More online goodies

The most substantial offering I’ve seen this week is a concert from Toronto Summer Music that aired last night.  It was a song recital by four of the Toronto’s better known young singers with Steven Philcox on piano.  Simona Genga sang some Mahler and some interesting songs by the Basque composer Jésus Gurudi (new to me!).  Clarence Frazer gave us excerpts from Die Schöne Müllerin plus three songs by Butterworth.  No prizes for guessing which three but they were well done.  Jamie Groote sang a set of Jake Heggie songs plus Strauss’ Beim Schlafengehen.  Always excellent to hear Strauss sung well.  Asitha Tennekoon rounded things off with a set from Wolff’s Mörike Lieder and songs by Holman (Fair Daffodils; obligatory CanCon), Gurney and Finzi.  It’s all high class stuff and there’s about 90 minutes of singing.  The platform is Vimeo and it looks and sounds good.  It’s free and available here.

grootephilcox

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Around the tubes

Once more the week’s Youtube offerings show that digital works best when it’s “made for digital”.  Who’d a thunk it eh!  Anyway there’s very watchable new content on Youtube from Alexander Hajek, Opera Revue and Domoney Artists.  Best of all though is a new short film called Sempra Libera from Carsen Gilmore and the very good soprano Michelle Drever.  If you like the look and feel of Morte you’ll love this.  It’s really dark.  It’s the grimmest take on Violetta I’ve seen; Natalie Dessay included!

sempralibera

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Yet more…

I just watched the first in a projected series of “aria films” by Carson Gilmore.  The first one features Morte col fiero aspetto from Hasse’s Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra.  It features the rather impressive British mezzo Rachel Labovitch and it’s rather dark and disturbing. My sort of thing!

morte

In other news the COC has announced a series of “solo spotlights” with some members of the COC orchestra.  The first one is on December 15th with Marie Bédard.  All the details are here.

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