Minkus: Don Quixote (Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov)

Ballet Music for Marius Petipa's Don Quixote, (mostly) by Ludwig Minkus. Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov.

前幾天是奧地利出生，後移居並在俄國打出名聲的芭蕾舞樂作曲家Ludwig (Léon) Minkus (03.23.1826 – 12.07.1917)的兩百年誕辰。一如往常，絕對可以保證龔詩堯兄有詳細介紹生平的格文。

恰巧又看到灣區這邊，同是美國歷史最悠久的芭蕾舞團SF Ballet現在正在表演Minkus所配樂的芭蕾舞，讓我不禁想到大學的一段回憶。

Concert: Theotime Langlois de Swarte (03/22/2026)

Théotime Langlois de Swarte returns to Berkeley with an afternoon of solo violin concert.

Concert: Concerto Koln + Shunske Sato + Max Volbers (03/14/2026)

SFEMS presents Concerto Köln. Shunske Sato & Max Volbers. Attending Concerto Köln concert again after 14 years. Finally seeing Shunske Sato live for the first time. Last but not least, the brilliant young recorder/harpsichord player Max Volbers.

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque + Pearls of Sorrow (03/13/2026)

Pearls of Sorrow. Philharmonia Baroque concert featuring guest conductor Christine Brandes and countertenor Reginald Mobley with an interesting program of mainly German mid-Baroque sacred music and African-American spirituals. An evening of beautiful singing by Mobley.

Concert: Voices of Music + Danielle Reutter-Harrah - Valentine's Day Concerts 2026 Music of England & Italy (02/13/2026)

Voices of Music Concert. Valentine's Day Concerts 2026. Music of England & Italy. 

Another fantastic concert by Voices of Music. Wonderful program, amazing singing from Danielle Reutter-Harrah, and feisty playing from Elizabeth Blumenstock and Augusta McKay Lodge, as always!

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Baroque Garlands (02/08/2026)

 

Super Baroque Sunday!  

Emeritus conductor McGegan is back conducting the Philharmonia Baroque. Handel's Dixit Dominus, one of my favorite sacred Baroque pieces, and much lesser-known Rameau's La Guirlande. 

Giacomo Facco 350th Birth Anniversary. Pensieri Adriarmonici. Amor es todo imbención: Júpiter y Amphitrión.

Giacomo Facco (02.04.1676 – 02.16.1753) 350th birth anniversary. 

Pensieri Adriarmonici. 

Amor es todo imbención: Júpiter y Amphitrión.

Concert: Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Riccardo Muti (01/17/2026)

Muti guest conducts Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Hearing CSO live after more than 20+ years. 

Francesco Cavalli 350th death anniversary. Life. Sacred Music. Operas

Francesco Cavalli (02.14.1602 – 01.14.1676) 350th death anniversary. 

早至中期巴洛克時期重要的作曲家裡，另一位我先前接觸比較少的是Francesco Cavalli。長期以來，只知道他是銜接早期Monteverdi與巴洛克晚期歌劇的重要橋梁，寫有至少40幾齣歌劇。之前有個已倒閉的德國廠牌Cavalli Records，錄製了不少小眾的古樂專輯，就是根據他而命名的。

大量接觸聲樂之後，我開始慢慢拉近與Cavalli的距離。除了入手幾齣他的歌劇全曲錄音之外，還有幾張他比較被忽略的宗教音樂專輯。因此今年他逝世的350週年，簡單介紹一下他的生平與手上的一些專輯。