Naamloos

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Huba de Graaff’s Kurdish opera Qaqnas channels the spirit of ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’

Inspired by a Kurdish poem about women’s rights, composer Huba de Graaff created Qaqnas, an all-female opera premiering at the Holland Festival on 12 June. The work arrives at a moment when the Netherlands has fallen to 43rd place on the 2025 global gender gap index, far behind Namibia (8), Nicaragua (18) and Albania (36). Naaz and Huba de Graaff (c) Bowie Verschuuren Continue reading Huba de…

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[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via In ‘Voci da Hebron’ pleit Cristian Carrara voor verzoening tussen Palestijnen en Israëliërs)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

In ‘Voci da Hebron’ pleit Cristian Carrara voor verzoening tussen Palestijnen en Israëliërs

De door Netanyahu en Trump ontketende oorlog tegen Iran dreigt het almaar escalerende conflict tussen Israël en de Palestijnen naar de achtergrond te verdrijven. Waar politici al jaren wegkijken, n…

De oude man hoopt Palestijnen en Israëliërs met elkaar te verzoenen. Als zijn vrouw overlijdt, laat hij hun wijngaard na aan de Israëlische soldaat Ruth (de mezzosopraan Shakèd Bar) en de Palestijnse archeologiestudent Mohammed (de tenor David Tricou). Het blijft in het midden of zij erin slagen de immense kloof die tussen hen gaapt te overbruggen.

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

In ‘Voci da Hebron’ pleit Cristian Carrara voor verzoening tussen Palestijnen en Israëliërs

De door Netanyahu en Trump ontketende oorlog tegen Iran dreigt het almaar escalerende conflict tussen Israël en de Palestijnen naar de achtergrond te verdrijven. Waar politici al jaren wegkijken, nam de Italiaanse componist Cristian Carrara (1977) zijn componeerpen ter hand. Continue reading In ‘Voci da Hebron’ pleit Cristian Carrara voor verzoening tussen Palestijnen en Israëliërs

In ‘Voci da Hebron’ pleit Cristian Carrara voor verzoening tussen Palestijnen en Israëliërs

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Clémence de Grandval’s Mazeppa: powerful opera without pedantry

During her lifetime, Clémence de Grandval was a celebrated composer, but after her death her music soon disappeared from the concert stage. The Palazzetto Bru Zane label now presents her opera Mazeppa, about Ukraine’s struggle for freedom. Once again in an exemplary, numbered edition with an extensive booklet in French and English. Who was Clémence de Grandval? Continue reading Clémence de…

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[contemporaryclassicalfan]

For decades the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra ignored the two Cello Concertos Henriëtte Bosmans composed. Ed Spanjaard saves them from oblivion.

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[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Rebecca Clarke, celebrated viola player, forgotten composer)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Ivan Vukosavljević celebrates the birth of his daughter)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Phyllis Tate portrays Jack the Ripper in her opera The Lodger)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Phyllis Tate portrays Jack the Ripper in her opera The Lodger

In the late nineteenth century, Jack the Ripper raped, murdered and mutilated several women in London. The perpetrator was never found, but many artists drew inspiration from him. The first was Marie Belloc Lowndes, with her 1913 novel The Lodger. Alfred Hitchcock based his first thriller on this, and Phyllis Tate her opera of the same name. The Lodger premiered in 1960 at the Royal Academy of…

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[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Phyllis Tate vereeuwigt Jack the Ripper in opera The Lodger

Eind negentiende eeuw verkrachtte, vermoordde en verminkte Jack the Ripper meerdere vrouwen in Londen. De dader werd nooit gevonden, maar vele kunstenaars lieten zich door hem inspireren. De eerste was Marie Belloc Lowndes, met haar roman The Lodger uit 1913. Hierop baseerde Alfred Hitchcock zijn eerste thriller en Phyllis Tate haar gelijknamige opera. The Lodger ging in 1960 in première aan de…

Phyllis Tate vereeuwigt Jack the Ripper in opera The Lodger

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Galina Ustvolskaya: 'Sind Sie mir nicht böse!' (very nearly an interview))

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Fie Schouten & Katharina Gross explore crossovers between clarinet and cello)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Ivan Vukosavljevic celebrates the birth of his daughter

In 2024, Ivan Vukosavljevic released his CD Slow Roads with eight  works for organ solo. On his new album, a mind in the heart, the composer presents as many compositions for solo piano. In the CD booklet, we read that for a long time he could not relate to this ‘non-malleable instrument’ because of his preference for unusual timbres and harmonies. Continue reading Ivan Vukosavljevic celebrates…

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[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Sofia Gubaidulina's ‘Revue’ proves unexpected gem)

The apparatchiks wanted nothing to do with Gubaidulina's highly personal sound world full of mysterious rustlings and deafening explosions of sound, which were at odds with the socialist realism they preached. Her Revue, recently released on CD, would undoubtedly have made them grind their teeth.(via Sofia Gubaidulina's ‘Revue’ proves unexpected gem)

The apparatchiks wanted nothing to do with Gubaidulina's highly personal sound world full of mysterious rustlings and deafening explosions of sound, which were at odds with the socialist realism they preached. Her Revue, recently released on CD, would undoubtedly have made them grind their teeth.

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

(via Sofia Gubaidulina's ‘Revue’ proves unexpected gem)

[contemporaryclassicalfan]

Sofia Gubaidulina's ‘Revue’ proves unexpected gem

Sofia Gubaidulina, one of the great composers of the post-World War II era, passed away in March 2025. During the Soviet dictatorship, she encountered strong opposition from the authorities and was forced to earn a living as a film composer. The apparatchiks wanted nothing to do with her highly personal sound world full of mysterious rustlings and deafening explosions of sound, which were at odds…

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