Opera meets cabaret in Only an Octave Apart at the New York Phil

By Kurt Gottschalk, 31 January 2022

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“with a bit of salon, a little more old school revue and plenty of banter”

Reviewed at Jazz at Lincoln Center: Rose Theater, New York City on 27 January 2022

Tower, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman no. 1

Thompson, The Places We Leave (World premiere)

Prokofiev, Symphony no. 1 in D major "Classical", Op.25

Various arr. Nico Muhly, Selections from Only an Octave Apart

Anthony Roth Costanzo, Countertenor

Justin Vivian Bond, Vocals

New York Philharmonic

Jaap van Zweden, Conductor

Semyon Bychkov conducts a triumphant New York Phil season finale

Susan Stempleski, 4th June

The Soviet-born American conductor delivers a robust account of Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony in the final program of the Philharmonic’s subscription season.

****1

Elim Chan takes the New York Philharmonic to the ball

Susan Stempleski, 27th May

The Hong Kong-born conductor conducts a masterful performance of selections from Prokofiev’s Cinderella and Philharmonic Principal Carter Brey bids farewell in Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto.

****1

Memorable Mendelssohn from Marek Janowski and the New York Phil

Susan Stempleski, 21st May

Principal Trumpet Christopher Martin plays Haydn before the esteemed German maestro conducts a vibrant Scottish Symphony.

****1

Barbara Hannigan makes a powerful connection in La Voix humaine

Thomas May, 23rd April

The Canadian soprano and conductor fuses live performance and video in a taut, volatile account of Poulenc’s punch-packing monodrama with the New York Philharmonic, sharing the bill with Strauss’ valedictory Metamorphosen.

****1

A vocally perplexing economics assignment from David Lang

No’a L. bat Miri, 19th March

The New York Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel deliver the world premiere of Lang's The wealth of nations, inspired by Adam Smith's famous treatise.

***11

Weinberg rarity overshadows John Williams at the New York Philharmonic

Cameron Kelsall, 1st March

John Williams put butts in seats with the New York debut of his Piano Concerto, but the NY Phil's first performances of Mieczysław Weinberg’s Symphony no. 5 stole the show.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.

Opera meets cabaret in Only an Octave Apart at the New York Philharmonic