The American Symphony Orchestra elates and effervesces with Cage festivities at Carnegie Hall

By Rebecca Lentjes, 17 December 2012

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Reviewed at Carnegie Hall: Stern Auditorium, New York City on 13 December 2012

Webern, Symphony, Op.21

Feldman, ...Out of "Last Pieces"

Satie, Parade

Cage, Cheap Imitation (with solos for voice nos. 18 and 30)

Cage, Song Books (nos. 18 and 30, performed with Cheap Imitation)

Cage, Etcetera (New York première)

Cage, Etcetera 2/4 Orchestras (New York première)

American Symphony Orchestra

Leon Botstein, Conductor

Helen Pridmore, Soprano

Jennifer Feinstein, Mezzo-soprano

Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Robert Levine, 27th July

Bedřich Smetana’s patriotic opera Dalibor is given a rare outing at Bard College, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Leon Botstein.

****1

Damning with faint praise: Berlioz at Bard

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

As part of a festival considering the composer's oeuvre, Leon Botstein leads a concert performance of La Damnation de Faust lacking in French style.

**111

The fat knight sings in Bard Festival's Sir John in Love

Cameron Kelsall, 13th August

A two-week Ralph Vaughan Williams retrospective closed with his gentle, folksy spin on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor.

***11

Saint-Saëns rarity Henry VIII takes the crown at Bard SummerScape

Cameron Kelsall, 21st July

Conductor Leon Botstein and director Jean-Roumain Vesperini treat this Tudor soap opera with appropriate grandeur, while a top-notch cast deliver the vocal goods.

****1

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Robert Levine, 24th July

Bard’s always courageous Music Director, Leon Botstein, never one to shy away from a challenge, presents Strauss' comedy uncut.

****1

Chausson's rarely heard Le Roi Arthus well served at Bard

Robert Levine, 25th July

The first fully staged American production of Chausson's sole opera features remarkable singing, fine storytelling and plush orchestral playing.

****1

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Rebecca Lentjes

Rebecca graduated from New York University in 2012, where she studied Music and Romance Languages. She now works as an assistant editor at RILM (Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale) and as manager of contemporary music collective ensemble mise-en.