today, he would be at the forefront of such initiatives. Sometimes the most significant leaps in creative thinking are achieved on depravity's doorstep. Think globally, act locally!

Sherry

Mozartians: The Final Four

2009-04-06T19:11:00.013-05:00

Just for fun, since the NCAA's championship game is this evening and basketball is my favorite sport (believe it or not, athleticism actually precedes my musicianship!), I'm selecting my own Final Four of favorite Mozart opera scenes with stellar casts. The teams? Heavyweights. Enjoy!

Sherry

Le Nozze di Figaro - Dwayne Croft, Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming

Die Zauberflöte - Diana Damrau, Dorothea Röschmann

Don Giovanni - Ruggero Raimondi, Kiri Te Kanawa, Teresa Berganza

Le Nozze di Figaro - Frederica von Stade, Kathleen Battle, Carol Vaness

Proximidade Friendliness Award

2009-03-18T15:17:00.011-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised this afternoon to receive the Proximidade Friendliness Award from The Official Weblog of Wolfgang Amadè Mozart! Click to view this announcement and a listing of other historical bloggers who have received this award.

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. This blog is exceedingly charming. These kinds of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated."

Sherry

BBC Series: The Genius of Mozart

2009-03-02T15:36:00.004-05:00

Conductor Charles Hazlewood prioritizes avenues which allow for the pursuit of musical professionalism while satisfying his ambition to engage the broadest of audiences with compelling passion. Amongst other mediums, he has successfully harnessed television to achieve this objective and one fine example is the BBC's 2004 television series The Genius of Mozart.

I was studying at the University of Westminster in London at the time of its debut and was only able to see random excerpts (my flat had a television that worked only occasionally!), so I'm now incredibly grateful for its online availability. Hazlewood avoids polarization with sensationalism or scholarly dialogue, instead utilizing family letters and his expertise as a musician and conductor to inform the narrative of this re-enactment. Albeit some dramatization, he strikes a good balance which satisfies our craving for knowledge and our desire to grasp tangible humanity from this history in entertaining fashion. Namely in regards to the performance of the D minor piano concerto, one can truly feel the energy of Mozart's music and biography so strongly in this scene...its excitement, tragedy, daring and athleticism.

The above image depicts a scene from the film of Wolfgang and Nannerl performing together at the keyboard in London. Even the character of Daines Barrington, English naturalist who wrote a report for the Royal Society confirming Mozart's genius in 1769, makes an appearance in the film!

Sherry

The Mozart of Madras

2009-03-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

This entry was originally posted in February 2008, but I've decided to make this post current again in celebration of A.R. Rahman's Academy Award success with Slumdog Millionaire. Enjoy!

Sherry

During Mozart Week celebrations, I was in contact with two wonderful Indian Mozartians which led me to ask my friend and colleague about the state of Mozart's popularity and appeal in India. I met Rahul Venkit, one of India's brightest young journalists, while studying at the University of Westminster in London. It's unfortunate that Rahul's Singapore interview with A.R. Rahman ("The Mozart of India") is no longer available online, but we do have some of his commentary on the subject!

"Now this is fascinating stuff! Loved your email and the info it contained. Too much junk floating around these days, I feel. It's so refreshing to read something stimulating! These people could easily make a great feature story in a Sunday magazine in India!"

"Hmm, unfortunately in India, Mozart and young people are opposites. Young people barely give Indian classical music a listen, so you can imagine where Western classical music ranks. There's simply no exposure to Mozart for kids and young adults. It's understandable if you think about it. Sixty percent of India is grappling with bread and butter issues. Bollywood and its pelvic-thrusting, booty-shaking, mass-produced numbers are all the entertainment they need. Some of the educated class might enjoy English music, but most would prefer pop and R&B and whatever MTV and VH1 throws at them. Only a very small percentage of musicians and educated people are likely to chance upon Mozart and relish his music. There might be a handful of Mozart lovers scattered about the country, but not more than that."

"Jazz has more takers. Many metros in India have jazz clubs where fans meet every Sunday morning and play their fave jassical tunes. There is one hilarious reference to Mozart in India though. We have a world class composer named A.R. Rahman. He's the guy who made the music for "The Lord of the Rings" musical, "Bombay Dreams" and a million other hits in India. He comes from a city called Madras. Since it makes a cute alliteration, he's called 'The Mozart of Madras!'"

Students at the Westminster residence halls, myself included, were fortunate to get a taste of Indian popular music via Rahul's brilliant parties. I'm certain that we watched at least one Rahman film? Rahul's brother is a drummer for the band Agnee who's hit single Shaam Tanha can be seen on MTV. And I must say, if memory serves me correctly, Rahul is quite the guitarist! I've posted an image of us below from our Westminster days.

Cheers, Rahul!
Sherry

An Invitation to Figaro Online

2009-02-13T14:04:00.008-05:00

In a few days, on 17 February, Opera America's online course for Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro will begin! The four-week course will be taught by Scott Eyerly, a composer and Julliard professor. In regards to the level of instruction, cost and convenience, it's a brilliant manner in which to expeditiously study the work in more depth. I was very pleased with their Don Giovanni course which included printable materials, listening examples and engaging dialogue from a diverse studentship. The course is self-paced and costs only $10. Click to register and learn more about future online learning opportunities with Opera America.

Sherry

Prioritizing Music and the Arts with Political Capital

2009-01-20T20:24:00.019-05:00

This historical day has been full of jubilation for President Obama's Inauguration, a symbolic beginning full of promise. This new administration also represents an opportunity to futher artistic progression in the United States. Quincy Jones was interviewed on CNN about his petition to instate a Secretary of Arts and Culture post to President Obama's cabinet. Please add your voice to Quincy's petition which will in time be presented to President Obama. Throughout 2008, the Obama-Biden ticket campaigned for arts and culture. Although their administration will be consumed by tasks far more pressing, they give us reason to be optimistic about their intention to raise the profile of community, collegiate and professional aims of artistic expression. Funding for the arts is tentatively to be included in the proposed stimulus bill. Visit Americans for the Arts for more information about arts funding and legislation. On a much lighter and more Mozartian note, I think Mozart would have been very amused by the idea of the citizenry demanding funding for music and the arts from their government!

Sherry

Fröhliche Weihnachten und Prosit Neujahr!

2008-12-28T16:30:00.008-05:00

The Christmas season has been wonderful again this year; full of friends, family and music! The gifts were also musical, my favorite being Diana Damrau's new album, Mozart Donna. This is one of my favorite photographs of the Mozart statue on Ebury Street in London. The Mozarts were on tour in the British capital from 23 April 1764 to 30 July 1765. Leopold Mozart moved his family to 180 Ebury Street on 5 August 1764 to recover from illness. The very image stirs my fondest memories of the city and encourages my hopes of a return in the new year. Warmest wishes to you and yours for a blessed holiday and very musical 2009! Gesegnete Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr!

Sherry

Brendel Bids Farewell with Mozart

2008-12-23T13:25:00.004-05:00

Alfred Brendel, an iconic master of the concert stage, finished the final performance of his concert career in Vienna at the Musikverein on 18 December with Mozart's concerto K. 271. Mozart has been a centricity in Brendel's career which has brilliantly spanned 60 years. He is one of few artists to have recorded all of Mozart's piano concerti and he was the first artist to record the entirety of Beethoven's piano works. A documentary was released about his life by Opus Arte entitled, Alfred Brendel: In Portrait.

A friend of mine, Cody, purchased tickets for us to see Brendel perform with the Cleveland Orchestra last spring, but I was called to Castleton, Va as an apprentice for Maestro Maazel's Chateauville Foundation Residency and could not attend. Knowing that I missed my only opportunity to see him perform on his farewell tour, I was unquestionably distraught. However, the good news is that his retirement as a concert pianist does not mean that he's disappearing from the scene altogether.

"Unlike some of my colleagues, I'm not addicted to playing. I have interests aside from music," he said in a recent interview. "I have all sorts of plans next year. After a break of a few months, I'll be giving lectures, readings, seminars, doing more writing. I'm always writing something."

How very fortunate for us!

Sherry

A Day of Remembrance

2008-12-05T23:25:00.004-05:00

This day commemorates the anniversary of Mozart's death on 5 December, 1791. Although it is a solemn occasion, it is nonetheless worthy of recognition and celebratory regard for the music and the man. Adorned in black dress, Mozart's body was placed in the study of his home in close proximity to the keyboard where friends and family could give their final adieu.

What a startling image. A young man of 35 years, the world's greatest musical genius, no longer remained. On the brink of promising heights after enduring a plateau of sorts with the fickle Viennese, his prospects once again flourished, but death took him sooner than anyone had anticipated. It's easy for us to claim it as a miracle that he existed to this mere duration upon examination of his medical history, but what a dark deception it must have been for his contemporaries. Imagine. His music embodied beauty, vitality, health. The spirit of humanity, of Enlightenment and of revolution. How could this be? HOW could this be?

The Wiener Zeitung reported in December 1791: "The I. & R. court chamber composer Wolfgang Mozart died here during the night of the 4th and 5th of this month. Known from childhood as the possessor of the rarest musical talent in all Europe, he ranked alongside the greatest composers thanks to the happiest development of his outstanding natural gifts and the most persistent application of those gifts; his works, loved and admired by all, bear witness to this and are the measure of the irreplaceable loss that the noble art of music has suffered through his death."

The Rauhensteingasse residence where Mozart died no longer exists, but the extant artistry shown above gives us a glimpse into the past.

Sherry

Celebrating My Figaro Year

2008-12-02T22:52:00.011-05:00

On 9 November, I celebrated my birthday, my "Figaro Year." As the title indicates, Mozart was my age when his masterpiece premiered, Le nozze di Figaro. It's all the more difficult for me now to comprehend the sheer mastery of someone so young. If I can yield a mere fraction of his productivity over the next year, or even manage to find some good fortune to propel my career, I'll be overly content!

Last November, my twin sister Sheryl and I celebrated in New York with two Mozart operas at the Met. This year, we visited the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, a location opulent in regards to 19th Century architecture, but warm in its representation of tradition and generosity shown by former inhabitants. A certain reverence for aesthetics made whole by genuine meaning, a sincerity beyond the material, defined my admiration.

It was disheartening to discover that the Vanderbilt family infrequently used their music room, but fortunately there was music and ballet for the Christmas candlelight event during our visit. Illumination provided by 65 Christmas trees throughout the home was sheer delight! And did I mention that they had a replica gingerbread house in the kitchen?!

Although Mozart wasn't an official part of the festivities as he had been the year prior, his music could certainly be heard along the journey! The early singspiel Bastien und Bastienne was amongst the chosen. The photo above was taken by my sister from the south wing of the home. And for good measure, I've posted below the cover image of a Figaro piano score. Many thanks to those of you who have extended birthday greetings and wishes! May the next year be something quite amazing!

Sherry

Vote Mozart!

2008-11-18T11:42:00.012-05:00

On the ballot: Candidates for the best musical piece of all time. The choice is yours! Undecided? Meet the candidates every Saturday as KDFC features an All-Star '07 piece every hour. Vote Mozart!

An Autumn Celebration of the Arts

2008-10-08T22:02:00.020-05:00

One of the most important tasks charged to any society is nurtured sustainability of arts and culture. Let citizens and governments take note of this responsibility, especially during celebratory occasions such as the National Arts and Humanities month in October. With performing arts schedules in full swing this time of the year, it's a perfect reminder. And given the current difficulties faced by our global economy, such an intervention is necessary. This may seem obvious, but it is unthinkable as to how many have ventured away from this fundamental exercise for well being, instead giving overwhelming amounts of attention and monetary support to disengaging, mindless entertainment.

The arts have always been the very fabric of society, of social intercourse, playing a significant role in the cathartic experience that helps us cope with the complexities and joys of life. Introspection and expressivity come so naturally with artistic means. It is absolutely vital to our livelihood. Personally, without music, I would cease to exist, and whether or not people are actualized to the significance of their own relationship to a creative outlet, it is most certainly there. Whether it's music, theater, dance, opera or another medium, each individual hosts an affinity within themselves.

Mozart remains a significant player with audiences because of his uncanny ability to fuse musical genius with the psychological and socio-cultural. His music has limitless capabilities for re-invention. Classical and timeless. Mozart knew what few people listening to his music at the time could scarcely imagine. His music was, and always will be, intended for everyone.

Sherry

New Mozart Sketch Discovered in Nantes

2008-09-21T23:32:00.004-05:00

On 18 September, media outlets reeled about a new Mozart discovery in Nantes, France. The first article I read gave details very sparingly, so I inquired with a source about the validity of the announcement. I then read the BBC which provided greater detail. The Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum in Salzburg posted details about the sketch on their site the following day. Director Ulrich Leisinger reminds us that only 10 Mozart discoveries of this importance have been made in 50 years, so we have every reason to celebrate!

Sherry

Restoring the 18th Century Akademie

2008-07-26T18:40:00.023-05:00

Festival restores variety of Mozart-era concerts
by Bradley Bambarger, The Star-Ledger
Thursday July 24, 2008

Concertgoers in Mozart's time apparently liked variety -- and a lot of it at once. Many programs were epic by our standards, with the movements of symphonies broken up by arias and concertos. Mozart would have also thrown in one of his famed keyboard improvisations to dazzle the crowd.

"I don't think that people's attention spans were necessarily longer then, but I do imagine that a music lover from Mozart's time would see concerts today as staid and formal," says Kristian Bezuidenhout, a specialist on such period keyboards as the fortepiano."Concerts in the 18th century were social affairs, with refreshments and the air of a variety show."

The Mostly Mozart Festival is recreating the ample potpourri of a Classical-era concert on July 31 at the Rose Theater in the Jazz at Lincoln Center complex. Bezuidenhout, on a copy of an 18th-century Viennese fortepiano, will first play a pre-concert recital of Mozart's C Minor Fantasy and a set of variations.

After a break, the main concert at 7:30 features the period-instrument Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Violinist-director Gottfried von der Goltz will lead Mozart's "Linz" Symphony -- with arias interpolated from "Cosi fan Tutte" and "Le Nozze di Figaro," sung by German baritone Christian Gerhaher. Bezuidenhout will solo in the D Minor Piano Concerto, with a horn concerto and another symphony to follow. Listeners may not be able to socialize during the music, but there will be two intermissions.

Like all of Mozart's minor-key scores, the fantasy and concerto on the program are dark, searching works that must have seemed overwhelmingly intense to listeners in the intimate halls for his original concerts. The Rose Theater is probably larger, but Bezuidenhout still aims to show that the fortepiano -- the post-harpsichord precursor of the modern grand piano -- is an ideal instrument for exploring the tonal subtleties of these pieces.

The fortepiano's complex timbre -- far less uniform than that of a modern piano -- can range from a raspy, bassoon-like quality in the bass to a silvery, harp-like treble. Its smaller tone and limited capacity for legato give it a sound that speaks rather than sings, but that's suited to the music of its time, according to Bezuidenhout.

"A fortepiano can't compete with the decibels of a Steinway, but I find the modern piano frustrating in Haydn and Mozart," the keyboardist says. "The music's range of expression demands that you play to the outer limits of the fortepiano, which can make it a more volatile experience. The instrument can help you recapture that element of surprise his first listeners must have felt."

Mozart Cache in San Francisco

2008-07-19T14:58:00.018-05:00

Much to my awe and amazement, my twin sister Sheryl called me at 12:15am on Thursday morning, holding her phone out to capture the Midsummer Mozart Festival orchestra, so that I could experience glimpses of the oboe concerto (K. 271) and the "Prague" Symphony. What a surprise, worthy of sleep deprivation! Working at the festival, Sheryl's also had the opportunity to meet Daniel Leeson, a Mozart scholar and one of the only basset hornists in the world. The basset horn is a member of the clarinet family and was prevalent in the 18th Century. It was one of Mozart's favorite instruments and this is reflected in his scoring.

Leeson is also at the festival for a signing of his new book, entitled The Mozart Cache. This new release has won the affections of such pretigious scholars as Cliff Eisen and Robert Levin as well as San Francisco's own Maestro George Cleve, but yet it remains a controversial piece. The book addresses "The Discovery and Examination of a Previously Unknown Collection of Mozartiana" from the Grand Tour (1763-1766). These items were in Leopold Mozart's possession when he died in 1787.

As Eisen states, "This fascinating book is the result of many years intensive research and provides startling new information on a number of important artifacts once owned by the Mozarts, artifacts long thought to have disappeared from the historical record."

The above image is of a chocolate sculpture entitled Cosi fan tutte (Thus do they all, aka: The School for Lovers) after an opera by Mozart. The sculpture was presented during a confectioner's Grand Prix at Vienna's Hofburg Palace on Feburary 17, 2006, the year of Mozart's 250th birthday anniversary. Chocolate is one of my favorite indulgences, but this looks too good to eat, right?!

Sherry

Chronicles Receives Excellence Award

2008-07-17T19:12:00.014-05:00

The Chronicles have just been given an Excellence Award by Prima la Musica, the official weblog of Wolfgang Amadè Mozart. Visit the site to see the top ten elected blogs. It's worth visiting Risky Regencies just for the entry "Let's talk about shoes!" and I highly recommend the 18th Century Blog for fashion and culture of the 1700s. Enjoy!

Sherry

In Mozart's Shadow: Nannerl's Story

2008-07-09T22:53:00.012-05:00

Historical fiction is my favorite genre and although summertime beckons me to come out and play, I always make time for reading! Whether it's Austen's Persuasion or the imaginings of Mozart by Cowell, deliberately scaling the past with an author is, in my mind, an unparalleled journey. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie Cowell, an opera singer and historical novelist, who has since become a dear friend and Mozartian kindred spirit! From her pen came the most delightful creation, Marrying Mozart, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

For the Chronicles, I've asked Stephanie to forward her review of a new Mozart novel by Carolyn Meyer, In Mozart's Shadow, which was just released this month. The story addresses the life of Nannerl Mozart and her dealings with prodigious fame propelled by a keen father who had designs only for her brother's musical gifts, neglecting a daughter of equitable talent. Stephanie and I have both read novels about Nannerl and we've generally been of the same mind when it comes to praise and criticism. Since Stephanie believes Meyer's book to be incredibly compelling, I'm ever more anxious to read it!

Sherry

Review of In Mozart's Shadow by Stephanie Cowell

Beautifully evoked in every way, this is the story of the forgotten Mozart: his charming, pretty, highly gifted musical sister Nannerl. Beginning in the backwater town of Salzburg in the early 1760's, the father of the family Leopold Mozart (who was a gifted composer himself), realized his six year old son Wolfgang and eleven year old daughter Nannerl were extraordinary musicians and toured them all over Europe to play before royalty and the elite. But the spirited, imaginative boy Wolfgang Mozart soon drew all the attention. Nannerl was a gifted keyboardist and he was a genius in performing and composition. For the rest of her long life she would live in his shadow.

As an 18th century woman, Nannerl could have made her way in music as a singer, but she was not a singer and thus her love of music, which she had shared with her little brother and which equaled his, largely lay frustrated within her. All the family energy went to further her brother's career, for as a man and a composer, he could one day support them well. But he grew up and away from his father's possessive hold and Nannerl went on to make her own life.

One so loves Nannerl in this sympathetic book as she tries gently to find who she is apart from her brilliant brother and domineering father. The Mozart family, friends and times are warmly, wonderfully drawn. She grows up, tries to find love and to compromise and still, even as her correspondence with her beloved brother who is now famous in Vienna draws to an end, she is determined to keep the music she shared with him as a child alive in her.

In the end this novel is not just for someone who wants to read about the Mozart family, but for anyone who has ever struggled between adoration and envy.

Author of the novel MARRYING MOZART (Viking Penguin)
Stephanie Cowell http://www.marryingmozart.com/

Der Sommer Eleganz von Mozart

2008-06-20T19:59:00.012-05:00

Alas, it's the first day of summer! And what better time is there to scope out the summer opera scene for Mozart? I've listed below some forthcoming performances and will add more as I discover them. There are also other avenues in which to enjoy Mozart's music this summer, so feel welcome to post comments about your own habitual indulgences and also to point out any concert occasions I may have missed!

Festival fare is generous with the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego, the Mostly Mozart Festival in New York and the OK Mozart Festival in Bartlesville. My twin sister Sheryl is working for the Midsummer Mozart Festival which takes place in San Francisco from 17 July to 3 August. The portrait above is The Dancer Camargo, an 18th-century oil painting by Nicolas Lancret which is located in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

Sherry

Amato Opera, Cosi fan tutte, 1, 6-8 June
http://www.amato.org/

Connecticut Opera, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, 1, 5, 7 June
http://www.ctopera.org/

Bayerische Staatsoper, Le nozze di Figaro, 4, 7 June
Cosi fan tutte, 12, 15, 22, June and 30 July
Idomeneo, 18, 21, 24, 27 June
http://www.bayerische.staatsoper.de/

Canadian Opera Company, Don Giovanni, 10, 16, 20, 22 June
http://www.coc.ca/

Oper Frankfurt, Don Giovanni, 13, 21, 26, 28, 30 and 3 July
http://www.oper-frankfurt.de/

Deutsche Oper Berlin, Die Zauberflöte, 20 June
http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/

Santa Fe Opera, Le nozze di Figaro, 28 June and 4, 9, 18, 28 July and 2, 5, 9, 13, 18, 22 August
http://www.santafeopera.org/

Royal Danish Opera, Le nozze di Figaro, 1, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14 June
http://www.kgl-teater.dk/

Royal Opera London, Le nozze di Figaro, 24, 27, 30 and 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 16, 19 July
http://www.royalopera.org/

Staatstheater Stuttgart, Lucio Silla, 5, 7 June
Zaide, 12 June
http://www.staatstheater.stuttgart.de/

Volksoper Wien, Le nozze di Figaro, 4, 7, 11, 21, 26, 30 June
Die Zauberflöte, 13, 20 June
http://www.volksoper.at/

Opera Mozart Prague, Don Giovanni, all summer
http://www.opera-mozart.com/

Welser-Möst Brings Mozart to Severance Hall

2008-06-16T20:01:00.020-05:00

Franz Welser-Möst is one of my favorite conductors and as an Ohio native, I revel in the fact that he's the Music Director of the renowned Cleveland Orchestra! I was absolutely thrilled to read in the 6 June press release that he would be committing himself to the ensemble until at least 2018, the orchestra's centennial year. This is significant, given that he's also assuming the appointment of Music Director for the Vienna State Opera in 2010.

Welser-Möst has led the Cleveland Orchestra to another level entirely, not only in regards to extended residencies in Vienna and Salzburg to heighten their international status, but also in the development of their sound, capitalizing on the orchestra's history with the European repertoire. Their resonance is much more distinct from other American orchestras with its philosophy firmly grounded in Euro-centricity which I admire. In reference to this lightness and delicacy, they've often been referred to as the largest chamber ensemble in the world. With Franz's conducting style, you won't find outrageous movements of flash, only the subtlety, slight tremble and tender determination in his eyes and hands. As Mozart once said in another context, it is "the silent approval" that is most captivating.

Promising long-term plans reflect Welser-Möst's enthusiastic dedication to the Cleveland Orchestra. His agenda includes commissioned works for the centennial celebration, significant educational outreach initiatives and fully staged operas in Severence Hall. To my greatest delight, they're staging Mozart's Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte in 2009, 2010 and 2011 which is a co-production with the Zurich Opera, where Welser-Möst has also been serving as Music Director. The documentary Portrait of a Conductor was made a few years ago when Welser-Möst was initially appointed in Cleveland. It gives us a glimpse of the innerworkings of this incredible artist who is undoubtedly one of the greatest musical minds of our time.

Sherry

La Clemenza's Revival at the Met

2008-05-06T21:01:00.031-05:00

Much to my incredible fortune, I had the opportunity to see two Mozart operas on Saturday at the Met. As if this wasn't more than enough, one of these performances included the opening night of the Met's revival of La Clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus). Ramón Vargas performed the title role with strength and humility while the dramatically and technically impeccable Susan Graham delivered a stunning Sesto. The house absolutely roared with delight after she performed Parto, parto and this was but one delicious moment of many that evening. Reviews of the opera by the New York Times and MusicalCriticism.com are noteworthy.

The Met debuted Tito for the first time in 1984 and the current revival utilizes this precise production design. The costumes and sets were so elegant and sweeping that they were equated with the vocal and orchestral performances. The clarinet and basset horn obbligatos were delicate and radiant in their dialogue with the vocal contour, adding warmth to characterization which is so rare in opera seria. Lest we not forget that this is opera seria realized through the lens of Mozart!

I felt that the elements of the production (ie. libretto, vocals, stage technique, etc) gained dramatic equilibrium which is not always so easily accomplished, especially with opera seria, where drama is naturally very limited. It's a dangerous balancing act. Tito could easily fall victim to an overly experimental directorship or one that lacks the knowledge and care of Mozart's intentions. I attended a performance of Tito in Vienna two years ago and although the production incorporated a traditional design, it was not quite convincing in its approach.

I absolutely adore the duet Ah, perdona al primo affetto and it was one of many favorite moments of the Met performance. For me, subjectively, the charming simplicity of its musical sentiment is one of the highest spires, one that makes me feel anguish for Mozart's final opera more than perhaps the other popular arias or ensembles in the work. Watch this duet from Ponnelle's 1980 film adapation with Howells and Malfitano.

The image above is a painting by the gifted artist Gabrielle Feldman who is collaborating with her daughter Martha, an opera serie scholar, on the reconstruction of a lost work from the 18th Century using costume sketches, surviving scenographic designs and hundreds of other images depicting contemporary fashion from Parma, Italy.

While it does seem unbelievable that the Met's debut of Tito was as late as 1984, history reminds us that this opera was sedentary for quite a long time, roughly from the 1830s to the end of the 20th Century. There was, and still is, this notion that the opera was a lackadaisical product of the ailing Mozart who was given less than ample time to finish a work of antiquity, cold and old fashioned, who did not even write the recitatives in his own hand (he left this task to a pupil). Mozart, the unparalleled master of opera buffa, was asked to compose his final opera in such a style, but one would be mistaken if they doubted his ability to work within the confines and make it his own.

I find the work to be vibrant, clever and benevolent with its elegance in transcending the secco recitatives and set-arias of the one-dimensional genre. Forty composers set this story to music before it reached Mozart's grasp in 1791 and yet, the only Tito I know being performed today is his masterful rendering.

Sherry

Im virtuellen Learning Center des Mozarthaus

2008-04-18T22:13:00.012-05:00

The Mozarthaus in Vienna now has a Virtual Learning Center which is part of a recent education initiative. In fact, as of 2008, the Mozarthaus now has its own Education Department which is an exciting announcement in itself! Their virtual creation is a solid reference that's also aesthetically and aurally generous. The Mozarthaus is a former Mozart residence which has been transformed into a museum and education facility. Mozart lived here (5 Domgasse) during the height of his wealth and popularity in the city, most notably when he penned the eternal Le nozze di Figaro. Haydn was a frequent visitor to this address and so the Mozarthaus is acknowledging this relationship through planned activities to celebrate the 2009 Haydn Year.

Sherry

New MSA Website

2008-04-10T12:52:00.012-05:00

Although far from complete at this stage, the Mozart Society of America's new site is up and running! I'm working on the Mozart resources committee directed by Dr. Marita McClymonds, whom I had the pleasure to meet at the University of Virginia's Charlottesville campus last month. These resources are an exciting addition to the MSA's web presence along with the early biographies and related documents which will take another year or so to complete.

Just as a personal update, I'm apprenticing with the Washington National Opera's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program through the end of May and since this is a very busy part of the season, I may not have much time to devote to composing entries, but I'll of course continue to read and respond to all of your comments. You're also very welcome to send messages to my indicated email address. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sherry

Mozart Portrait Authenticated

2008-03-16T11:32:00.016-05:00

Yesterday's news heralded the historical significance of an authenticated Mozart portrait, only the fourth from his years in Vienna! It was assessed and thoroughly examined over the past year by Professor Cliff Eisen of King's College London. The portrait is believed to date from 1783 when Mozart was 27 years old, just a year after his marriage and his first operatic success in the Hapsburg capital. "This is arguably the most important Mozart portrait to be discovered since the composer's death in 1791," Eisen noted. An American collector purchased the portrait in 2005 from a descendant of Lorenz Hagenauer, the Mozart family landlord in Salzburg, which led to further inquiry. The portrait has a history in regards to its debated authenticity. Visit the King's College site for further details. Eisen is shown above with the portrait. Although it was authenticated by Eisen, the portrait was originally publicized by Daniel Leeson in the San Jose Mercury News on 22 January, 2006.

Sherry

The Beggar's Opera and Mozart's Singspiel

2008-02-19T02:15:00.024-05:00

I was just notified last week of my acceptance as an apprentice for the Châteauville Foundation and their 2008 Castleton Residency production of The Beggar's Opera. How exciting it was to receive the news! It's going to be an incredible journey living and working on Maestro Lorin Maazel's estate with so many briliant directors, artists and singers. Maestro Maazel will be conducting Britten's chamber arrangement of the 1728 original by John Gay.

Ballad opera isn't a genre in which I'm truly acquainted, so I'm greatly anticipating the experience. I'm well aware that The Beggar's Opera and other ballad operas fathered the German Singspiel, a genre that Mozart would master years later, so I'm looking forward to studying this connection in greater detail.

In regards to Mozart trivia, it's interesting to note that Maestro Maazel conducted the Paris Opera for a film version of Don Giovanni in 1979 and his wife Dietlinde, a very accomplished actress who has shared the screen with such figures as Anthony Hopkins, portrayed Aloysia Weber in the French tv mini-series Mozart in 1982. I'll be departing for Castleton this weekend and will be there through the end of March, so needless to say, I won't be visiting my blog as often, but I'll certainly write as time permits!

Sherry

Eine Winterreise von Musik und Film

2008-02-11T22:45:00.007-05:00

The exhilarating winter landscape of Salzburg reminds me of how much I love our current seasonal affair. I'm always keen to study historical accounts, but the wintery months somehow add an allure that is otherwise absent. New fallen snow gives me that extra incentive to to snuggle up to some history. While I was promoting the theatrical release of In Search of Mozart over the past year and a half, it wasn't surprising to find that numerous cinemas scheduled screenings according to the preferences of their autumn and winter audiences. However, I must say, it was quite thrilling for me to be in New York for the premiere of the film in July and see a review of Mozart in the New York Times on the opposite page of the opening night pitch for Hairspray which was undoubtedly one of Hollywood's biggest summer films.

The success of the theatrical release has come and gone, but the brilliant news is that the DVD is finally available to the North American public via distributor Direct Cinema Limited. If you have any questions about the film, I'll be only happy to reply to you. It is truly a work of the first order and a necessity for any Mozartian's library.

Sherry

Mozart's Super Bowl Appearance

2008-02-07T00:04:00.006-05:00

What did Mozart have to do with Super Bowl XLII last weekend? My sister just pointed out to me that he wasn't entirely left out of the festivities this year. I missed the majority of the game, but felt more at a loss for missing the zany commercials, because as most of us will admit, this is one of the reasons why we tune in! Mozart snagged a bit of this limelight in a commercial for the Lexus GS with his aria "Voi che sapete" from "Le nozze di Figaro." It's pretty comical as it relates to Mozart's biography, although I'm sure the marketing managers didn't see beyond their delivered sarcasm.

In the commercial, the sexy, luxurious GS is behaving badly, maneuvering "beneath its dignity" as the commentator states, yet the Lexus isn't bashful about its doughnuts and power slides. It's actually quite proud if somewhat arrogant. It's a refined machine with attitude, an attitude that sometimes lacks decorum. The same applies to Mozart. In the early years, many scholars and musicians treated his biography and interpretations of his music with extreme delicacy, overly so, omitting or changing anything they felt was not compliant with Mozart's portrayal as being God-like and less human. Mozart surely would have laughed at this! He was much more like the rebellious car...daring, passionate and unpredictable in his form. As he once wrote, "My pen is coarse and I am not polite."

Sherry

Glücklicher Geburtstag, Mozart!

2008-01-27T20:41:00.003-05:00

Glücklicher 252 Geburtstag, Mozart! Prosit zum deutschen Orpheus! Happy 252nd Birthday, Mozart! Cheers to the German Orpheus! On this occasion, I thought it would be appropriate to reminisce upon one of Mozart's earliest performances as a child prodigy when he was only six years old. The image above captures this 1762 performance in Vienna at Schönbrunn Palace for Empress Maria Theresa and her consort. The following is an excerpt from a letter Mozart's father wrote to his friend and landlord at home in Salzburg, Lorenz Hagenauer. It gives us extraordinary insight into the popularity of the little Wunderkind and the rigorous schedule that was yet to follow on his tours of Europe. It's quite significant to note that his performance travels consumed approximately 10 years of his life while he only lived to be 35 years old.

16 October 1762
There is now time only to say in great haste that we were received with such extraordinary kindness by their majesties that if ever I tell them about it, people will say I have made it all up. Suffice it to say that Wolferl jumped up into the empress's lap, grabbed her round the neck and kissed her right and proper. In short, we were with her from 3 til 6, and the emperor himself came in from the next room and took me to hear the infanta play the violin. On the 15th the empress sent 2 dresses, one for the boy and one for the girl (Mozart's sister). They were delivered by the privy paymaster, who drove up to our house in full regalia. As soon as the order arrives, they are to appear at court, and the privy paymaster will collect them. At 1/2 past 2 today they have to go to the two youngest Archdukes, at 4 o'clock to the Hungarian chancellor, Count Palffy. Yesterday we were with Count Kaunitz and the day before with Countess Kinsky and later with Count Ulfeld. We're already booked up for the next two days. Please tell everyone that we are well and happy, thank God. Every good wish from your old friend. Mozart

Although I've attempted to put into words the meaning of Mozart's music, it's quite a feat, as is answering the question "What's your favorite Mozart composition?" There is a lengthy and complicated answer, but one that never feels complete. How can we put into words this transcendent, enduring composer while music itself and our reaction to it is still one of the greatest mysteries of human existence? Scholars and musicians have struggled to find words, beyond analysis and research, to describe this Mozartian affinity, this tremendous force of influential love. The words of British composer Sir John Tavener are certainly, in my opinion, some of the greatest to ever approach the subject. He fills the void where so many remain speechless, held captive by an inability to articulate the tenderness of Mozart's divine craft.

I believe that the most haunting artifact on any Mozart anniversary is his own catalog which he began on 9 February 1784 with an entry for the E-flat piano concerto. Works in this catalog represented a new artistic threshold in Mozart's career and I think he acknowledged this simply by maintaining this document. The cover reads “Verzeichnüss aller meiner Werke vom Monath febrario 1784 bis Monath – 1 –”. The triple blank for the ending year suggests that Mozart thought it might take him until at least 1800 to fill the catalog's pages. His pen clearly shows that despite a life plagued with illness and frailty, he thought he would live to see the new century, the dawning of a new age. The very thought instills in me such frigidity. We can only grant ourselves unfulfillable wonder of the works that would have come from his pen, especially as his music foreshadowed what was next to come in the Romantic era of Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Weber.

As an aspiring preservationist of the natural and built environments, my sister Sheryl has combined her sustainable design philosophy with progressive attitudes from Mozart's era and even coined the term Environlightenment which refers to the global citizenry's awakening to the current climate crisis. She's very interested in how Mozart's operas are being produced to express the progressive dialogue we’re encountering today in regards to environmentalism.

American musicologist H.C. Robbins Landon is one of my favorite historians and I'll conclude with one of his quotes. I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating Mozart's birthday and lest we forget, this is the party without end.

"Mozartian legacy, in brief, is as good an excuse for mankind's existence as we shall ever encounter and is perhaps, after all, a still small hope for our ultimate survival." Mozart's Last Year by Landon

Sherry

WTAP Mozart Week

2008-01-23T17:24:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I've been working with my friend Beth at WTAP on Mozart Week segments for the Daybreak morning show. These segments have now been posted online. Another interview will follow tomorrow and a performance will be showcased on Friday's show. The Trillium Piano Trio will perform a piece written by the eight year old Mozart, so you don't want to miss it! The videos will be archived on the site. Please leave your comments here and on Beth's WTAP blog to let us know if you enjoyed the production!

Sherry

Celebrating Mozart Week 2008

2008-01-20T19:48:00.004-05:00

Yes! It's that time of year again, time for Mozartians to come out in droves in celebration of their beloved master, plunging into the revelry that binds them to each other and to that immortal couture. Indeed, it is Mozart Week (Mozart Woche), the week that will soon commemorate the composer's 252nd birthday! Every January, the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (International Mozart Foundation) presents Mozart Week in Salzburg, an occasion which includes a series of concerts covering various genres from chamber music to symphonies in addition to lectures and workshops. The overall programming objective attempts to present a more comprehensive portrait of the man and his music.

So, what's on this year? Mozart's Salzburg sacred works are a main theme and will be performed alongside sacred music by other composers for comparison and reflection. His music will also be contrasted to contemporary compositions, including two new commissioned works by the Mozarteum: a work for two pianos and orchestra by Johannes Maria Staud and a new string quartet by Thomas Larcher. The Mostly Mozart Festival, a new concert occasion in Salzburg, will follow the Mozarteum's events in February. Exiting the realm of performance and scholarship, the festival is hosting a social immersion experience, Große Mozart Redoute: Amadeus für eine Nacht (Amadeus for a Night) which includes a simulated fraternization of Mozart's era via a masked ball: costumes, music, dance, drink and dining!

In celebration of Mozart's birthday, I'm working on the production of Mozart Week with WTAP in Parkersburg. My friend, Beth Lanning, is a producer with the television station and she initially asked me to appear on the Daybreak morning show in regards to my work on In Search of Mozart but this idea progressed and a few leaps and bounds later, it was decided to devote a full week of Daybreak segments to celebrating Mozart's birthday. WTAP Mozart Week will include performances, interviews and much more, so be sure to tune in!

What else am I doing to celebrate Mozart's birthday? You mean, aside from anticipating the delivery of my delectable Sacher torte from Vienna?! On Saturday, I'm venturing to Mozart's Cafe for their annual birthday party and on Sunday I'll certainly play some of his piano pieces, listen to his music and perhaps watch one of my Mozart films. Be sure to post a comment about how you're planning to celebrate!

Aufrichtige Wünsche für einen Glücklichen Geburtstag, Amadeo!
Sherry

Mozart's Love Letter

2008-01-13T21:42:00.001-05:00

I discovered a lovely article tonight by Jane Glover which compliments my earlier post Hier soll ich dich denn sehen, Konstanze. Glover is Music Director of Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and author of the book Mozart's Women which focuses on the female figures dearest to him in life, his mother, sister, wife, and their significant influence on his music. In Glover's article Mozart's Love Letter she writes about this significance as it relates to his anticipated marriage and his breakthrough opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio). The above image captures Marionetten of Mozart and his wife Constanze at the Salzburg Marionette Theater.

Sherry

Questions and Comments?!

2008-01-06T23:41:00.002-05:00

Hello! I just thought I'd post an announcement about questions and comments. One of my 2008 resolutions for this blog is to increase interaction with you, so please be encouraged to send mail to me at MlleMozartian@yahoo.com with any ideas you may have to make this account more beneficial and enjoyable. It's not necessary to sign up for a Blogger.com account to post comments, so if you have something to say, just click and type!

Sherry

P.S. This photo was taken on Saturday at the Columbus Symphony's Mozart Festival at the Ohio Theatre. What a wonderful evening!

Mozart at the Library of Congress

2008-01-05T01:50:00.001-05:00

The Library of Congress has archived two previous Mozart broadcasts on their site. The first is Mozart's Serenade in E flat, K. 361 ("Gran Partitta") and the second is the Violin Concerto in A, K. 291 ("Turkish"). Listen to the performances, lectures, read about the history and artists and view PDFs of the manuscripts. The Library of Congress houses Mozart's original autograph of this serenade. You can find on their site a scanned facsimile of the holograph of Mozart's Gran Partita as well as manuscript sketches of the 1775 Sonate and Concerto di Violino, K. 219.

Sherry

Is Amadeus Bringing the Heat?

2008-01-05T00:12:00.008-05:00

Okay, so despite my seriousness about Mozart's legacy, I definitely give myself some license to have fun with it too. Otherwise, what's the point?! (Mozart would wholeheartedly agree!) I was browsing for performance videos tonight and somehow ended up finding an Amadeus fan video using JT's hit tunage. It's hysterical!

Just out of curiosity, I've randomly checked Amazon.com to view comments on this film and it's amazing the number of people it has attracted, and continues to attract, to Mozart's life and music. It's estimated that Mozart audio sales increased by 30% in the 1980s from the craze brought on by this film and Falco's Rock me Amadeus. Although popular culture sometimes invades classical art and creates a highly sensationalized version, it also fulfills a greater duty by supplying a window for millions to begin their discovery of the wonders of such artistic domains. Personally, I must credit Amadeus for igniting my passion when I saw it in 5th grade music class. My life has since never been the same!

Sherry

The Golden Age of Television's Classical Melange

2008-01-03T00:46:00.003-05:00

Born in Wheeling, WVa in 1914, Eleanor Steber was one of the great American sopranos of the early 20th Century. In 1940, she won a vocal competition at the Metropolitan Opera and by 1950, her career extended far beyond the boundaries of New York as she performed in San Francisco, Glyndebourne, Chicago, Bayreuth, Edinburgh, etc. The photo above was taken in 1949 (it's uncanny how much she looks like Renee Fleming in some images!). She was a Mozartian, singing none less than eight of his roles during her career.

At this time, television was broadcasting opera and classical music in ways accessible to the public. Eleanor was a beneficiary of this outreach campaign and it was also incredibly important for singers like Russell Oberlin (American Countertenor) who led the early music movement and founded New York's Pro Musica Antiqua. Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts were broadcast by CBS starting in 1958 and introduced various genres and composers to millions of people all over the world (these are now available on DVD!). In conversation with my Czech flatmate in London, Zuzana told me that she had seen them as a child. Notwithstanding monetary issues, why is this kind of programming now absent despite opera and classical music's elevated status through simulcasts and other technological mediums?

To catch a glimpse of how wonderful this programming was, view this video of Eleanor Steber singing Dove Sono from Mozart's Figaro in 1951 on PBS. Opera explained in this capacity is welcoming and conducive to efforts of awareness and education. It's a medium that deserves recognition and consideration for television electives today. I'm sure we could manage to knock off one of those disenchanting reality shows in the name of true artistic achievement.

Sherry

Mozart's Musical Politics

2008-01-02T05:30:00.005-05:00

I was watching a documentary about JFK, Jr. recently and it recalled footage of him unveiling the inaugural cover of George magazine. His aim was to cover celebrity as politician which meant something more meaningful, the next American revolution, as the cover states. The word Revolution in bold print coupled with the 18th Century attire was reminiscent of Mozart's Vienna, which gave me an idea to write this entry. Mozart was not political so to speak, at least not openly or in his letters, but his committment to Freemasony and the inclusion of Enlightenment authors in his personal library sheds light on the subject. His opera Le nozze di Figaro is also open for debate in regards to his political intentions. He was without question beyond his era in musical advancement, and given the information that does exist, it can be assumed that he was liberal in political thought as well.

He was an emancipated individual in his own right and quite unconventional to a degree, although he clearly enjoyed the luxurious fare of his time (especially a well-tailored suit!). "Mozart, a delicate and lovable soul, but quite eighteenth century, even when he is serious." (Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power)

Although Mozart was harmless in regards to political clout, his professional life was dictated entirely by politics...imperial and aristocratic patronage, factions of musicians, commissions from the emerging middle class, etc. In 1788, Vienna became involved in a war with Turkey which led to the decline of musical activity in the city. Hardship ensued for musicians and composers, including Mozart. It was a very difficult time in which he found himself in dire financial circumstances. Of course today, it's unthinkable for us to entertain the idea that Mozart fell so heavily dependent upon the whims of fickle political players who perceived him as a servant, a mere means for their entertainment, but this was the reality of the situation.

Given the severity of stratified social classes, there was dissention of unsurpassed proportion and the hint of change was strong, yet the music played on. Cindy Crawford's regal attire on the cover of George reminds us of this deception, a veil of elegance that was cast over the spirit of revolution. While the citizenry swarmed with rebellion, Mozart composed their soundtrack, our soundtrack. He wasn't narrating the battle for reason and equality, rather, in a selfless manner much more characteristic of the composer, he was giving us everything that he could possibly warrant through the medium of music in his narration of humanity. And it was everything. He had the uncanny ability to capture a character's situation in opera or a musical idea from a composition and elevate it to a higher universal plane, exceeding any sense of singularity. His innovation, humanity and timeless opulence are beyond politics and beyond all else.

Sherry

A Singer's Mantra

2008-01-01T17:56:00.003-05:00

I met Diana Walters recently via an online alumni community for Ohio University alumni and she has since interested me with her insight and approach to opera and art song. Our conversations intrigued me and I felt compelled to post an interview disclosing some of her views about the popularity of opera, singing Mozart, pedagogy and performance. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Sherry: As an educator and soloist, what is the most popular and challenging myth you've had to dismantle about opera? What do you feel is most important for people to know about the artform? There are so many myths and stereotypes perpetuated about opera and how the general public views it. What can we do to remedy the stereotypes that deter people from at least trying it? What have you done personally to reach out to correct misconceptions of opera to both the general public and singers?

Diana: I have done a few lectures on the elements of opera that are so very accessible to everyone. I just don't believe in changing the artform to conform to the low standards of our culture. If opera needs to be demystified then those who are mystified by it should go to a performance, read the synopsis and maybe the libretto ahead of time. (In other words, jump right in!)

I think that I have to address the singers and maybe, teachers themselves. If the issue were solved, the artform would be more truthful, authentic, and thrilling. That issue is that singers need to expand the belly and ribcage to breathe diaphragmatically. When the breath is incorrect, nothing else can work optimally. I get students with advanced degrees and tons of professional experience who struggle with long phrases, flexibility, high notes and who have no idea how to support their voices.

When one studies photos or videos of the old-time great singers, one sees a very dramatic postural arrangement which provides a dramatic body alignment. When that posture is held in and very still, the body breathes correctly. When that process is developed (and it takes a couple years), the sound becomes rich, resonant, and full no matter the size of the instrument. Sometimes, people say it looks stiff and produces and "old-fashioned" sound. It is not stiff rather, it is strong. The only reason we have a "new-fashioned sound" is that many people are being trained to the lowest common denominator AND BECAUSE THE TRAINING IS DIFFICULT. Bodies are the same as they were in the past so why should a sound, that is less than wonderful, be considered a fine, new "style?"

How did singers of the past train? How do they do it now? Colleges, universities and conservatories are full of voice majors-thousands of them. Where are they in the professional world? From where are the singers coming who are dominating the world's stages? Our system could use some re-vamping, I think. The Eastern Bloc singers have actual physical education for the voice. People look at me like I'm from Jupiter when I suggest "body-building for the voice." Did they read Pavarotti's book?

There are many directors out there who love my singers and hire them. Then they are confused by what they see visually. So because they are shaking up their own myths as former singers, they try to get the students to change because they think they were just "born with that sound" and if "they do things a different way," they would be even better. Then things deteriorate and they wonder why.

The entire foundation of singing is based upon support of the breath. If that is incorrect, the sound is wrong despite the numbers of roles memorized and performed. But, in the end when one is built to the task, singing is very easy.

Sherry: Do you feel that opera has a more significant presence with the general public more so than it did 5 or 10 years ago or have we simply fallen victim to a false notion of its popularity perpetuated by a hopeful media? I've read many articles and statistics about the ever increasing exposure via simulcasts, HD cinema, etc. Opera seems to be thriving and discovering new audiences. Do you believe the artform has discovered a greater niche because of these technologies? Recent examples of educational outreach include the Washington National Opera's live simulcast to universities nationwide with "La Boheme" and the Met’s "Hansel and Gretel" transmission to elementary schools.

Diana: Yes, I do think the technology has helped younger people become interested in opera. The simulcasts to movie theatres have also been very innovative and successful.

Our culture has truly been dumbed-down by popular music, first of all. Singers who scream, yell high and loud get praise and money. I don't totally blame the media. When a great classical voice comes along, what do the recording producers do? They have the singers do "crossover" which is ridiculous. Then, the general public think that's what opera should be and after a couple generations, so do the artistic, stage, and music directors. Thank goodness conductors still have great musical integrity. Ezio Pinza sang in South Pacific and he sang with HIS voice. He didn't change it because it was lighter music than Boris Godunov.

People in positions of power in opera, in some cases, are engaging in a coarsening of the artform in several ways. Money and ticket sales rule the day and we have learned that "sex sells." Opera News, with the Met's new general manager features women singers in very provocative poses too frequently. Some look like hookers! Can you imagine Regine Crespin, Leontyne Price, Maria Callas agreeing to such presentations? The European avant -garde productions with women in Don Giovanni in bras, panties and stilettos was digusting. Many productions have people writhing all over the stage in effort to be "authentic." My opinion is that opera for opera's sake, the way the composers wrote it with truthful acting and the finest singing, are good enough. But, the general public does not often get to hear and see that. Recordings are compressed so much and "perfected" so much that cds and dvds are as nourishing to the spirit as white Wonderbread is to the body. I don't want perfection; I prefer knowing that singers are human beings communicating about the human condition. Soooooooo, to answer your question........I don't think "real opera" (authentic) is any more popular and appreciated.

Sherry: You've been very successful with your students and many gone on to do great things! I'm a fan of your former student Michael Slattery, an up and coming American tenor. I find him particularly interesting because he's performed in two early Mozart operas, "Bastien und Bastienne" and "Il Re Pastore." He pursued these roles with the Baroque Philharmonia which is one of America's premiere period ensembles. How important do you feel historically informed performance (HIP) is to Mozart's operas, particularly his earliest works for the stage? Do you feel it is a priority when learning the repertoire or do you consider it a trend?

Diana: I am interested in sound. Mozart's music, though very exposed, is very dramatic from the inside out. Inside of the singer, that is. Mozart demands flexibility, range, great dynamic and color change. Sometimes singers are asked to thin out their voices to accomplish those things "authentically" all while opera houses have grown larger. Then the singers can't be heard. Some people think Handel has to be little to be authentic. My guess is that Handel and Bach wanted a big, rich sound in their soloists. So I think voices need to be developed to sing music. One of my phrases is, "If you can sing Wagner, you can sing Mozart."

Minds need to be developed to understand the music and texts. Sensitivity needs to be developed with acting skills for singers to bring a part of themselves into the entire endeavor. Anything that diminishes a singer's abilty to do that becomes about something superficial....in my estimation.

This photo was taken by Diana in June at the Bregenz Festival in Austria. This has to be one of the most unique concert settings I've ever seen! I love how the green tones from the water and seating arrangement compliment the radiant blue iris! Diana's visit there served another purpose, as one of her students, Andrew Richards, flew her there for five days of lessons. Andrew is now a leading tenor at the Berlin Opera.

Sherry

A January Long Ago...

2007-12-31T03:55:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year's Eve! Since tomorrow's the first day of January, I thought I'd post an entry pertaining to one of Mozart's performances during his birthday month. This is a photo of the hammerklavier that Mozart performed on in January 1787 at the Ladies' College in Prague. The instrument was initially maintained in Vienna before being transported to Prague’s Villa Bertramka, where Mozart was a houseguest, and then finally to its current location in the National Library (Narodni knihovna).

Mozart traveled to Prague in January 1787 to conduct his opera Le nozze di Figaro, which was so popular that the enthused musicopolis wished Mozart to conduct it himself. Figaro was really all the rage there! Mozart wrote on 15 Jan, Nothing is played, sung or whistled but Figaro. On 19 Jan, Mozart performed and improvised on a fortepiano at the Nostitz Theater (Theater of the Estates) and gave the first performance of his Symphony No. 38 in D major (K. 504) which has since then been called Prague. A few days later, he conducted Figaro on 22 Jan.

During this stay, Mozart also composed Six German Dances for Count Pachta and signed a contract with the impressario Bondini for a new opera for the autumn season. This new opera was Don Giovanni, written to the text of the Viennese court poet and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. Mozart finished the opera in Prague, rehearsed it and conducted its premiere on 29 October at the Nostitz Theater. This dramatic masterpiece was met with uncertainty and hesitation by many audiences of the time, but the Prague audience held it in the highest acclaim, a laudatory fashion that compared only to their unsurpassed adoration of Figaro.

Prague was a very special city for Mozart and his fate inevitably would have been different had he decided to remain there, but alas, history is history. It really always makes me wonder though....what would have been had he not returned to Vienna but instead taken up the generosity of his Bohemian friends? They clearly wanted him to remain there. Prague has been my favorite city to visit because of this successful history. Mozart may have lived in Vienna, but he only truly lived in Prague for this is the only city that granted him license to enjoy and revel in his artistic achievements. Mozart acknowledged in his own correspondence that he was greatly honored by the caliber of appreciation for his music there.

Sherry

High Bidders for Mozart: Sotheby's of London

2007-12-09T00:05:00.002-05:00

Mozart’s masterpiece for sale to the tune of £100,000
By Dalya Alberge, Arts Correspondent
The Times Online- November 30, 2007

Sotheby's exceeded its expectations and sold Mozart's cadenza for a record £110,900 ($228,484) on Tuesday! The folio, from the composer's draft for the Sinfonia Concertante, set a new record for a single page of his work. The previous record was $184,000 for a sheet containing notes for the opening Rondo K.386 in 1998. Maggs Bros. Ltd. of London bought the manuscript for an unidentified client. Unidentified? Santa, did you purchase that for me?!

Sherry

The Music is Everywhere. Listen...

2007-11-24T13:53:00.002-05:00

As if the usual Thanksgiving festivities weren't already enough, my enjoyment of the holiday was furthered when I went to see the new film August Rush. I absolutely loved it! In fact, I can quite confidently say that it's one of the best films I've seen in quite awhile. I suppose it's inevitable for a film about a musical prodigy to draw parallels to themes of the Mozart biography (instant instrumental fluency, exploitation, etc).

The film gives us a glimpse of how an exceptionally gifted musician of our day, one with comparable skill to the masters of bygone eras, may come to his craft through an ability to understand and harness nature's harmonics, rhythms and melodies. All sounds within his immediate environment are subject to exploration whether it's a conversation, basketball game or honking taxi. He lacked exposure to music education in his orphanage, so the only music that he knew came from life happening around him. Nature triumphs over nurture in this regard, although he does get some help with notation and theory from a deranged busker (much like Faigin from Oliver!), church chorister and the Julliard School while on a journey to find his parents. He believes wholeheartedly that the music will serve as a communicative and connective device. Music as communication is a theme that involves the three main characters throughout the film.

The casting is fantastic with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, Robin Williams and English actor Alfred "Freddie" Highmore as the brilliant prodigy. Although fairy tale fiction works its magic in the plot, which is part of its charm, you'll love the very human themes of this film. I think the film serves as a reminder to our technologically enslaved society to turn off the electronic devices and simply listen to life's soundtrack once in awhile, because it can be far more interesting. Five stars. Highly recommended!

Speaking of life's soundtrack, check out this article from The Planetizen which addresses audio architecture's detrimental effects on our ability to think, absorb and enjoy our surroundings. My sister sent it to me after I wrote this entry. Thanks, Sheryl!

Sherry

CSO Mozart Festival Announced

2007-11-21T17:32:00.000-05:00

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra just announced last week that it will host a Mozart Festival in January. Growing up in Ohio, I can never remember them ever hosting such an occasion, so it's pretty exciting! The performances are categorized as The Prodigy, Amadeus and The Genius. The Amadeus program includes soundtrack repertoire and as an added bonus, the movie will be shown after the concert. Visit the CSO's site for more information. I was hoping to schedule the Central Ohio premiere of In Search of Mozart in accordance with this festival, but it looks like the film will be opening at the Drexel Gateway downtown during Mozart's birthday weekend later on in the month. More details to follow!

Sherry

The Met Opera on Demand

2007-11-21T00:15:00.000-05:00

I just received an announcement today that over 100 of the Met's broadcasts are now available on demand from Rhapsody. When I checked the site tonight, I found 724 available audio clips and the fantastic news is that more repertoire will be added each month. Mozart's Don Giovanni from Feburary 2003 is listed as the most popular album thus far. Be sure to tune in and visit Rhapsody's site to discover these brilliant archived performances!

Sherry

Hier soll ich dich denn sehen, Konstanze...

2007-11-06T02:33:00.004-05:00

The singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) premiered in July 1782 at the Burgtheater (Imperial Court Theater) and established Mozart's reputation in Vienna at age 26. It was an enormous step for German opera and was Mozart's most popular dramatic work during his lifetime. This success gave him the financial means and confidence to marry Constanze Weber only a month after its premiere. There’s such a wonderful feeling of exuberance from the music that reflects this joyous period in his life and Die Entführung is one of my favorite Mozart operas for this very reason! He was gaining independence as an artist and from his estranged father, Leopold, who’s blessing for his marriage arrived a day after the ceremony.

It's evident from the family letters that Leopold did not intend to give his son up to marriage to anyone, anytime soon. The artistic nexus he'd cultivated to his son's genius was not to be interrupted. Mozart’s sister Maria Anna, also a brilliant musician, remained in Salzburg with her father until she was married at age 33 to a suitor of his own choosing.

Belmonte's first aria is extremely sentimental to the history of its advent. The title, Hier soll ich dich denn sehen, Konstanze, dich mein Glück! (Here I shall see you then, Constanze, my happiness!) is very telling. Given the circumstances surrounding Mozart's life at the time of the singspiel's premiere, one can easily draw parallels between the main characters and Mozart and Constanze. The name of the leading soprano is Konstanze and her betrothed is the tenor Belmonte, both of Spanish nobility. In the first aria, he sings for his departed, searching for her, as she's been abducted by pirates and sold to Pasha Selim, being held captive in a seraglio.

Meanwhile, Mozart's Constanze was tucked away from society by her mother and was very much like Cinderella, catering to all needs of her mother's boarding house guests, while her sisters enjoyed greater freedom than her own. Rumors circulated about the seriousness of their courtship and so Constanze was forbidden to see him. Mozart’s father also did not approve of his affections, so when Die Entführung premiered, their wedded fate was still very uncertain.

The words of this aria can easily be imagined as those of Mozart himself, reflecting on the tenderness of an anticipated reunion, while coping with familial criticism which affected him greatly. Mozart was known to have had a lovely tenor voice which also lends to our imagination. Can you hear him singing? Opera was his ultimate passion and this was reiterated in his letters. He felt that Salzburg was not appropriate for his professional pursuits, mainly because they didn’t have an opera theater. This was Mozart's biggest complaint about his native city besides the provincial attitude of its citizens.

In regards to the composition itself, this aria is an example of Mozart's dramatic ingenuity. The overture follows a standard sonata-form design until the recapitulation, only to conclude in the tonic minor instead of returning to the home key which is expected, but naturally, Mozart does the unexpected! He delays a return to the tonic (home key) of C major until the beginning of Belmonte's aria and by doing so adds a new dimension of structural unity by incorporating the overture into the flow of the action. Absolutely brilliant!

When I discovered a video of Fritz Wunderlich singing this aria in Berlin in 1966 last evening, I was encouraged to write an entry about it. The images were taken on the set of Amadeus and are playful renderings of the couple. I've posted below the aria's lyrics with translation.

Sherry

Hier soll ich dich denn sehen, Konstanze, dich mein Glück!
Lass, Himmel, es geschehen: Gib mir die Ruh zurück!
Ich duldete der Leiden, o Liebe, allzuviel!
Schenk' mir dafür nun Freuden,
Und bringe mich ans Ziel.

Here I shall see you then, Constanze, you, my happiness!
Heaven, let it come to pass: Restore my peace!
O love, I have suffered all too many sorrows.
Now grant me joys in their stead,
And bring me to my ambition.

A Birthday Celebration at the Met!

2007-11-02T03:05:00.001-05:00

It's almost too exciting and unbelievable to mention that I'll be celebrating my birthday next weekend with not one, but two Mozart operas at the Met! The performance schedule suited my twin sister's travels from Berkeley as well, so I have the warmest gratitude for such an agreeable fate! We'll attend Die Zauberflöte on our birthday (Nov 9th) and Le Nozze di Figaro on the following afternoon. My favorite coloratura soprano, Diana Damrau, is scheduled to alternate roles of the Queen and Pamina in Zauberflöte, a feat which has never been achieved at the Met in a single season! For Figaro, Simon Keenlyside will sing the Count and Bryn Terfel, the quintessential Figaro, will perform the title role!

Unlike her renowned performances of the Queen, Pamina is new for Damrau, so I'm especially excited that she'll be singing this role for my birthday performance! In May 2006, I saw her sing Konstanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) at a rare production in Vienna's Burgtheater. This opera premiered under Mozart's direction in July 1782 at the old Burgtheater (Imperial Court Theater) but the current venue is is now a revision of the original which was largely destroyed by a bombing raid in 1945. The Burgtheater is one of the greatest houses of contemporary German theater and operas are rarely performed there now, but naturally they made an exception for Mozart’s 250th anniversary!

Damrau was brilliant, raging, so athletic and full of energy...the essence that is her calling card. Serail was a physically demanding production and I often felt as though the entire plot was unfurling as one enormous brawl that only contemporary theater could conjure as the violence and tension was so fierce and all-encompassing, but the music swept me away. The Viennese were torn on their reviews, especially over the stark physicality of the overall design, but they did agree on something, and that was the unquestionable magnificence of Damrau's voice.

I've posted a link below to the NY Times article and interview concerning her contrasting roles of the Queen and Pamina as well as video links of Damrau singing Mozart at her finest!

Sherry

One Voice for Innocence and Experience NY Times, October 28, 2007
Exsultate, jubilate, Alleluja, K. 165 Contagious joy and happiness!
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620, O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn! (O tremble not, my dear son!) The Queen of the Night is trying to manipulate Prince Tamino by highlighting her helplessness as a loving mother who has lost her daughter to Sarastro's abduction, in order to convince him to rescue her. Damrau is absolutely stunning!

Treats not Tricks for All Hallow's Eve

2007-10-28T21:09:00.003-05:00

Two significant books will be released this Halloween season serving as fantastic treats for any Mozart fan! (Mozart left us with too many tricks to mention!) W.A. Mozart by Hermann Abert, an authoritative work published in 1920 based on the mid-nineteenth century study by Otto Jahn, remains the most substantial and informed biography of Mozart in any language, and it will finally be available in English! Translator Stewart Spencer captures Abert's tone while Cliff Eisen addresses the developments in scholarship since the last German edition. Charles Rosen's review for the New York Review of Books deems it "The Best Book on Mozart." Our second treat is the paperback release of The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia, edited by Cliff Eisen and Simon Keefe. This definitive source has 500 entries from nearly 50 contributors. Enjoy!

Sherry

Trousers for Halloween!

2007-10-25T21:40:00.001-05:00

I've always admired Mozart's Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), his rich scoring for the mezzo soprano voice and the resulting characterization of a determined, yet comical and uncertain adolescent hopeless romantic. Cherubino, the Count's young page, is in love with every woman in the opera, especially the Countess! Along with Octavian from Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier (The Cavalier of the Rose), Cherubino is unquestionably one of the most famous trouser roles of the operatic repertory. "Trouser role" refers to any male character that is performed by a female singer, usually a mezzo soprano or contralto. However, men are beginning to reclaim these roles with an increasingly popular resurgence of countertenor training, so the playing field is now more interesting with such a vocal variety at artistic command.

I adore historical costumes and Halloween is always a good excuse to take the plunge (I was recently Scarlett O'Hara) so I've decided to wear trousers this year! It was difficult finding a costume, but the work is finito! I'm almost certain I'll be asked about my identity..."Are you Euro-royale? Cutler Beckett? George Washington? A footman from Cinderella's pumpkin carriage perhaps?" Oh, but I'll be surprised if they ask me to sing Voi che sapete or Non so piu!

The photo above is of Angelika Kirschlager performing Octavian and I've posted below an image of my costume and a few more photos of leading ladies (Rise Stevens, Frederica von Stade, Mildred Miller) performing the trouser roles of Cherubino and Octavian. Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Sherry

Viewer's Choice Awards

2007-10-02T13:54:00.001-05:00

The Metropolitan Opera has given public television audiences a front-row seat to a dazzling array of great opera performances for three decades. Now, in honor of the Met's 30th anniversary on PBS, it's time to step up to the podium and cast your votes for your favorite televised moments from the Met. Browse a selection of video excerpts online and vote for your top 10 faves!

The results of the vote will create a line-up for the new program Great Moments at the Met: Viewer's Choice, hosted by Renee Fleming, which will be broadcast this December on PBS (check local listings). Choose from a wide range of unforgettable performances, beginning with the very first Live From the Met telecast of La Boheme in 1977, starring the young Luciano Pavarotti.

The video archives include excerpts from three of Mozart's operas (Figaro, Flute and Giovanni) as performed by Renee Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Bryn Terfel, Kathleen Battle, Samuel Ramey and Dawn Upshaw. Let your voice be heard and cast your vote before October 12th!

www.pbs.org/gperf/shows/gpatmet/survey/index.html

Sherry

Haunted Amadeus

2007-09-27T13:23:00.002-05:00

An 'Amadeus' big, strange, refocused
Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept 26, 2007
By David Patrick Stearns, Music Critic

Just in time for Halloween, the Wilma Theater is redecorating itself for its current production of the Peter Schaffer play Amadeus, with an outcome somewhere between an art installation and a haunted house. White curtains are draped everywhere, and 30 chandeliers, all swathed in cobwebs, hang every which way, as if adhering to different forces of gravity.

Audiences expect a fair amount of 18th-century Viennese pomp from the hit Broadway play and the celebrated film version that swept the 1985 Academy Awards. But here, the pomp is moldering. The production - which opens tonight and runs through Oct. 27 - is set inside the mind of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's rival composer, Antonio Salieri, with the stage framed by a giant periwig through which 18 actors arrive and depart.

Interesting! How wicked is it for two of my greatest passions to emerge on the stage? Halloween and Mozart...genius! Visit the Wilma Theater site for more info!

Sherry

iTour in Salzburg

2007-09-20T17:50:00.000-05:00

W.A. Mozart and Archbishop Wolf Dietrich will now accompany tourists in Salzburg via the iGuide. For anybody with a passing familiarty of Mozart's history with the clergy, you really have to wonder about that collaboration! The virtual companions give an informative and entertaining tour of the city which has 30 stations (90 minutes) and includes historical images and audio clips of locations not on the tour route such as Schloss Hellbrunn. Visit http://www.salzburg.info/ for more info!

Sherry

Benedict's Mozart

2007-09-20T11:35:00.000-05:00

Benedict’s Mozart
What the Pope Learned From His Favorite Composer
By Father Andreas Kramarz, LC
National Catholic Register, September 23-29, 2007 Issue
http://ncregister.com/site/article/benedicts_mozart

Austria’s President honored Pope Benedict on the final day of his visit to the “Alp Republic” Sept 9 with Mozart music in the Vienna Concert House. After the music, the Holy Father met with Church and civil volunteers in order to honor their service.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the Austrian city of Salzburg in 1756, but that’s not why his music was played for the Pope. In fact, there have hardly been any cultural events that Pope Benedict has attended in which a piece of Mozart has not been performed. That’s because it is well known that Mozart is the Pope’s favorite composer. Consider what Pope Benedict contributed last year to a book collecting 58 testimonies for the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth:

"When in our home parish of Traunstein on feast days a Mass by Mozart resounded, for me, a little country boy, it seemed as if heaven stood open. In the front, in the sanctuary, columns of incense had formed in which the sunlight was broken; at the altar the sacred action took place of which we knew that heaven opened for us. And from the choir sounded music that could only come from heaven; music in which was revealed to us the jubilation of the angels over the beauty of God."

"I have to say that something like this happens to me still when I listen to Mozart. Mozart is pure inspiration — or at least I feel it so. Each tone is correct and could not be different. The message is simply present."

"The joy that Mozart gives us, and I feel this anew in every encounter with him, is not due to the omission of a part of reality; it is an expression of a higher perception of the whole, something I can only call inspiration out of which his compositions seem to flow naturally."

Before he became Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote that he remembers that Traunstein, where he spent most of his youth, "very much reflects the influence of Salzburg. You might say that there Mozart thoroughly penetrated our souls, and his music still touches me profoundly, because it is so luminous and yet at the same time so deep. His music is by no means just entertainment; it contains the whole tragedy of human existence."

L'addio, Maestro!

2007-09-09T22:13:00.000-05:00

With abounding charisma and exuberance, there's so much to say about Luciano Pavarotti. It's amazing to think that he was just singing his calling card (Nessun Dorma of course!) at the Olympics in Turin in February 2006. I was so excited about tuning into the ceremony especially to hear him sing and afterwards thought, "Wow, he's still got it!" Along with 30,000 other fans, I saw him peform live at The Three Tenors concert in June 2000 at the Cleveland Browns Stadium which was the first time opera had been on the lakefront site since the 1930s. I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to hear him perform. The atmosphere was so convivial!

Luciano was the greatest asset to Puccini and Italian opera, but his voice was never suited for Mozart or his contemporaries. Hearing him sing Che gelida manina from Puccini's La Boheme brings tears to my eyes, but hearing him perform Mozart's Un'aura amorosa from Cosi fan tutte does not. Mozart's personal aesthetics indicate that he would agree with me. Only compositions from the Romantic era onwards were written to accommodate singers of such tremendous capacity! Nonetheless, Pavarotti sang the title role of Mozart's Idomeneo at the Metropolitan Opera and performed some Mozart arias in concert.

Pavarotti is very inspirational and meaningful to me not only as one of the first operatic singers I listened to as a teenager, but also for his significant efforts in bringing opera to the masses. Besides performing in the world's renowned opera houses, he shared the stage with Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and countless others which raised his profile and that of the operatic genre within popular culture. The formation of the Three Tenors phenomenon took the popularity of opera to soaring heights and naturally, he was criticized by purists, but oh yes, Luciano had something to say!

"The word commercial is exactly what we want," said Pavarotti after one of the Three Tenors concerts. "We've reached 1.5 billion people with opera. If you want to use the word commercial, or something more derogatory, we don't care. Use whatever you want."

As if there wasn't more to love about him, Pavarotti was also a humanitarian. His Pavarotti and Friends concerts supported many UN causes and through such ventures, he was a close friend of the late Princess Diana. He was invited to sing at her funeral, but declined as he said he could not perform well with "grief in his throat." Ironically, Pavarotti's friend and colleague, Andrea Bocelli, performed at his funeral on Saturday and was not as his finest. Bocelli sang Mozart's motet, Ave Verum Corpus. I was so happy that Mozart was included in the ceremony. Pavarotti received a final standing ovation after a recording of the Italian tenor and his father singing Panis Angelicus was played. Mourners cried as Pavarotti’s unmistakable voice filled the cathedral.

I absolutely fell in love with his voice when I heard Che gelida manina for the first time and in a sense, it represents the beginning of my life with opera which is very precious to me. So, in honor of the maestro, I've posted below a clip of this aria from his riveting 1979 performance at La Scala. Bravissimo!

L'addio, Maestro!
Sherry

Che gelida manina, La Bohème, Puccini, Teatro alla Scala 1979

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2R_KS9J9mU

The German Orpheus

2007-09-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

German Orepheus, playful associate, unruly man-child, serious musician, gentleman of cunning decorum and deportment. Posthumous accounts of Mozart are quite fascinating to say the least, a collage of attributes which give him an enigmatic appeal. Although some accounts may be romanticized to a degree, they provide us with shards of a living portrait that capture the man in action. I've listed entries below from a singer, piano student, social acquaintance and early biographer. You may be both surprised and fascinated!

Sherry

"I remember that at the first rehearsal of the full band Mozart was on the stage, with his crimson pelisse and his gold-banded cocked hat, giving the time of the music to the orchestra. I shall never forget the little animated countenance when lighted up with the glowing rays of genius. It is as impossible to describe it as it would be to paint sunbeams. Those in the orchestra I thought would never have ceased applauding by beating the bows of their violins against the music desks. The little man acknowledged by repeated obeisances his thanks for those distinguishing marks of enthusiastic applause bestowed upon him." Michael Kelly, Reminiscences (1826)

“One day when I was sitting at the pianoforte playing the 'Non piu andrai' from Figaro, Mozart, who was paying a visit to us, came up behind me...He hummed the melody as I played and beat the time on my shoulders; but then he suddenly moved a chair up, and began to improvise such wonderfully beautiful variations that everyone listened to the tones of the German Orpheus with bated breath. But then he suddenly tired of it, jumped up, and in the bad mood that so often came over him, he began to leap over tables and chairs, miaow like a cat, and turn somersaults like an unruly boy.” Karoline Pichler, Memoirs (1843-44)

“In the company of Paesiello, Martini, Salieri and Haydn etc, Mozart said to the last, with whom he was friendly, “I will make an exception for you, but all the other composers are veritable asses!” Sulpiz Boisseree, Diary (1815)

"He was a passionate player of billiards, and played badly. Whenever a famous billiard-player arrived in Vienna, it was of more interest to him than the arrival of a famous musician. The latter, he opined, would come to him all right, the former he looked up himself; he played for high stakes, whole nights long." Sulpiz Boisseree, Diary (1815)

"He was also fond of billiards, and had an excellent billiard table in his house. Many and many a game have I played with him, but always came off second best." Michael Kelly, Reminiscences (1826)

“Joseph II formed the plan…of alienating taste from Italian operas by supporting German Singspiele and singers…He accordingly assembled the best singers, and commissioned a German opera from Mozart. For these virtuosi he wrote a well-known and well-loved Singspiel The Flight from the Seraglio in 1782. It created a widespread sensation; and the cunning Italians soon saw that such a mind could endanger their foreign tinklings. Envy now awoke with all the sharpness of Italian poison! The monarch, at heart delighted with this new and deeply expressive music, nevertheless said to Mozart: 'Very many notes my dear Mozart!'” Franz Xavier Niemetschek, Mozart (1808)

Madonna or Mozart?

2007-09-02T22:54:00.000-05:00

BBC World has a very interesting survey feature on their site: Madonna vs Mozart! In their Visionaries series, the Queen of Pop challenges the King of Classical with the help of pop culture advocates (Edith Bowman for Madonna and Peter Sellars for Mozart). Visit the link below to vote! The last time I checked, the margin was 86% to 14% in favor of...Madonna!

Sherry

www.visionariesdebate.com/visionaries.php?vote=16&id=3

Mozart meets iPod

2007-08-12T02:16:00.000-05:00

Mozart is composing and suddenly hears his wind serenade (Gran Partita, K. 361, 3rd movement). Where is it coming from? The music doesn't resonate from a nearby concert hall or from an orchestra performing out of doors. Instead, it's coming from an unknown peculiar source of a much smaller proportion....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImILm3Kv2k0

Apple is absolutely brilliant for making this commercial! I love it!

Take it with you,
Sherry

The Life and Loves of Mozart

2007-08-12T01:09:00.000-05:00

The 1955 film The Life and Loves of Mozart is essential cinema for Mozart fans! Although it's based on Mozart's fictional relationship with soprano Maria Anna Josepha Francisca Gottlieb (1774-1856), it's nonetheless sincere in its depiction. At age 17, Gottlieb was the first Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) which premiered only a few months before his death. Gottlieb performed until she was 54 years old and never married. She died in 1856 at the age of 82 and was buried in the same cemetery as Mozart, the St. Marx cemetery in Vienna. This film is a portrait of the composer's last months which focuses on their relationship and its influences on his creative process and artistic decision-making.

Viennese actor Oskar Werner's portrayal of Mozart is charming, elegant and sensitive. The scenes are absolutely stunning and the soundtrack is performed by some of Vienna's finest musicians. The original German release title was Reich mir die Hand, mein Leben which is the German translation of the aria La ci darem la mano from Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. I've been unable to find a copy of the original, so I purchased the Bel Canto Society's dubbed version instead which is available on Amazon.

In this scene, Mozart's explaining (and imagining) the priest Sarastro's aria O Isis und Osiris which addresses the new enlightened couple. You'll notice that the woman is considered equal to the man in the initiation ceremony. The text of the aria indicates her strength. This was unheard of in 1791! Sarastro is performed by German bass Gottlob Frick.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jupSQcxIYVo

Werner's image below captures the essence of the film. His melancholy expression is telling and reminiscent of the unfinished painting by Joseph Lange. Imagination grants us license to believe that there's a likeness in his face of the man whose music we shall forever adore.

Sherry

Fritz Wunderlich: Eine Stimme von Himmel

2007-08-09T03:59:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest achievements of 20th Century opera was the casting of German tenor Fritz Wunderlich as Mozart's Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). The ethereal aria Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön (This image is enchantingly lovely) soars to the height of dramatic power at the tenor's discretion which may never again be rivaled.

Wunderlich honors everything that Mozart intended for this aria, a consummation of vocal prowess and poetic mastery which demands nothing less than the soulful attribute that deems itself worthy of such a dramatic genius. The advent of tranquil nievity evolves into a passionate declaration and all-encompassing gesture of life and love. This is Mozart's eternal flourish. Tamino is looking upon the portrait of his beloved for the first time.

The above image is of Wunderlich as Tamino in the opera. It's a great tragedy that he shared a similar fate to that of Mozart, dying tragically at the age of 35. I discovered a rare video of Wunderlich singing this aria and have posted the link below.

Sherry

www.youtube.com/watch?v=px0H0rD2L2E

Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön
Wie noch kein Auge je geseh'n!
Ich fühl' es, wie dies Götterbild
Mein Herz mit neuer Regung füllt.
Dies' etwas kann ich zwar nicht nennen,
Doch fühl' ichs hier wie Feuer brennen.
Soll die Empfindung Liebe sein?
Ja, ja, die Liebe ist's allein.
O, wenn ich sie nur finden könnte!
O, wenn sie doch schon vor mir stände!
Ich würde, würde, warm und rein,
Was würde ich? Ich würde sie voll Entzücken
An diesen heissen Busen drücken
Und ewig wäre sie dann mein.

This image is enchantingly lovely,
As no one has ever seen before!
I feel it as this heavenly picture,
Fills my heart with great emotion,
I do not know what I feel,
Though I feel it like a burning flame,
Could this be love?
Yes! Yes! It is love alone!
If only I could find her,
If only she were standing near me,
I would, I would, with warmth and honor,
What would I do? Full of rapture,
Against her glowing bosom press,
Then she would be mine forever!

Mozart's Red Carpet Rendezvous in NYC

2007-07-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

Phil Grabsky's In Search of Mozart premiered in New York City on 20 July with Cinema Village. As Marketing Manager, I was able to join the troupe! I stayed with my friend Stephanie Cowell, author of Marrying Mozart, who has been instrumental in our grassroots campaign there. Stephanie is a trained coloratura soprano, former owner of an opera company, a wonderful novelist and a dedicated Mozartian, so the energy and enthusiasm for Mozart is unsurpassed when we're in the same room together! This made our collaboration in promoting the film during those few afternoons before the premiere a marvellous prelude to our meeting with Phil and the onset of the premiere experience. Astonishing. Surreal.

The film elicited very good reviews by the New York Times and the New York Sun. We also received a tv spot on NY1 and overall, nearly 20 reviews for our release. Outstanding! I was beside myself entirely when I ventured to the newsstand on Friday morning and found Mozart on the opposite page of Hairspray and other Hollywood competitors. I took away from this the greatest sense of satisfaction. There's an endless amount of competition in the city, but despite this, we breeched the scene! Mozart will play through 16 August which is nearly a month of exposure in the Big Apple. The above photo was taken of Phil and I on opening night. A very memorable evening! I'm indebted to him for making a film of such daring quality, one that challenges a canon and captures hearts and minds in recognition.

Sherry

First Full-Length Documentary on Mozart Opens in New York

NY1 video segment featuring an interview with Director Phil Grabsky

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=71918&search_result=1&stid=120

A Tribute to a Master Composer

New York Times

http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/07/20/movies/20moza.html

Finding a Stationary Target

New York Sun

http://www.nysun.com/article/58791

Bertramka Villa: Divertimenti in Prague

2007-07-15T01:42:00.000-05:00

The W.A. Mozart Museum of the Bertramka Villa in Prague just announced that it will host a new string quartet festival in August called Divertimenti in Prague. Josef Suk is the patron to the festival, a renowned violinist who represents a significant lineage to the Czech Republic's musical heritage as the great grandson of composer Antonin Dvorak. The Prazak Quartet, Nostitz Quartet, Stamic Quartet, Herold Quartet and the Kocian Quartet will perform works by Mozart, Dvorak, Brahms, Janacek, Mendelssohn, Smetan, Ravel and Schubert.

The Bertramka Villa is strongly associated with Mozart's visits to Prague and his success there. In 1787 and 1791, he was the house guest of František and Josefina Dušek, two musically gifted individuals. Josefina's mother was from Salzburg and the couple initially met Mozart there in 1777. Josefina often performed with Mozart as he wrote arias for her acclaimed voice. After Mozart's death, his wife Constanze entrusted their sons to the Dušek household while she continued to advocate Mozart's music on tour. Franz and Karl later recalled that some of their happiest memories were from this period. Franz even made his debut in Prague singing one of Papageno's arias from The Magic Flute when he was 6 years old. Josefina sang at the Prague memorial service for Mozart where over 4,000 people attended.

My twin sister took the above photo at the Bertramka Villa when we visited in May 2006. This image is from inside the estate's entrance. We attended a concert in the sala terrena. Absolutely stunning. This property was in the countryside during Mozart's time, but the inevitable urban sprawl has approached its boundaries. The villa is a good distance away from the Estates Theater, where his operas were performed. Just shortly after we departed Prague, the locals held a marathon race dedicated to Mozart where all runners dressed in period costume and ran this route from the theater to the villa! The photo below is of my sister standing in front of the sala terrena on the terrace. She was the official photographer of our Mozart pilgrimmage and did a fantastic job capturing all of our memories!

Sherry

http://www.bertramka.com/

Mozart's Pastoral Holiday

2007-07-10T03:21:00.000-05:00

The Swing, C. 1766-69 by Jean-Honore Fragonard (1732-1806)

This is one of my favorite Rococo paintings. Splendor and hypocritical innocence....artistocrats at play! I just discovered a beautiful collage of landscape paintings from the 17th and 18th Centuries accompanied by Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp, Andante (K. 299). It's a gorgeous presentation. If you're in need of a summer holiday, a pastoral holiday nonetheless, look no further!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fI6mNal8cjw

Sherry

Don Giovanni 1939 Parlophone

2007-07-10T02:03:00.000-05:00

Don Ottavio's Dalla sua pace from Don Giovanni is one of my favorite Mozart arias. It's interesting to note that this aria was not in the original production, but that it was added by Mozart for the Viennese premiere. Although it is a beautiful love song, a testament of the heart, it also highlights Ottavio's passivity and cowardice at a pivotal moment in his life when his fiance is asking him to avenge her against Don Giovanni's recent seduction attempt. There are many layers to Mozart's theatrical works and nothing is always as it seems, which makes the discoveries so enjoyable and rewarding! Opalescence is at the center of Mozart's appeal. He held a strong partisanship for music over all dramatic elements of the stage, yet remained faithful to the poetic text which he also influenced to a substantial degree. This otherwordly result has sustained his operas in standard repertory, without significant interrpution, since his death.

I attended a performance of Don Giovanni in Prague in 2004 at the Estates Theatre (Nostitz Theater) where Mozart himself conducted the premiere on October 29, 1787. I was disappointed with the art nouveu approach (concept opera) with the set design and choreography, but the music, oh, the music! I closed my eyes, for its divinity was consuming. It was an experience I shall never forget. Whether contemporary performances boast the bold and superficial or the elegant and innovative, one thing is for certain, Mozart's music will survive it all. The photo above was taken from my seat that memorable evening. Do you notice all of the orbs? Spiritual energy or faulty camera?

While searching online for a clip of this aria to post, I discovered a 1939 vintage Parlophone with Richard Tauber as Don Ottavio. It's not my favorite interpretation (tempi and phrasing are at times undesirable as is his high D at the end instead of taking the octave), but I find historical recordings so fascinating! The video captures a spinning record and the culmination of sound in an empty room. Very symbolic. Not only does this absence represent a bygone era, but it also presents an opportunity for a new audience to emerge. Will we accept the invitation?

Visual elements have never been a necessity when it comes to fully experiencing the genius and humanity that Mozart's architecture provides. I believe that contemporary opera often places too much emphasis on staging and acting to the point that it becomes a hybrid creation from Broadway or the West End which can underestimate the whole point of Mozart's dramatic aims. I understand that they're simply catering to our visually-oriented society, but they should never lose sight of the music and text. Afterall, it is this collaboration that sets our souls on fire.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aIL-dTRV1SA

Sherry

Dalla sua pace la mia dipende;
Quel che a lei piace vita mi rende,
Quel che le incresce morte mi dà.
S'ella sospira, sospiro anch'io;
È mia quell'ira, quel pianto è mio;
E non ho bene, s'ella non l'ha.

On her peace of mind my own depends;
her wishes are the breath of life to me,
her griefs pierce my heart.
When she sighs, I sigh too;
I share her anger and her tears,
And there's no joy for me if she has none.

Amadeus Burns Up the Stage!

2007-07-03T01:28:00.000-05:00

Do you recognize this guy? It's Steve Burns! That's right, the former host of Nickolodeon's Blue's Clues! He's portraying Mozart in the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's production of Amadeus at DeSales University through 8 July. It's his first return to live stage since his performance in the festival's 1994 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It just seems like yesterday that I saw him in his knit cap accompanying the large balloon of Blue in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade when I marched with my collegiate band! Critics have given him great reviews for Amadeus, which I've posted below. The casting choice may seem a bit random to us since he's been typecast by parents and preschoolers, but I'm certain his acclaim is not unwarranted. From reading the interviews, I gather that he has incredible insight into the characterization of his subject along with a tremendous amount of respect for Mozart's life and music. Bravo!

Sherry

"There is an innocence and a certain childish joy to the role," says Burns. "Despite Mozart's often crude behavior, there seems to be a sense of terrible power driving him, a power that he channels but does not necessarily control. I see this as a chance to play someone who is truly inspired, in the purest sense of the word. I am the farthest thing from a musical genius, but I can honestly say I've met one or two in the past couple of years in my travels as a musician.''

"It’s an athletic role, and I mean that in an emotional sense,” he said. “You have to go from moments of divine inspiration to utter despair to childish joy in four lines — in every scene. I’ve loved doing research on Mozart and his music. I’m very moved by it. I love the dark stuff, the work full of fear. I’m loving that. Truly, at this point I’m obsessed with it. He's at 150 percent all the time. I tell you, it's terrifying. Probably after 13 years I should have started with a nice regional theater production of 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.'"

Steve Burns electrifies as boy genius 'Amadeus'
http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-rev_amadeus.5914668jun26,0,6316962.story

'Amadeus' siren song brings 'Blue's Clues' star back to DeSales
http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-burns.5905420jun24,0,6231726.story

Burning up the Stage
http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=47193

Schachtner's Trumpet

2007-06-24T21:19:00.000-05:00

As a trumpet player, I've always found Mozart's pathological fear and lack of writing for the instrument to be very interesting. In terms of aesthetics, it was most likely due to the primitive nature of the 18th Century trumpet that encouraged this avoidance. Psychologically, it has been suggested that Mozart's fear derived from his associations of the instrument's masculinity, aggressiveness and power with his demanding father Leopold. To remedy Wolfgang of this phobia, Leopold asked Court Trumpeter Johann Andreas Schachtner to surprise him with a loud blast!

In a letter to Mozart's sister Nannerl on 24 April 1792, Schachtner wrote: About the delicacy and fineness of his ear. Until he was almost 9 he was terribly afraid of the trumpet when it was played alone, without other music. If anyone so much as showed him a trumpet it was like holding a loaded pistol to his heart. His father wished to rid him of this childish fear and ordered me to blow a trumpet at him regardless.

Schachtner continues...My God, I should not have been persuaded to do it. Wolfgangerl scarcely heard the blaring sound when he grew pale and began to collapse, and if I had continued, he would surely have had a fit.

The diary entry from Aurelius Augustinus (Prior of Sternberg) on 30 December, 1767 states: In the evening, persuaded by his Excellency the Governor, I attended a musical concert in a house in the city known as the Taverna, at which a Salzburg boy of 11 years and his sister of 15 years, accompanied on various instruments by inhabitants of Brunn, excited everyone's admiration; but he could not endure the trumpets, because they were incapable of playing completely in tune with one another.

Fears aside, Mozart understood the trumpet's dramatic value and as he never spared the slightest detail in his ruthless creation of dramatic effectiveness, he wrote the majority of his operas in keys accessible to both trumpet and timpani. The aria Non piu Andrai is a good example of this operatic context, as Figaro sends Cherubino off to the military to keep him from amorous pursuits! Wolfgang didn't write any solo instrumental works for the trumpet aside from a trumpet concerto that he supposedly composed in his earlier years (K. 47C), but the manuscript is lost.

Leopold Mozart wrote a lovely Concerto in D which is well known. Here's a clip of Wynton Marsalis performing the first movement with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Raymond Leppard. http://youtube.com/watch?v=uNhxb_tV5oc

Sherry

Mozart's Libertine Librettist: The Musical!

2007-06-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

The Libertine Librettist: Rare Musical About Lorenzo DaPonte Gets Free Concert Performances in NYC
By Kenneth Jones, 20 Jun 2007

Article posted from Playbill Arts.com
www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6672.html

A little-known Judd Woldin-Richard Engquist musical about the colorful life of Mozart's librettist Lorenzo DaPonte will be heard in two free concert performances on June 24 and 25 in Manhattan. Lorenzo - The Libertine Librettist has music by Woldin, lyrics by Engquist, with the book prepared by both men, drawing freely on the life and legend of the long-lived writer (1749-1838), who penned the libretti to Mozart's Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro.
Woldin is the composer of Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical, Raisin and Off-Broadway's Little Ham. Enquist is the lyricist of Little Ham and Off-Broadway's Kuni Leml.

According to production notes, Lorenzo DaPonte, the librettist of Mozart's, began life as an Italian Jewish poet and ended as a professor of Italian at New York's Columbia University. Along the way he was driven out of Venice by furious husbands and out of London by furious creditors...a never-to-be-repeated epic story of love and ambition.

Christopher Scott will direct a cast of ten (including Bob Gaynor as Lorenzo, Trish Rapier, Vanessa Jones, Don Mayo, Joel Blum, Pat Cook and more), with music director Beth Falcone, in this revised concert version of the show that was commissioned and produced 25 years ago by Eric Krebs at the George Street Playhouse. The subtitle The Libertine Librettist was recently added.

I stripped away everything in the book that was problematical, lyricist/co-librettist Engquist told Playbill.com, so now it is a very lean, tight narrative, but we are doing the whole score, with ten actors and a grand piano. Beth Falcone has done new musical arrangements ... actors will have scripts and scores in hand.

Engquist said DaPonte's memoirs are interesting, clearly highly embellished. He was a genius. Judd and I took the various extravagant facts about his life and did a treatment which is almost entirely made up.

DaPonte's life story has the feel of Candide in its variety and geography.

Lorenzo DaPonte was an interesting character, Engquist said. He was the son of a Jewish tanner in Ceneda, Italy, was educated in a Catholic seminary, and despite his holy orders lived a scandalous life in Venice, where he was befriended by Casanova and had a very busy sex life with women both married and unmarried. He ended up in Vienna, where he became a court poet in the court of Joseph II, working with a number of composers, among them Mozart. He hooked up with a young woman, Anna Grahl, who called herself Nancy. She was the daughter of a Jewish businessman, but they had also assimilated as Catholics. Lorenzo and his wife (they may not have been legally married) moved to London where they got into severe financial troubles, fled to America, had several children, did whatever they could to survive — a store, a boarding house, tutoring, translating.

Lorenzo was the first professor of Italian at Columbia (later University). He made a couple of attempts to start opera companies in New York, and lived to a ripe old age.

Eric Krebs Theatrical Management is producing this new look at Lorenzo. The public is invited to the free concert performances — 7:30 pm on June 24 and 4 pm on June 25 — at Engleman Recital Hall, Baruch College Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter at 25th Street, east of Lexington).

For reservations, call 1-212-967-7079 or email Jason@ektminc.com

Mozart in Prague Podcast

2007-06-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

Mozart's journeys to Prague represented some of the happiest and most successful moments of his life. His compositions received the highest acclaim and he enjoyed the revelry of kind, highly appreciative and gracious hosts. He was given an unprecedented amount of praise and artistic freedom that he always craved in Vienna, but never received. His travels to the Bohemian capital have been captured in works of scholarship, fiction, documentaries and portraiture. The journey to Prague with his wife for the premiere of Don Giovanni in October 1787 is by far the most popular trek. The painting above depicts this occasion. I was browsing through my Google alerts today and discovered a podcast Mozart in Prague which explores locations throughout the city associated with his visits, so I thought I'd post it!

www.itoors.com/itoors/prague.php

Sherry

Hermann-Schneider Discovers Mozart Manuscript

2007-06-18T00:15:00.000-05:00

I just came across the news that Austrian musicologist Hildegard Hermann-Schneider has discovered the manuscript of Mozart's 1776 mass K. 258 in the archives of the Bressanone Cathedral, located close to the Austrian border in Northern Italy. The news release is dated 15 June, but it does not indicate when the manuscript was found. The notation is autographed by both Wolfgang and his father Leopold. The manuscript will be unveiled via press conference to illustrate the details and importance of the finding in Bolzano next Friday, 22 June, at 10:30am. The Mayor of Bressanone, Albert Pürgstaller, Hildegard Hermann-Schneider, representatives of the Brixner Initiatives Musik und Kirche and the President of the Museum Diocesano Hofburg of Bressanone will be present amongst others. This is truly amazing. My summer just got more exciting!

Sherry

www.provinz.bz.it/lpa/news/news_i.asp?art=172500&HLM=1