The blog for the Celebrity Series of Boston- a Boston based arts organization which presents an annual concert series. Here you can find news about our season, local and international arts, and much more! www.celebrityseries.org
Tom Garvey has been reviewing a fair number of our performances, lately, and I am behind in taking note. So here, without any blather, are some links to Mr. Garvey's Celebrity Series reviews:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Academy of St Martin in the Fields warm up
Kyr
I almost forgot to share Marcia Siegel's review of Minus One and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal. I think the oversight has something to do with basking in the glow of something that seemed to provoke an almost unanimous positive reaction in audience, staff, board - anyone that witnessed a performance of it. We are proud to have presented this show; and I can now say "we" comfortably because nearly everyone associated with our organization seems to have weighed in.
Maybe I'm not looking for some kind of validation from Marcia or any reviewer for this engagement the way I might have for other previous engagements. I know it was good. But that doesn't make Marcia's comments (or Thea Singer's or anyone else's) less relevant. Here is her take on Kyr, the segment of Minus One danced to “Ehad Mi Yodea,” the piece whose recording by Tractor's Revenge I have finally found after considerable searching:
"I think the dance to an Israeli counting
song, “Ehad Mi Yodea,” is Naharin’s masterwork of choreographic design
and physical surrender. Twenty men and women in identical black suits
and white shirts occupy a circle of chairs. The music is ferocious,
propulsive. In unison, the dancers rear back, crash to the floor, stomp
onto the chairs, adding an explosive gesture every time the recorded
male chorus inserts a new line. The effect is stunning. On the last
verses they tear off their clothes piece by piece and throw them into
the center. It’s like some feverish ritual offering or purification."
So here, a little late, is where you can find Marcia Siegel's review of Minus One.
David Weininger reviewed the Beaux Arts Trio's final Boston performance for Tuesday's Globe. A taste:
"There's nothing like going out on top. The Beaux Arts Trio is on its
farewell tour, having spent 53 years redefining the art of the piano
trio. Its final Boston appearance, at Jordan Hall on Friday night,
didn't look like an easy victory lap. They came bearing new music by
Gyorgy Kurtag and Schubert's two late piano trios, in B-flat (D. 898)
and E-flat (D. 929)."
Read all of An old master, playing with youthful joy
The following encores were played at the final Boston performance by the Beaux Arts Trio at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall on April 4, 2008:
Shostakovich, Scherzo from Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, opus 76
Haydn, Last movement from Piano Trio, Hob. 15, no. 32
Dvorak, Andante from Piano Trio No.4, "Dumky"
It looks odd, like a bit of programmers code or something, but it's a summary of the Beaux Arts Trio's performance history with the Celebrity Series of Boston. Just felt like sharing.
Beaux Arts Trio of New York 1/31/1971
Beaux Arts Trio 10/16/1988
Beaux Arts Trio 11/3/1989
Beaux Arts Trio 2/15/1991
Beaux Arts Trio 10/3/1993
Beaux Arts Trio 12/12/1993
Beaux Arts Trio 5/1/1994
Beaux Arts Trio 10/21/1994
Beaux Arts Trio 10/20/1996
Beaux Arts Trio 3/31/1996
Beaux Arts Trio 2/22/1998
Beaux Arts Trio 4/11/1999
Beaux Arts Trio 10/12/2000
Beaux Arts Trio 3/18/2000
Beaux Arts Trio 3/16/2002
Beaux Arts Trio 3/20/2004
Beaux Arts Trio 4/2/2005
Oh, yes, they will be in Boston on the Celebrity Series for the last time tonight at 8:00pm.
Today's Globe features a delightful review by Jeremy Eichler of a delightful recital by violinist Gil Shaham. The review begins with this description of one of the many reasons why the Celebrity Series rules, er, is a welcome feature on Boston's cultural landscape (ahem):
"One of the pleasures of the CelebritySeries season is the occasional chance to hear top-tier soloists in the
intimate and acoustically welcoming setting of Jordan Hall. Sunday's
recital by violinist Gil Shaham sold out weeks ahead of time."
Read all of Dashing across the violin literature, sunny all the way.
