Showing posts with label contemporary classical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary classical. Show all posts

Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy Review

Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy ReviewThere have been plenty of books devoted to the legendary French composer Olivier Messiaen, but not much in the way of films, outside of a 1985 episode of The South Bank Show and the 1988 film "Messiaen at 80," both of which are virtually impossible to see. Happily, a new documentary by Olivier Mille, titled "The Crystal Liturgy: A Portrait of Olivier Messian," is now available on DVD. Mille has organized a wealth of archival footage of the composer, plus filmed interviews with Messiaen's colleagues and former students, into a fascinating and inspiring narrative mosaic. While the film doesn't dig too deeply into personal details of Messiaen's life--presenting only those aspects that are relevant to his music--it does explore in considerable depth all of his musical influences: his profound religious faith, his ability to "see" music in terms of colors, his unique approach to rhythm, and above all, his interest in and use of birdsong in his compositions. The film also offers many insights into Messiaen's working methods and relationships with key colleagues. But the real strength of this documentary is the wealth of filmed footage Mille has assembled. Messiaen is shown giving interviews, teaching students, attending rehearsals, even fulfilling his role as organist at Paris' Trinity Church, a post he held for decades. Most fascinating of all is footage of him wandering through sylvan landscapes (often accompanied by his second wife, the virtuoso pianist Yvonne Loriod) recording birdsongs, which he transcribed and incorporated into many of his compositions. Messiaen's unique charisma registers strongly in these filmed excerpts, which reveal his warm and open personality, his impish humor, and his fervent belief in the transformative power of music. Watching him hold forth about the influences that shaped his music is revelatory and inspiring. The DVD extras comprise supplemental interviews with composers and musicians who offer personal perspectives on this iconoclastic figure. Most notable are the somewhat imperious Boulez, who once challenged Messiaen's notion of "seeing" colors; and the engaging Loriod, who shares some funny and tender anecdotes about her famous late husband. Even those who are familiar with Messiaen's music will come away with a better understanding of the man many consider the greatest classical composer of the 20th Century. Bravo.Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy Overview

Want to learn more information about Olivier Messiaen - The Crystal Liturgy?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...

Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005) Review

Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Are you looking to buy Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005) ReviewBased on Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Le Petit Prince", this is a remarkable staged version of the beautiful story, with music by Rachel Portman, who is more known for her film scores (she was awarded an Oscar for "Emma"), and a libretto by Nicholas Wright.
The talent is remarkable, with Joseph McManners astounding as the Little Prince; he has an angelic look, a perfect voice, and most unusual is his enunciation, which is so clear and understandable...one does not miss a single word he is singing.
There are a total of 40 children in this opera (chosen out of the 25,000 that auditioned), and they were trained in all the necessary skills at the Sadler's Wells over the course of a summer, to prepare for their parts.
Others in the cast of note that are excellent are Teddy Tahu Rhodes as the Pilot, Sir Willard Wite as the King, Lesley Garrett as the Fox, and Tom Handle as the Snake, and bravo to all those involved in the production, especially director Francesca Zambello, and Maria Bjornson's for her colorful, whimsical sets and costumes.
The opera premiered at the Houston Grand Opera in May of 2003, and this is a BBC production that has been shown on PBS stations in the US.
There is charm, humor, and artistry to delight the entire family in this musical treat; I would imagine children would like to watch it repeatedly, while the film will also manage to entertain their parents.
Imaginative and uplifting, it is approximately 90 minutes long, and in McManners, showcases a youngster that will surely be a future star.
Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005) Overview

Want to learn more information about Rachel Portman - The Little Prince / Rhodes, Garrett, Randle, White, McManners, Carlin, Jones, Zambello, Abell, BBC Concert Opera (2005)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
Read More...