Lloyd Schwartz
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.
New Recording Of Busoni's 'Piano Concerto' Is An Extraordinary Experience
The Boston Symphony Orchestra's 2017 performance of Ferruccio Busoni's monumental concerto met all the composer's impossible demands. A new live recording of the event is both serious and fabulous.
'My Mother Is Mad At The Sun': A Poet Reflects On His Mom's Alzheimer's Disease
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reads a poem about his late mother, who had Alzheimer's Disease. Schwartz's latest collection is Little Kisses.
Pianist David Deveau Offers An Intimate Take On Works By Mozart And Beethoven
Deveau and the Borromeo String Quartet perform piano concertos by Mozart and Beethoven as chamber music on a new recording. Lloyd Schwartz says the album is "full of feeling and discovery."
New Recording Of 'Doctor Atomic' May Be The Opera's Definitive Performance
John Adams' opera, which premiered in 2005, centers on the first atomic bomb test at Los Alamos, N.M. Now, a new album features a recording of Doctor Atomic conducted by the composer himself.
Pink Floyd's Roger Waters Offers A Seductive Take On A Stravinsky Classic
The legendary frontman plays all the characters in a new recording of Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale. Critic Lloyd Schwartz calls it a seriously enjoyable addition to the Stravinsky catalogue.