The current Metropolitan Opera production of Les Contes d’Hoffman from composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880), is expertly performed by an outstanding cast and the MET orchestra, led by conductor Johannes Debus. This production is richly empowered by the vibrant, excellent vocal and dramatic artistry of principal singers, Vittorio Grigolo, Erin Morley, Anita Hartig, Oksana Volkova, Laurent Naouri, Tara Erraught and Christophe Mortagne. This last opera from Offenbach combines a vibrant and varied score and libretto with engaging stage sets and three diverse storylines to present a production that is at once embodied with exotic elegance, blatant grotesqueness, depths of heartache and light-hearted humor. Genuine beauty is offset, then balanced with ill-intended sentiments, jealousies and calculated rivalries.

In her recent concert in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center on Saturday evening, October 29, 2016, Jiaoyue Lyu enchanted and entranced her audience with a program rich in traditional Chinese poetic music selections. This enlightening concert was performed by Ms. Lyu on the ancient stringed instruments of Guqin and Zhu, both very significant in the traditions of Chinese music. Jiao’s exemplary affinity with and command of these fascinating instruments reveals their uniquely expressive and innately beautiful timbre and exquisite range of tonalities. As the evening progressed, she and her musician collaborators guided the concert with graceful expertise from ancient to contemporary music modes with the introduction of electronic amplification.

Photos & Article, Video By Len Rapoport That tradition was brought back to life 34 years ago and the Mermaid Parade was born.  So it was with great delight and anticipation that my father and I were going to cover the parade again this year.  Our correspondents couldn’t make it but we decided we would […]

In the Foreword to her very engaging and informative new book, Dr. Jennifer Miceli reveals the many dimensions and unique diversity of her career path and experiences as a professional choral director, music educator, educator of music teachers, and as a performing musician. The choirs she has directed include musicians of varied levels of training and experience from youngsters of pre-school age and children with special needs to intergenerational and accomplished professional choirs and choral ensembles. Although every singer as musician within a choral group brings unique, creative skills and understanding to each rehearsal and concert, quoting Dr. Miceli, “As choristers we breathe together, intone the notes off the page, and unleash the glorious sound of human voices singing in harmony—it can be, and often is, transcendent.”

Photos, Video by Len Rapoport, Correspondents Andy Peeke and Amy Bursor I was born and grew up in Coney Island and remember the Coney parades each year when I was a young boy.  My father used to bring home a large box of loose confetti and my brothers and I used to help mom and […]