Vienna Philharmonic: New Ladies' Uniform

The Vienna Philharmonic is in the news again.  The ladies of the orchestra now have new concert attire – pinstriped pants and a long black blazer over a white blouse and gray gilet.  According to the Associated Press, the outfit was designed by Markus Binder, a 22-year-old fashion student.  There are plans to come up with something similar for the males.  You can see the new outfits on television on the annual New Year’s concert.  There will be four women in the orchestra.  Progress is slow and steady, but progress none the less.  I would certainly expect that we can see them in person with the new outfits here when the Vienna Philharmonic comes to the Rénee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on March 3, 2011.

The Christmas Can-Can

Philip Glass

It is always a wonderful treat to be connected to contemporary composers.  Back in November, Philip Glass paid us a visit when we presented Bobby McDuffie and the Venice Baroque Orchestra in the West Coast premiere of his new violin concerto.  This picture was shot by an audience member catching a program page with Glass’s picture and him seated in front.  Nice shot. 

 The concerto was terrific, especially the beautiful second movement.

Kronos comes this April with a new piece by Steve Reich, part of a co-commissioning project that we are a part of.  We hope Steve will be here.   Kronos has appeared with us somewhat regularly over the last 16 years.  They did the West Premiere of Henryk Gorecki’s Third String Quartet for us several years ago, a dark but beautiful piece.  Gorecki passed away last month.

Cool new stuff is coming next season.  We have another Ellen Taaffe Zwillich commission to look forward to next season.  It will be a sextet with piano performed by the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, violist Michael Tree and bass Harold Robinson in February 2012   Also the same month, Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony are doing a new Mason Bates piece.  In March 2012, Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony are performing a new percussion concerto by Jennifer Higdon featuring Colin Curry, percussionist.  Kaiji Saariaho’s new piece “Orion” will be performed by Franz Welser-Mőst and the Cleveland Orchestra in April 2012.  There is a lot coming up.  Subscriptions for next season go on sale next month.

Daddy Long Legs

One of the delights of the holiday season is the proliferation of performances of music, dance and theater.  We were very happy with a new musical at the Laguna Playhouse which runs through Christmas Eve.  It is “Daddy Long Legs,” book by John Caird and music/lyrics by Paul Gordon.  It has a cast of two with Megan McGinnis and Robert Adelman Hancock, a pair of wonderful actors singers with impeccable pitch.  This is a perfect date night or the thing if your spirits need a lift.  I highly recommend it.

Marjorie Rawlins

A couple of weeks ago, we attended a reception and concert at the Barclay which was a tribute Marjorie Rawlins.  Marge passed away May 2009.  She was a major benefactor of the UCI School of Music and the Philharmonic Society.  She was a great music lover.  I miss our many conversations about music, especially string and chamber music.  Many a confit de canard passed her lips (and mine as well) at Pascal’s.  Her passing marked the end of an era, the departure of a great friend of music and a lovely human being while, I’m sure, producing a sigh of relief from dozens of local ducks.  She is terribly missed. 

The Barclay concert featured music from Humperdinck’s opera Hansel and Gretel.  The soloists, UCI Symphony Orchestra and choruses were splendid. UCI Arts Department has some great stuff going on.  Contact them at arts.uci.edu/events.  Please enjoy!

Speaking of Hansel and Gretel, the UCI Symphony Orchestra and UCI Choirs will present Humperdinck's classic fairy tale opera Hansel and Gretel on December 3-5 in the Claire Trevor Theatre. For more information, visit the event page.

Having a cosy Sunday afternoon, staying out of the rain and warm by the fire.  JC Bach Symphonies (all of them one after the other) are playing on the stereo, and duck is on tonight's menu.  Kaly is stuffing the breast with garlic, crushed fennel seeds, fresh chopped rosemary, grated Parmesan, olive oil, salt and Tellicherry pepper.  Later, it will be pan seared and finished in the oven.  She will then confit the legs, thighs and wings for a future winter supper.  I will produce a stock from the carcass and a duck liver pâté with cognac for which I would be willing to share recipe (the recipe and the cognac for the matter.)  We have a great friend from New York showing up for dinner and a night stay.  We are completely out of Pinot Noir and I am not going to the store in the rain.  I guess it is time for another Pinot gathering trip to Santa Barbara Wine Country.   Cabernets are a bit too powerful.  I have rummaged through the wine pile and found a bottle of Tesoro 2006, mostly Merlot with some Cabernet from the Esterhazy Estate in Eisenstadt, Austria.  I have been saving it for a special occasion, so I guess this is it.  I should change the Symphonies on the stereo to Haydn.  I will when I open the bottle.

If you have had a tough week, please enjoy this. There are always good things going on somewhere.