Tierney Sutton, "I Get a Kick Out of You" - Wow!

Tierney Sutton smokes this uptempo version of "I Get a Kick Out of You" with her band. We can't promise this piece will be on the program, but Tierney and Band visit Sanders Theatre (and the Celebrity Series) on February 11.

Matthew Guerrieri's review of Zukerman/Bronfman

Read Matthew Guerierri's Boston Globe review of Pinchas Zukerman and Yefim Bronfman's Symphony Hall recital: At Symphony Hall, a comfortable display of old-fashioned virtuosity.

Pianist Haochen Zhang's Van Cliburn semi-finals performance

Check out Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Haochen Zhang's semi-final performance of Liszt's Spanish Rhapsody. There is more of Zhang at cliburn.tv.

Zhang makes his Boston debut at Jordan Hall on December 3, courtesy of Celebrity Series of Boston (ahem).

Globe: Basil Twist's Petrushka is "magic on a string"

Terry Byrne reviewed Basil Twist's Petrushka for today's Boston Globe. Here's a snippet:

"'Petrushka,' which is playing at the Paramount Theater in a joint presentation by the Celebrity Series and Arts Emerson, is a delightful melange of Stravinsky’s music, and the legendary Ballet Russes choreographer, Michel Fokine, who staged it. In the original ballet, the dancers played puppets that come to life and in this version, the puppets dance when they come to life."

Read all of Petrushka is magic on a string.

Basil Twist's Petrushka runs through November 21.

Puppet Invasion at Emerson College

 

EmComm students from Emerson College help to spread the word about Basil Twist's "Petrushka", a co-presentation by Celebrity Series of Boston and ArtsEmerson. #petrushka

Garrick Ohlsson at Symphony Hall

Following Murray Perahia's cancellation of his Sunday, November 14 Symphony Hall concert, the Celebrity Series was fortunate to secure the services of pianist Garrick Ohlsson to fill the date. Mr. Ohlsson has chosen an all-Chopin program for the recital.

Tickets and specific details of Mr. Ohlsson's November 14 program.

Rudolf Barshai, conductor (1924-2010)

Rudolf Barshai

Russian conductor Rudolf Barshai died November 2 at 86. Noted as conductor and founder of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and the founding violist of the renowned Borodin Quartet, Barshai was a student of Shostakovich and quite close to Prokofiev. As a member of the Borodin Quartet, he performed at the funerals of both Prokofiev and Josef Stalin, which took place on the same day.

Barshai conducted performances by the Moscow Chamber Orchestra on three occasions for the Celebrity Series, in 1963, '66, and '75. The performances included, in the 1966 concert, the Boston premiere of a joint "rearrangement" of Shostakovich's Tenth Quartet, renamed Chamber Symphony, undertaken by composer and conductor.

The Globe and Mail

BBC News

Telegraph (UK)

The Vancouver Sun

The Guardian (UK)

German interview with Rudolf Barshai (captioned) part 1

German interview with Rudolf Barshai (captioned) part 2

German interview with Rudolf Barshai (captioned) part 3

Shirley Verrett, soprano (1931-2010)

Shirley Verrett

The great soprano Shirley Verrett died November 5 at her home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to her local appearances with the Opera Company of Boston, Ms. Verrett appeared in recital 3 times for the Celebrity Series, first in 1979, and again in 1982 and 1991.

Below are some obituaries and videos of Ms. Verrett in performance.

The New York Times (Anthony Tommasini)

The Detroit Free Press

The Washington Post (Ronald Blum)

The Baltimore Sun (Tim Smith)

The Boston Globe (Associated Press)

Shirley Verrett sings Tosca at The Met

Shirley Verrett as Eboli "O don fatale" from Don Carlo

Shirley Verrett sings "Exultate jubilate" by Mozart

Happy birthday Walter Pierce!

Wishing many happy returns of the day to our former leader, Walter Pierce.

Joshua Bell announces recital program

Violinist Joshua Bell has announced the program for his February 4 recital program at Symphony Hall. Joing Bell on piano will be Sam Haywood. You can check out the program here.