A classical music website dedicated to Pacific Symphony
“In short, he became so absorbed in his books that he spent his nights from sunset to sunrise, and his days from dawn to dark, poring over them; and what with little sleep and much reading his brains got so
Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born in Brünn, Austria-Hungary (now Brno, Czech Republic). A child prodigy, he was composing music by age seven and earned early praise from legendary composers Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. Jewish musicians were a particular target
Enter the world of fairy tales and you’ll find yourself surrounded by rules. Don’t lie or no one will believe you when you tell the truth. Don’t tell someone you can spin straw into gold when you can’t. And if
Why can’t we stop tinkering with Swan Lake? The traditional version of the ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s tender, ravishing, dark and brooding score, tells the story of Odette, a beautiful princess cursed by an evil sorcerer to transform into a
Improvisatory genius Gabriela Montero returns to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall to perform her own Piano Concerto No. 1, “Latin Concerto.” Having made her concerto debut at just eight years old, Montero has captivated audiences worldwide with her technical brilliance,
Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé” is a shimmering, monumental masterpiece, but its creation was anything but serene. Behind the lush harmonies and explosive climaxes lies a chaotic tale of clashing egos, artistic warfare, and a composer’s quiet revenge. Commissioned in
“Carmen,” George Bizet’s risqué tale of love, lust and murder, has a backstory worthy of its subject. One of the most beloved and popular operas in the world was born amid scandal, controversy, and a stubborn artistic vision that defied
With such a plain spoken title, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (1888) has to be programmatic music, right? A retelling of stories from the Thousand and One Nights? Well, yes…and no. Richard Strauss, master of programmatic music, famously said “I could set
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 Sibelius, like Brahms, waited to finish his first symphony. His career was well underway when he tackled the challenge in his early 30s. And, like Brahms, he paid attention to the
Rachmaninoff wrote his Piano Concerto No. 2 after he recovered from a severe case of writer’s block. He dedicated the work to the doctor who had helped him to overcome his fears and depression.