Around Martha Argerich’s 5th birthday, her mother placed her under the pianistic tutelage of Vicente Scaramuzza. Even though Mr. Scaramuzza was considered a sadistic fanatic, he gave her a superb technical grounding and laid the foundations for her unique cantabile

Count Giovanni de’Bardi was a seriously important man in Florentine society of the Renaissance. He studied Latin and Greek, took lessons in music composition, and as a soldier fought a number of successful wars. Yet he is primarily known for

Leonard Bernstein’s Mass was commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy as part of the opening ceremony for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. It premiered on 8 September 1971 and is based on the Roman Catholic

Luciano Pavarotti was well into middle age, enormous in circumference, and rich beyond comprehension. He certainly was famous the world over, and it came as no surprise that his passion for women—only rivaled by his love of food and money—would

Opera singers die on stage almost every night! However, it’s somewhat rare for them to actually perish in real military engagements. But that’s exactly what happened to Ukrainian bass-baritone Vassyl Slipak on 29 June 2016. After singing at the Paris

It all started with Hector Berlioz and his Evenings with the Orchestra! A group of bored musicians are stuck in a small town playing overrated operas. With nothing else to do, they tell tales, read stories and exchange gossip about

It all started with Hector Berlioz and his Evenings with the Orchestra! A group of bored musicians is stuck in a small town playing overrated operas. With nothing else to do, they tell tales, read stories and exchange gossip about

It all started with Hector Berlioz and his Evenings with the Orchestra! A group of bored musicians are stuck in a small town playing overrated operas. With nothing else to do, they tell tales, read stories and exchange gossip about