“Young soprano Elizabeth Gentner…has a supple, full-bodied voice perhaps better suited for a larger venue, but displayed a confidence and command of comedy unusual in a performer at such an early stage in her career.” ~Kathleen Whalen, Daily Republic Correspondent
Category: Composers
0 Peter and the Wolf #TodayInOpera
Happy Birthday to Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev!
Born #TodayInOpera 1891, the composer from the Ukraine has a wide variety of compositions that have made their way into the core repertoire. One such masterpiece is Петя и волк, Petya i volk or Peter and the Wolf!
I truly don’t have a count for how many times I’ve heard this piece, It is such a significant part of my childhood memories. I remember having heard the piece on a car road trips, I remember watching the Disney cartoon, I vaguely remember seeing it performed live, but no one in my family is certain when that happened. (This is just because we go to so many concerts it’s hard to be sure.)
There is not, in my opinion, a clearer example of thematic composition used to greater advantage. The piece truly informed the way I LISTEN to music. I could identify the instruments and tell you what was happening to two characters at once. I began to listen for changes in key even if I wasn’t able yet to identify the difference. I could listen to the whole thing focusing on one character or another depending on my mood. It Was Fun!
I still think it’s one of the best “introduction to orchestra” pieces ever written! So thank you Maestro Prokofiev, we celebrate your birth!
0 Today in Opera: Guillaume Tell premiered at the Paris Opéra
On August 3, 1829 Rossini’s grand opera, Guillaume Tell, has its première at the Paris Opéra
#TodayinOpera
1 Happy Birthday to Charles Gounod!
~ Charles Gounod
Photo Credit Laura Gentner
