BSO ‘Carnival of the Animals’

Timpani solos. Hip hop narration. These are two phrases that do not fit into the common perception of “classical” music. Most people think of strings and operatic singing. In the start of the second half of their 2017-2018 season, Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra aim to alter that perception with their performances of Philip Glass’s “Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists” and Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals” on January 11th and 14th.

Big Blasts from the Past

Depending on your generational perspective, the late soul goddess Minnie Riperton is either the mother of actress / singer / SNL alum Maya Rudolph or the singer with the five-octave vocal range best known for the timeless 1975 hit single “Lovin’ You,” co-written by Riperton and her husband Richard Rudolph. You can hear Riperton, who died of cancer in 1979 at 31, paying a “lovin’” homage to her daughter Maya at the end of “Lovin’ You.” The double-disc deluxe edition expanded reissue of Perfect Angel (Capitol / UMe), Riperton’s second album and the one on which “Lovin’ You” can be […]

‘Le Mis’ at National Theatre Ups the Emotional Gravity

Victor Hugo classic brought to stage with a painterly sense of cinema When Les Misérables debuted in London in 1985, the show was met with mixed reviews. Today, the show widely known as Les Mis is one of the longest-running shows on stage and is beloved by audiences around the world. Fans of the musical will be able to experience the drama, romance and revolution from December 20th to January 7th at the National Theatre in Washington, DC.

‘Le Mis’ at National Theatre Ups the Emotional Gravity

Victor Hugo classic brought to stage with a painterly sense of cinema When Les Misérables debuted in London in 1985, the show was met with mixed reviews. Today, the show widely known as Les Mis is one of the longest-running shows on stage and is beloved by audiences around the world. Fans of the musical will be able to experience the drama, romance and revolution from December 20th to January 7th at the National Theatre in Washington, DC.

Tinsel Tunes 2017

Leave it to a nice Jewish (bisexual) girl such as Rachael Sage to come up with one of the most delightful holiday recordings of the year. Her five-song EP Joy! (MPress) opens with a reading of “Joy to the World” that is pure Sage, right down to her distinctive phrasing and vocals. A radio mix of the songs also closes the EP. In between, it’s a festival of lights and light pop. The originals, including the lighthearted “Tchatchkes & Latkes” and the beautiful “Hanukkah in the Village,” are among Sage’s most appealing compositions. The disc’s centerpiece, in which  Sage sings […]

BSO Brings Holiday Jingle to New Heights

Putting the scintillating in seasonal Take a break from frantic shopping and stressful travel prep to enjoy the sounds of the season from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Their holiday programming lineup will give you a shot of the holiday spirit and transform the way you hear those classic tunes.

Mozart’s Mysterious Requiem at BSO

Did genius composer foretell his own end? A mysterious stranger. An obsessive artist. An untimely death. This isn’t a new thriller movie; it’s Mozart’s mysterious Requiem. On Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd, Maestra Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform the Requiem in D minor as part of the Off the Cuff series.

Brexit Music

Galloping in a couple of years after Oxford’s Foals’ breakthrough disc Holy Fire, What Went Down (WB) does a remarkable job of sounding alternately massive and intimate, sometimes even in the same song. The riveting title track sets the tone. “Birch Tree” is an irresistibly funky workout that could find club success with the right remix. In fact, listeners should have no trouble shaking their asses to “Albatross,” “Night Swimmers,” and “Snake Oil.”