Clive Paget is a former Limelight Editor, now Editor-at-Large, and a tour leader for Limelight Arts Travel. Based in London after three years in New York, he writes for The Guardian, BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, Musical America and Opera News. Before moving to Australia, he directed and developed new musical theatre for London’s National Theatre.
Four projects, two couples, one ensemble – it’s a full-time juggling job for a quartet of Australia’s busiest musicians. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
The image of heavyweight composer and patriarchal guardian of a decaying romantic tradition makes it easy to forget that Brahms started out as a virtuoso concert pianist. It is equally easy to forget that his third and final sonata, for his own instrument, was completed at the ridiculously precocious age of 20 (during a sojourn with his new friends Robert and Clara Schumann). From then on it was as if he had said all that he wanted to say in the genre, and his large scale piano compositions were henceforth confined to sets of variations – those on themes of Paganini and Handel being the most substantial. For his ambitious (and auspicious) debut on the BIS label, the British pianist Jonathan Plowright exhibits a prodigious musical appetite, tackling the meaty Third Sonata for his main course with the Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel making for a rich and sumptuous dessert. The sonata again confounds any expectations you might have of Brahms as a structural conservative, being cast in no less than five contrasting movements, linked with a recognisably Beethovian thematic motto. It receives a carefully considered yet intensely dramatised reading, more tempestuous in approach than, say Radu…
Opera Australia celebrates the great man’s birthday with a life-sized Valkyrie helmet cake.
ABC’s Fran Kelly gets it warts and all from the director of The Great Gatsby.
MoFo’s midwinter event is moved upstream as Tasmanian Police show their funny side. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
John Adams' masterpiece is done full justice, proving itself the late 20th century's great opera of ideas.
New survey suggests surreptitious “tune-smuggling” is rife in the organ loft. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
Portrait of Asher Keddie proves the popular winner from this year’s Archibald exhibition. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
Legendary Aussie tenor passes away at 86 after a rich international career. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
Finnish composer and Senegalese singer share ABBA manager’s award. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
The June issue focuses on the glorious musical tradition that is British music. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
Contemporary string quartet receives grant to create seven new works, all by Australian composers.
Victoria’s symphony orchestra posts a financial deficit of nearly $800,000 for 2012. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
