Lloyd Schwartz
CD Set Of Leontyne Price's Live Performances At The Met Opera Is A Treasure
Price, now 93, was the first African American soprano to have a major career at the Metropolitan Opera. Critics and fans agreed that she had one of the most beautiful singing voices they'd ever heard.
Ella Fitzgerald And Louis Armstrong Go 'Cheek To Cheek' On A 4-Disc Set
Fitzgerald's warm, yet ultra-cool voice was at the opposite pole of jazz singing from Armstrong's gravelly growl. There's absolutely no reason their voices should blend so effortlessly — but they do.
New Takes On Bach And Handel Delight The Ears During The Pandemic
Two new CDs of serious music feels just right: Johnny Gandelsman plays violin transcriptions of Bach's Complete Cello Suites, and Kate Lindsey sings arias by Handel, Haydn, and Scarlatti on Arianna.
From Anorexia To Dystopia, New Operas Eloquently Tackle Contemporary Topics
Ellen West, a new one-act chamber opera presented by Opera Saratoga, is based on a tragic poem by Frank Bidart, while Poul Ruders' The Thirteenth Child draws on Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.
Documentary Reveals The Depth And Complexity Of Opera Star Maria Callas
Maria by Callas weaves together performance clips, home movies, interviews and poignant diary excepts to present an intimate portrait of the singer in her own words.
'Damn Yankees' DVD Revival Showcases Fosse And Verdon's 1st Collaboration
Choreographer Bob Fosse and dancer Gwen Verdon light things up in this recently reissued movie version of the musical Damn Yankees. It was the only time the pair danced together on the big screen.