As a Metropolitan Opera violinist Erica performed with James Levine, Leonard Bernstein and countless opera luminaries. Now an award-winning author, screenwriter, arts journalist and lecturer, Erica’s opera presentations include Wagner Societies in California, New York, Boston, North Carolina and Sydney, Australia. Her recently released novel Aria for Murder, the first in her ‘Operatic Mystery’ series, authentically reflects her experiences in the Met Orchestra. Sequels are due in 2023 and 2024. Erica’s personal website is here.
Ludovic Morlot conducts the Seattle Symphony in Messiaen's remarkable Des Canyons aux Étoiles, which bows to the majesty of the stunning geological and astrological entities of the southwestern US landscape, still sounding as if it had been written yesterday.
Mahler did not compose an opera, but the writing in Das Lied is intensely operatic; Yannick Nézet-Séguin shows himself to be a great singer’s conductor.
Nelsons, in his “Paths of Romanticism” series, has chosen programs that can be played by a small chamber group made up some of the world’s finest musicians.
The Seattle Symphony continues its “Music Unleashed” series with spirited works by youthful composers, focusing on a perennially popular violin concerto.
A look at the succès de scandale that was Strauss first operatic hit, Salome, placing it in the context of his early tone poems Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration.
Composer Daniel Schnyder and librettist Bridgette A. Wimberly, both in their Seattle Opera debuts, have done a creditable job of conveying the jazz artist’s lifework.
Seattle audiences welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Harbison to Benaroya Hall this past weekend with the west coast premiere of his work, What Do We Make of Bach? for orchestra and obbligato organ.
