Midday Music Thursday 10/2

Starting at around 12:35, director Bernard Uzan and assistant director Tara Faircloth join me to speak about Puccini's beloved Madama Butterfly - which the Atlanta Opera presents at the Cobb Energy Centre on October 4, 7, 10 and 12. Tara is a Fort Valley native, by way of Shorter College; she now lives in Houston. They'll talk about the music, the emotion, their roles and this production's untraditional sets, and they'll introduce us to highlights from the opera.

Note also that Madama Butterfly is this week's featured show on World of Opera, Saturday at 1:30 on GPB Radio.

Russell Wells hosts Friday's Midday Music; Alan Cooke returns next Friday.

11 AM

  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 2. London Sym, Haitink. LSO 0082.
  • Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, plus the first movement from Violin Sonata No. 3. Pamela Frank, Peter Serkin. London 455 643.
12 N
  • Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor. Olli Mustonen, San Francisco Sym, Blomstedt. London 444 518.
  • Puccini: Madama Butterfly. Interview and musical excerpts. Most selections came from an old CBS CD set (no. 35181) with Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Gillian Knight, Ingvar Wixell, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Lorin Maazel. Two were from an RCA Basic Opera Highlights disc (no. 63496) with Leontyne Price and the RCA Italian Opera Orchestra and Chorus led by Erich Leinsdorf.
1 PM
  • Madama Butterfly excerpts and interview, concluded.
  • Chaminade: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 21. Louise Cheadle. AW Promotions 2204.
  • Vivaldi: Sinfonia in C major, RV 116. Helicon Ensemble, Fuller. Reference 2101.