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What's New
with Matthew Halls
July 7,
2010
“Elevates Puccini to Beethoven's Level”
Matthew Halls, conductor
July 2010
PUCCINI Madama Butterfly
Central City Opera
"...near miraculous is the conducting of Matthew
Halls....he understands both story and music and has the CCO pit
band playing as if it were the Vienna Philharmonic....in the
interlude that follows Halls elevates Puccini to Beethoven’s level
as a master of orchestral composition."
--Boulder Daily Camera
July 2009
HANDEL Rinaldo
Central City Opera
"...quite simply, one of the company’s best
all-around productions of the past five years or more....this
production is worth experiencing for the music alone. Deserving
special kudos is Matthew Halls, the production’s superb conductor.
He infuses this production with energy and deserves part of the
credit for the high level of singing."
--The Denver Post
HEAR:
Matthew Halls conducts Handel
May 14 ,
2010
“Musical Rarity”
MARCELLO Arianna
Matthew Halls, conductor
Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg
“This musical rarity [Arianna] was heard in
Salzburg with the expert Matthew Halls in the spotlight. From the
podium he transformed the Mozarteum Orchestra into a specialist
baroque ensemble with great fire. String sounds full of ‘Veneziana’,
delicate winds and a rousing continuo throughout opened unforeseen
emotional depths in Marcello’s long-forgotten opera.”
--Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“A star has risen! ...by far the best, most
impressive production of the season.”
--Salzburger Nachrichten
Matthew Halls’ opera calendar through August:
GLUCK Orfeo ed Euridice
Korean National Opera - Seoul, South Korea
May 15-20
www.nationalopera.org
PUCCINI Madama
Butterfly
Central City Opera – Central City, Colorado
June 26, 30/July 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 24, 27, 30/August 1, 7
www.centralcityopera.org
January 29, 20 10
PREMIERE RECORDING OF HANDEL’S PARNASSO IN FESTA!
Matthew Halls, conductor
Handel Parnasso
in Festa
The King’s Consort
Hyperion CDA67701/2
5-STAR RECORDING!
--Classic FM Magazine
“Matthew Halls directs his expert orchestra and youthful-sounding
chorus with a sure feeling”
--Richard Wigmore, Telegraph
Available at
Hyperion
Amazon
Click here for Audio Excerpts
January 22, 20 10
PAEANS OF PRAISE!
Paeans of Praise!
“Decade In Review”
San Francisco Chronicle
“...Nicholas McGegan’s nearly annual march through the
musical bounty of Handel’s oratorios and operas....when I look back
on my year-end lists from the past decade, Philharmonia’s superb
Handel performances show up like clockwork on practically every
one.”
“Editor’s CD Review of Opera and Song”
CultureKiosque
“Adès captures the other-worldliness of Ariel with stratospheric
writing for coloratura soprano, a role in which Cyndia Sieden
excels, occasionally intelligible at heights when most sopranos have
long ceased to articulate.”
“The Very Best of the Fall Opera Season”
The New York Observer
“In two recitals, one at Carnegie Hall and one at the Madison Avenue
Presbyterian Church, Emma Kirkby created worlds of stillness
in songs of the 17th century. I can’t get out of my head her encore
at both recitals, Purcell’s Evening Hymn, which seems to go
on forever and then ends much too quickly.”
“Top CDs of 2009”
Democrat and Chronicle
“Daniel Taylor, The Voice of Bach. Taylor is one of
the few countertenors of the world, raising his voice up to the
mezzo-soprano range. The Bach selections on this disc are given an
infinite boost with Taylor’s full, resonant and unique voice.”
“Best Classical Concerts of 2009”
The Oregonian
“Orphée, Portland Opera. Phillip Glass’ operatic riff on the
Orpheus legend stood out for its eye-catching set, powerful singing
[soprano Lisa Saffer] and layered, pensive score.”
“Critics’ Pick for Best of ‘09”
The Star-Ledger
“Henry Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts, Matthew Halls
harpsichord/organ. This beautifully produced recording from a U.K.
period-strings group marked the 350th birthday of Purcell by showing
how his polyphonic intimacies remain a lyrical, hypnotic marvel.”
December 11, 2009
BEETHOVEN Eroica
Matthew Halls, conductor
Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture
Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Eroica
London Mozart Players
“He conducted with a skill that blended authority with a sense of
collegiate harmony. ...Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture as the
starter, the Bruch to follow and then a brilliantly rich and
rewarding rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 Eroica.... There
are more adventurous programmes in the festival, but they’ll have to
pull out the stops to be as satisfying.”
--Express & Echo
Hear Matthew Halls’ prize-winning recording of Handel’s Parnasso
in Festa
Available at
www.amazon.com
“The Sword That Triumphs”
August 11, 2009
Matthew Halls, conductor
HANDEL Rinaldo
Central City Opera
“Halls transforms the CCO pit band into an ensemble that rivals any
Baroque orchestra around”
“But the person who really wields the sword that triumphs over story
and score is youthful British Baroque expert Matthew Halls who in
his American opera debut transforms the CCO pit band with its modern
instruments into an ensemble that rivals any Baroque orchestra
around in making this production authentic.”
--Wes Blomster,
Daily Camera
Hear Matthew Halls’ prize-winning recording of Handel’s Parnasso
in Festa
Available at
www.amazon.com
HANDEL Rinaldo
July 27, 2009
Matthew Halls, conductor
HANDEL Rinaldo
Central City Opera
“Move over Harry Potter.”
“Move over, Harry Potter....This offering is, quite
simply, one of the company’s best all-around productions of the past
five years or more....this production is worth experiencing for the
music alone.
Deserving special kudos is Matthew Halls, the
production’s superb conductor. He infuses this production with
energy and deserves part of the credit for the high level of
singing.”
--Kyle MacMillan,
The Denver Post
Hear Matthew Halls
Read more about Matthew
Halls
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