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Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Charles Dutoit Conducts Stravinsky

Feb 6, 2017

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In a colossal career spanning more than 60 years, Igor Stravinsky was constantly reinventing himself with kaleidoscopic shifts in style. Along the way, the Russian composer forged key professional ties. In this program from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, we hear three works linked to the CSO. Charles Dutoit conducts the Symphony in C, which Stravinsky wrote for…

Kirill Gerstein Makes a Case for Tchaikovsky’s Earlier Thoughts

Dec 4, 2015

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Brian Wise

March 12, 2015 Kirill Gerstein came to the WQXR performance studio to show why he believes history has embraced the “wrong” version of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The Russian pianist had recently issued the world premiere recording of the concerto’s 1879 version. As he discusses in this excerpt, the biggest difference between the 1879 and the more familiar 1894 version could…

Metropolitan Opera Drops ‘Blackface’ Makeup in ‘Otello’

Dec 4, 2015

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Brian Wise

August 7, 2015 The Metropolitan Opera made news with its decision not to put darkening makeup on the face of the tenor singing the lead role in Otello, its 2015 opening-night production. Numerous newspaper articles followed. But largely absent from the discussion were the people with arguably the closest perspective on the issue: singers of…

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in American Orchestras

Dec 4, 2015

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Brian Wise

This edition of WQXR’s Conducting Business explores the complex question of how to build ethnic and racial diversity in American orchestras.

The Highs and Lows of 2014 in Classical Music

Dec 3, 2015

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Brian Wise

In this edition of WQXR’s Conducting Business podcast, three top music critics looked back at the year 2014 in classical music. Joining host Naomi Lewin were Anne Midgette, the classical music critic of the Washington Post; David Patrick Stearns, classical music critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer and for WQXR’s Operavore blog; and Zachary Woolfe, now classical music editor of the New…

When Gender Stereotypes are Applied to Instruments

Dec 3, 2015

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Brian Wise

Girls often take up what they perceive as “feminine” instruments while boys tend to gravitate towards trumpets, tubas and percussion. Is this a bad thing?

Threatened Lockout at the Metropolitan Opera: What Was at Stake

Nov 17, 2015

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Brian Wise

The labor dispute that shook the Metropolitan Opera in 2014 was not the first of its kind. The company has had an on-and-off history of standoffs and strikes.