Grande Maestro Muti Begins With the CSO

The one-and-only grande Maestro Riccardo Muti begins in the 2010-2011 season as Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I wish this titanic, highly-progressive musical talent the very greatest of years with this magnificent orchestra. Bravo Maestro!

See the awesome commercial for Maestro Muti's first season with the CSO! (from YouTube):

Giulietta Simionato the Greatest 1910 - 2010 Rest-In-Peace

In March, with the 100th birthday of the great Italian soprano, Magda Olivero, knowing that the birthday of another of the greatest of all operatic voices, Giulietta Simionato, the majestic Italian mezzo-soprano, was alive, also born in 1910, with her centennial in May, I had so hoped this year for a celebratory "duet." Not a literal duet between these true operatic LEGENDS -- that term is used for many, but these two women are/were textbook definitions of musical legnds -- but a near-concurrent fete of their long lives.

Happy Advance 100th Magda Olivero March 25

This has been a big week for centennial celebrations of the birth of not just great, but the finest of world artists. Another of the creative personalities who has been among the most influential to me in my appreciation of art is the one-and-only, Magda Olivero. Remarkably, this great Italian soprano -- who defied classification as a lyric, spinto, etc. -- is not being honored in memory, she is still with us at age 100! (Her birthday will take place tomorrow, March 25.)

Centennial Tribute to My Favorite Director Kurosawa Akira

I am swamped with work and cannot write a fitting tribute to the master of world cinema, Kurosawa Akira (黒澤 明, or 黒沢 明), in my opinion the greatest film director of all time, who would have turned 100 today (23 March).

I almost can't describe in words the impact that all of the films in his canon that I've seen have made on me. I'll elaborate further when I have a moment to write again. In the meantime, 生日おめでとうございます Otanjobi omedeto gozaimasu, maestro. I hope you are still making great films in Heaven.

Alessandra Marc Returns to New York - 2/6 Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall

Alessandra Marc, one of the greatest singers of this generation -- and my favorite soprano -- is returning to the New York stage next week--to Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at 8:30pm. If you know about and love this long-underappreciated, grand artist, please don't miss this concert event!

More Great Music from Iwashiro Taro

 
Another wonderful example of the music of the great Japanese cinema and classical composer Iwashiro Taro (岩代 太郎), who scored John Woo (吳宇森, Wu Yu-Sen)'s epic, RED CLIFF. This, from Japanese TV's Aoi Tokugawa Sandai (葵　徳川三代)--as I understand it, conducted by the one-and-only Charles Dutoit!!!:

My father Frank Ufert - Born December 9 1933

My dad, Frank Ufert, who passed away this summer, would have been 76 years old today. He was truly loved, is terribly missed and his memory will never be forgotten.