Classical

The Age

Friday February 25, 2011

Barney Zwartz

Melbourne hosts two of the greatest living singers in mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and counter tenor Andreas Scholl (above). Bartoli (Melbourne Town Hall, March 9) has a ravishing voice. Accompanied by pianist Sergio Ciomei, she will sing bel canto and baroque repertoire, some of which she has rescued from oblivion. Scholl's beautiful tone will‚be on show in a program of Purcell and Handel‚(Musica Viva, Melbourne Recital Centre, March 8, 19). Austria's Johann Strauss Ensemble provides a Strauss family extravaganza (Recital centre, March 5), while the Australian Chamber Orchestra offers two fascinating programs curated by New Yorker music critic Alex Ross (Melbourne Town Hall, March 6, 7). The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra opens its subscription season with Mahler's magnificent seventh (Town Hall, March 24 to 26) but warms up with a concert of French works including Saint-Saens' organ symphony (Town Hall, March 4) and Japanese violinist Akiko Suwanai in the Tchaikovsky concerto (Town Hall, March 19, 21). The Melbourne Chamber Orchestra opens with an all-Mozart program, including Paul Dean in the stunning clarinet concerto (Recital Centre, March 17, 20).The Victorian Opera's highly successful pairing of conductor Richard Gill and director Jean-Pierre Mignon is back for Mozart's Magic Flute (Playhouse, Arts Centre, March 16-30) with a strong local cast, while Melbourne Opera performs Lehar's Merry Widow (Athenaeum Theatre, March 10, 12, 15, 19 and 20). The Australian String Quartet, Ensemble Liaison with violinist Henning Kraggerud and the Benaud Trio, all offer attractive programs at the Recital Centre (March 21, 23 and 12 respectively).

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