Music by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Liszt performed by Sophia Agranovich, pianist at Bargemusic Masterworks Series on Friday, August 4, 2023 at 7 pm
Sophia Agranovich, piano in Bargemusic Masterworks Series / Photo credit: Bill Walendzinski
Bargemusic Masterworks Series will feature a piano recital by an acclaimed musician Sophia Agranovich on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 7 pm. Called by the critics “a tigress of the keyboard,” Ms. Agranovich is best known for playing music by Golden Age Romantic composers. Her program at the Bargemusic includes works by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Liszt.
Bargemusic’s unbeatable location on a floating barge at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge will color your night with the unforgettable lower Manhattan skyline, shimmering lights reflected in the East River, and the gentle sound of waves. The concert runs without intermission; seats are limited so book ahead.
Russian Arts & Theater Studio presents new play Diary of a Madman from June 2 – August 5, 2023 at Pushkin Hall in New York City
Tom Schubert as Poprischin in Diary of a Madman by Gogol at the Russian Arts Theater and Studio / Photo credit: Julie Skarratt
This season the Russian Arts Theater and Studio adds another robust production to its repertoire. This time it’s a play based on a short story by Nikolai Gogol “Diary of a Madman.”
Masterfully adapted for the stage by Di Zhu, the Managing Director, and directed by Aleksey Burago, the Artistic Director, the grey life of a resentful clerk swirls into madness in front of your eyes. Talented Tom Schubert in the title role keeps everyone at the tips of his nervous fingers. His pulsing energy and impeccable acting are the engine of the production. The rest of the cast, which includes Albert Baker, Luisa Menzen, and Sarah O’Donnell, skillfully recreates the fantastical and ordinary scenes with tasteful naughtiness and imperviousness to the absurdity around them. As the world spins out of control and the bleak routine turns from peculiar to surreal to outright mad, so is the storyline.
“Diary of a Madman” fits right in to the list of past theatrical productions staged by the Russian Arts Theater and Studio, including a dynamic interpretation of Marquez’s The Rise and Fall of Macondo (One Hundred Years of Solitude), warn and funny “Lambs for Slaughter” from the short stories by Roald Dahl, stunning Bunin/Berberova play among others.
Theater lovers will undoubtedly appreciate this high-powered staging and the remarkable acting.
Gail Archer, a Leading Female Organist, hosts “Concert for Peace” at St. Patrick Cathedral on January 19, 2023 at 7 pm. Featuring music by Russian and Ukrainian composers
Tickets: Free. Donations accepted. For more information, contact St. Patrick’s Cathedral SaintPatricksCathedral.org
Gail Archer, Organist / Photo Credit: Stephanie Berger
Hailed as one of this era’s most adventurous interpreters of the classical organ repertoire, leading female organist Gail Archer hosts “Concert for Peace”, a special one-night only free concert at the iconic St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Known for enthralling listeners with her musicality, sensitivity, and visceral quality, Archer introduces audiences to rarely performed works by 19th-21st century Russian and Ukrainian composers. This concert marks Archer’s latest offering in her decade-long commitment to sharing Eastern European organ literature.
Under the circumstances of the military conflict in Ukraine, this “Concert for Peace” presents an opportunity for audiences to appreciate the monumental contributions to classical music, and more specifically organ music, that have emerged over the centuries from both Ukraine and Russia. “In my own view, the organ music contributions from both countries/nationalities have been enormous, and human culture and civilization would be far poorer without them,” says Archer. “I hope this will be kept in mind particularly in this period of conflict and crisis.”
Dedicated to drawing attention to Eastern European composers through ongoing research, performances, and recordings, Archer has performed each year in Eastern Europe since 2011 resulting in her election as a faculty member at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute. From Russian halls in Tomsk, Perm, and Kislovodsk, to Ukrainian churches in Kyiv and Odessa, “the audiences at every concert were full to overflowing and the devotion and respect for classical music in both Russia and Ukraine is utterly remarkable.”
As told recently to The American Organist Magazine: “My experiences in Ukraine as a concert organist confirm that the Ukrainians are a proud and cultivated people who will courageously defend their country. The intellectual rigor and audacious creativity of the Ukrainian people are the very foundation of the strength and courage that the world is witnessing every day. They take great pride in their music, their architecture, and their culture. It should come as no surprise then that the Ukrainian people are fighting so hard right now and are willing to stand their ground against one of the largest military forces in the world, to protect the place they know and love.”
Oratorio Society of New York presents 148th performance of Handel’s Messiah on December 19, 2022 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Kent Tritle Conducts; Soloists: Maria Brea, Heather Petrie, Joshua Blue, and Jesse Blumberg
Oratorio Society of New York / image courtesy of the society; Photo credit: Brian Hatton
The Oratorio Society of New York (OSNY), led by Music Director Kent Tritle, continues its 2022–23 season with its 148th performance of Handel’s Messiah on Monday, December 19, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. This year’s performance includes soloists soprano Maria Brea, contralto Heather Petrie, tenor Joshua Blue, and baritone Jesse Blumberg, together with the Orchestra of the Society.
A holiday tradition since 1874, OSNY has never missed an annual performance of Messiah, having held a digital performance in 2020, and in 2021, making a triumphant return to Carnegie Hall with their annual performance.
“I am delighted to direct the Oratorio Society of New York in this year’s performance of Handel’s Messiah!” said Maestro Tritle. “We have managed to continue our unbroken tradition of presenting Messiah through the past years, and this year’s rendition will be especially poignant as we return to the presentation of all three monumental parts of this beloved work! Whereas last year we presented a reduced Messiah, due to venue protocols and concerns over the Omicron virus surge, this year we expect to present the fuller version so beloved by New York audiences.”
