When Virgil Thomson died in 1989, Leonard Bernstein’s reaction was something to the effect of “We all loved his music, but we never played it.” I doubt that Ward Stare would have bothered to present Thomson’s opera “The Mother of Us All” unless he believed in it completely,
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Posted inMusic
Susan B. at the symphony
This year’s observances of Susan B. Anthony’s 200th birthday celebration and the centenary of the 19th Amendment are momentous events, but at first glance they may not seem to inspire musical celebrations – but the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is prepared to prove otherwise this weekend and next.
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Sunday’s Grammy winners included works featuring RPO, super-producer Bob Ludwig
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Ward Stare, and Eastman School of Music graduate and sound engineer Bob Ludwig, were a part of two winners at Sunday’s 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
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Classical review: RPO with Fabien Gabel
This week’s Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert may be titled “Gabel Conducts Beethoven,” but forgive me, Ludwig lovers — the real news here is the non-Beethoven half of the program.
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Don Potter plugs into Christmas with the RPO
Don Potter is plugged into Christmas. He returns to Rochester this weekend for four Holiday Pops shows – one Friday, two Saturday, one more on Sunday — with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
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RPO and Ward Stare’s recording up for two Grammys
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director Ward Stare’s recording of composer Jennifer Higdon’s “Harp Concerto,” featuring the classical harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, has been nominated for two Grammys.
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Classical review: ‘Bach to Bartók’ an RPO journey worth taking
Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, and Alban Berg – great composers but only occasional visitors to Kodak Hall at best — finally made it on the same Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra program last night.
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Rochester Fringe announces 2019 lineup
The 8th annual Rochester Fringe Festival takes place Tuesday, September 10, through Saturday, September 21, at venues in and around downtown Rochester.
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Ben Folds reunites with RPO in 2020
Genre-bending musician Ben Folds will join the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra next spring in a May 8 performance at Eastman Theatre’s Kodak Hall, as part of the 2019-20 season of “Eastman Presents.” Folds last performed with the RPO at CMAC in 2014.
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Album review: ‘American Rapture’
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra ‘American Rapture’ Azica Records azica.com; rpo.org The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s new album “American Rapture” highlights the most intriguing components of the RPO’s musical identity in the Ward Stare era. Five seasons into Stare’s tenure as music director, the RPO has been at its most compelling when it expresses admiration for crucial 20th-century […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Ward Stare to leave RPO in 2021
Ward Stare will be stepping down from his position as music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of the summer 2021, after seven years.
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Opera review: RPO performs ‘Così fan tutte’
Love triangles are not rare in opera, but Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” — performed this week by Ward Stare and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra — presents a love rectangle.
