La Scena Spotlight - my/maSCENA

JMC Rhythmobile, Photo: Antoine Saito

La Rentrée Musicale: Concerts for Children

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 September 2016 Classical Music, Education, La Scena Spotlight, Multimedia, Musical Theatre, World Music

Studies show that appreciation for classical music begins at a young age. Though it’s sometimes difficult to find a reason (or the means) to bring younger children to the symphony or opera, there are plenty of inexpensive children’s programs this fall that are enjoyable for the whole family. When the commitment is only an afternoon, children’s concerts are an easy way to enrich the lives of the youngest members of your family! Musical Exploration with JMC The Jeunesses musicales du Canada has unveiled a diverse program this year with many opportunities to explore something new. On September 28, join Architek…

Filumena, Banff Centre, Photo: Don Lee

New Opera Productions in Canada

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 September 2016 Canadian Music, Classical, Contemporary, La Scena Spotlight, Opera, Romantic

The 2017–18 season is shaping up to be a milestone for new opera productions by Canadian companies. In celebration of the country’s 150th birthday, several works with Canadian themes will get their world premieres in Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto. Furthermore, Vancouver Opera has a watershed season with the inaugural year of the Vancouver Opera Festival. If you missed its triumphant opening run in Montreal last spring, Opéra de Montreal’s production of Les Feluettes (Lilies) travels to Pacific Opera Victoria this April. The Lost Operas of Mozart City Opera of Vancouver, 27 to 29 October, 2016 It’s a little-known fact that…

George Frederic Handel

The Heckeler: Peace and Reconciliation

By Andrew Burn on 1 August 2016 Baroque and Early, La Scena Spotlight

A few weeks ago, myscena.org published a short post on Handel’s Utrecht Te Deum & Jubilate. Two years ago I had the chance to perform that work with the European Union Baroque Orchestra on a tour which was to mark the centenary of the beginning of the First World War. As an artist within the sphere of Early Music, the political significance of a particular work is just as important in my mind as its performance conditions or practices. While creating a moving entertainment is my first priority, programmatically speaking I believe that stripping work of its context in order to…

The Party at the End of the World

By Robert Kilborn on 26 July 2016 La Scena Spotlight, Literature

A shrewd November dusk de-illuminates an opaque door on rue de la Montagne near the corner of boulevard De Maisonneuve at the very heart of Montreal’s circulatory system. A Chinese gong sounds when you open the door and enter The Ten Thousand Things. In the near distance, you hear a piano and a tenor voice murmuring fragments of Leonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows.” Sugar maple burns in the fireplace, the caramel of freshly roasted coffee sweetens the air. Apricot-coloured lights guide you past the umbrella and coat stands, the white marble counters with their mottlings of black and grey, two gleaming silver and…

London Bridge (http://www.hdwallpapers.in/)

The Heckeler: A Good Time to be a Cynic

By Andrew Burn on 24 July 2016 Baroque and Early, Classical Music, La Scena Spotlight

Editor’s Note: La Scena Musicale is pleased to announce our new contributor Andrew Burn. Andrew is a Switzerland-based Historical Bassoonist and Early Music specialist, and he delves into these topics on his blog, The Heckeler. When I am given the opportunity to speak in front of a group of musicians, I usually conduct an exercise or two. One of my most though-provoking involves asking all the participants to write down two rational reasons (or as close to as possible) why they should have a performing career. The only things which they are no allowed to write down are “I can’t imagine doing…

Hugo Laporte, Photo: Marc Robitaille

Hugo Laporte, winner of the OSM Manulife Competition

By Michèle-Andrée Lanoue on 1 October 2015 Art Song, La Scena Spotlight, Opera

On November 22, 2014, baritone Hugo Laporte received the highest honours at the prestigious OSM Standard Life Competition. Since then, his engagements have multiplied to ever-increasing critical acclaim. In this article, we encounter a young musician of exceptional promise. Originally from Quebec, Hugo Laporte was introduced to music at an early age. At four years old, he and his parents attended the youth concert series at the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. “They quickly noticed that I had a strong interest in music. So we went to the open house of the music school around the corner. I was six years…

9th Edition of the Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal

By Michele Duguay on 23 June 2015 La Scena Spotlight, Newswire

Left to right: Mr Jan-Fryderyk Pleszczynski (CAM President), André Bourbeau, Ivanhoé Cambridge, Tampopo, Charles Milliard, Mr Michel Leblanc (CCMM President and Chief Executive) By Michèle Duguay The 2015 winners of the Prix Arts-Affaires were announced yesterday afternoon at the Maison du Conseil des arts de Montréal. This event aims to promote ties between cultural organizations and the business world. According to Jan-Fryderyk Pleszczynski, president of the Conseil des Arts de Montréal, “this year’s winners reflects the diversity and sense of innovation shown by people and enterprises in their commitment to arts organizations”. The winner of the Entreprise category, sponsored by…

Menuhin Competition Austin 2014: Junior Section Prize Winners Selected

By Paul E. Robinson on 1 March 2014 La Scena Spotlight, Orchestral, Strings

by Paul E. RobinsonMenuhin Competition Austin 2014 Winners (Junior Division)(Left to right) Ludwig Gudim (3rd Prize); Daniel Lozakovitj (2nd Prize); Rennosuke Fukuda (1st Prize);Jaewon Wee (5th Prize); Alex Zhou (4th Prize)Friday night at the Butler School of Music in Austin, TX, seven young violinists between the ages of 12 and 14, competed for prizes in the Junior Section of the Menuhin Competition Austin 2014. Among the countries represented were the United States, Korea, Japan, Sweden, and Norway. In this final round the contestants chose one 10-minute piece from a list of four works by Sarasate, Saint-Saëns, Waxman and Wieniawski. Each…

Dallas Symphony Raises its Game for 1st European Tour with Maestro Jaap van Zweden!

By Paul E. Robinson on 26 February 2013 La Scena Spotlight, Newswire, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonWagner: Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and LiebestodBeethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major Op. 19Stucky: August 4, 1964: ElegyStrauss: Der Rosenkavalier: SuiteAnton Nel, pianoDallas Symphony Orchestra/Jaap van ZwedenMeyerson Symphony CenterDallas, TexasFebruary 22, 2013For five years now, Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden has been working steadily to build the Dallas Symphony (DSO) into a world-class orchestra. Critical reaction in Dallas has been consistently glowing and when conductor and orchestra were featured at the League of American Orchestras Conference in Dallas last year, the reaction from the ‘movers and shakers’ in the industry was ecstatic.Now comes the…

Victoires de la Musique Classique in France

By La Scena Musicale Team on 16 February 2011 La Scena Spotlight, Orchestral

By Frank Cadenhead The prime-time live telecast Monday night, February 14, of the French show Victoires de la Musique Classique was already good news. This is the top awards show for classical music in France, comparable to America’s Grammy awards, and it focuses mainly on French artists. But in competition with other shows on the major channels, its traditionally weak ratings always cause talk of taping it and showing it on off hours. This year, from the convention center in the city of Nantes, it headlined the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and their engaging young American conductor, John…

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