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Jonathon Heyward led the Baltimore Symphony in a Beethoven piano concerto along with a new Concerto for Orchestra by composer-in-residence James Lee III.

Jonathan Heyward's first season as BSO Music Director closed with an exciting world premiere from composer-in-residence James Lee III, alongside audience favorites old and new.

After going viral with Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto at the Cliburn two years ago, soloist and conductor tackle his Second with a balance of lyricism, wit and fire.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra dedicate their performance to former music director Yuri Temirkanov, who died last week.

Artistic advisor James Conlon presents a triptych of works by Adolphus Hailstork, Alvin Singleton and Joel Thompson next to an edgy, ironic reading of Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony.

The program also featured the debut of conductor Anna Rakitina, who led a stirring reading of Elgar's Enigma Variations.

An all-Beethoven concert by Markus Stenz and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra provided an opportunity to hear familiar, not-so-familiar and downright rare repertoire from the master's pen.

The concertmasters of America's top orchestras rival the talents of the world's greatest violinists.  This was proven again in BSO leader Jonathan Carney's thrilling performance of Glazunov's Violin Concerto.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under guest conductor Mario Venzago presented a concert of familiar fare that were treated to exemplary performances. 

The Baltimore Concert Opera overcomes two major obstacles – a city under siege and the illness of the lead singer – to present a thoroughly engaging performance of Leo Delibes' Lakme.

In the opera world, where loyalty to the libretto is oftentimes taken for poor taste and the use of period sets and costumes is attributed to the lack of a directorial concept, seeing a traditional production becomes a rare (and very comforting) treat.

One of my favorite things about opera in concert is the absence of director’s concept. Don’t take me wrong: I do enjoy a well-directed opera production with a concept.

On Sunday night Shriver Hall was packed with Baltimore opera fans who had gathered to enjoy a solo recital of the internationally acclaimed opera “anti-diva” Magdalena Kožená. True to her reputation, this Czech mezzo-soprano came on stage dressed in a casual black gown, which (ignoring the dress change tradition established by her stage colleagues) she chose to wear all night long.

“Poetry and again poetry – tenderness mixed with pain; sensuality, a drama surprising and burning, and a rocketing finale.” This is composer Giacomo Puccini describing one of the world’s most famous operas, La bohème.

When, in 1859, Gounod’s Faust premiered in Paris, it got an icy cold reception. In fact, shocking as it may sound to anyone even slightly familiar with this opera’s glorious arias, breathtaking duets and melodious ensembles, it got rejected by Paris Opera on the grounds of not being sufficiently “showy”.

In the opera world, where being true to a libretto is considered unforgivably boring, and using traditional scenery and costumes very dull, sometimes nothing is more pleasing than seeing a conservative production.

He thought he had seen Heaven before him. He knew not whether he was in or out of his body when he wrote it. Twenty-four sleepless nights, many untouched dinners and endless tears later, his Messiah was ready to see the world. Or maybe not just yet.True, there had been times when he was ambitious and proud. There had been times when it was all about him. Now he had learned the truth.

Several years ago I attended a glorious Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert under the baton of a celebrity conductor. A less experienced listener at the time, I was shocked to watch him leading the orchestra in a Rossini overture with his arms folded behind his back.

When death takes away everyone you ever loved, acting cool and staying amiable might not be the easiest things to do. You start having thoughts you never dared think before. You start questioning the unquestionable. Chances are you will turn into an agnostic. Giuseppe Verdi did.

When in 2009 Baltimore Opera Company announced bankruptcy and closed its doors indefinitely, opera lovers were devastated. Being left without opera felt like losing a dear family member. However, sad as they were, Baltimoreans never gave up hope that one day their opera would rise from the ashes and come back in its full grandeur.

Over the centuries, pure angelic voices and truly remarkable vocal technique have brought the Vienna Boys Choir international acclaim and undying popularity. Founded in Austria over five hundred years ago, the oldest boys’ choir in the world embraces both old tradition and new vision.