When Arthur Rubinstein Packed the House at Carnegie
It’s easy to take Arthur Rubinstein for granted. One of the mightiest pianists of the Twentieth Century, the Polish-born artist lived for 95 years, debuting in 1894 at age 7, and retiring from the...
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When Beethoven Last Climbed the Billboard Pop Charts
People learn about the richness of classical music in many ways.Some of us, as children, heard classical music in our homes. Some of us were given music lessons. Others got their first taste of the art...
View ArticleHélène Grimaud Dives into Nature with 'Water'
Pianist Hélène Grimaud’s new album is all wet. That’s not a judgment, it’s a simple description. The album is called Water, and Grimaud says the idea for it bubbled up from the frequency of piano music...
View Article'Mozart in the Jungle's' Jason Schwartzman on Breaking Down Musical Walls
For two seasons, the Amazon Original Series Mozart in the Jungle has opened up the world of classical music to a mainstream audience. Loosely based on Blair Tindall's book of the same name, it features...
View ArticleSeth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick Bring 'Disaster!' to Broadway
With its suggestive exclamation point, the title of the new Broadway musical Disaster! hints at the campy, over-the-top qualities it brings to the Nederlander Theatre. Set on a cruise ship precariously...
View ArticleRoman Coppola Is 'Tickled Pink' to Bring Classical Music to New Audiences
Mozart in the Jungle creator Roman Coppola is no stranger to classical music. “My dad would often blast opera on a Sunday morning,” Coppola says. “I try to do it with my family and it’s not quite as...
View Article'Bright Star' by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell Shines on Broadway
With a book by comedian/actor/author Steve Martin, lyrics by singer/songwriter Edie Brickell and a bluegrass-inflected score by both, Bright Star comes to Broadway music with its creators as the most...
View Article'Exit Strategy': The Final Days of a Failing School
Set at an urban public school on the brink of closure for the usual reasons — poor test scores and low graduation rates — playwright Ike Holter's Exit Strategy is an indictment of the state of public...
View ArticleIn 'Mary Page Marlowe' a Role so Big It Requires 6 Actresses
Tracy Letts, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (August: Osage County) and Tony Award-winning actor (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), has a new play running at his home company, Chicago-based...
View Article'Waitress' Serves Up a New Recipe for Movie-to-Musical Adaptations
Broadway is home to another a new musical based on a movie. Waitress springs from the 2007 film of the same name and tells the story of a small-town girl, who dreams of an escape from her small-town...
View Article'Hamilton' Receives Record 16 Tony Nominations
The 2016 Tony nominees were announced on Tuesday, and Charles Isherwood, theater critic of The New York Times, joins WQXR morning host, Jeff Spurgeon, to gab about the big news. Most notably, the...
View Article'Shuffle Along,' an Unusual Revival Finds Its Way Back to Broadway
One of the most interesting musicals to appear on Broadway this season brings a new look to an almost century-old story. Ninety-five years ago, Shuffle Along was an unprecedented sight on the Great...
View ArticleListen: Neil Sedaka's Musical Career Comes Full Circle
Before he wrote chart toppers like "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl," singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka was a rising star at the piano, studying at the Juilliard prep school. His talent was...
View ArticleRomeo And Juliet: All About The Love Duets
This week, the He Sang/She Sang team is joined by WQXR morning show host Jeff Spurgeon to discuss Charles Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. Hear how this opera is really a vehicle for four gorgeous love...
View ArticleJordi Savall's Musical History of Venice
On-demand streaming rights to this concert have expired.On Feb. 3, Jordi Savall and his international band of ancient instrument performers took WQXR listeners through a musical history of Venice live...
View ArticleMartha Argerich and Rome’s Santa Cecilia Orchestra Perform Verdi, Respighi...
This Summer, WQXR lets you relive highlights from our past season at Carnegie Hall. This episode of Carnegie Hall Live, broadcast by WQXR on Friday, Oct. 20, features the Orchestra dell'Accademia...
View ArticleListen: Author Jonathan Keates on the Complex History of Handel's ‘Messiah’
The creation of Handel’s Messiah was a risk. Handel's previous musical creations had been met with lukewarm reception in his adopted home of London and the libretto was unorthodox, especially for a...
View ArticleThe Healing Power of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ in a Post-9/11 World
Trinity Church was not damaged during the September 11 terrorist attacks, but it was filled with smoke and ash from the disaster just 600 feet away. Trinity — along with its sister place of worship,...
View ArticleWhat Exactly Is a Carol Anyway?
Christmas time is nearly here, which means — among other things — that carols are really having their moment. Some of them are very religious and some are more festive, but we refer to them all as...
View Article3 Minute Opera: Puccini’s Tosca
Give WQXR morning host Jeff Spurgeon three minutes and he'll give you an entire opera. Listen above as Spurgeon breaks down Puccini’s Tosca in a New York minute (or three).
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