Polish-Brazilian pianist Felicja Blumental was one of the few women who attained a solo career as a pianist in the early 20th century. Born in Poland in 1908, she was a brilliant artist whose probing interpretations exhibited Brazilian flair in

A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. In Ancient Rome returning military commanders (such as Marcus Licinius Crassus after his defeat of

Music lovers adore their favorite divas. One high C and we are smitten. It is no surprise that sopranos have their share of musical sweethearts. Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century, was charmed

What could be more romantic—a Valentine’s Day feature of our favorite classical musicians who popped the question and who make great music together both on and off stage? One of the most spectacularly talented couples was cellist Jacqueline Du Pré

The Roman de Fauvel is an early 14th-century satirical poem preserved in a beautifully decorated manuscript. Attributed to Gervais de Bus, a clerk at the French royal chancery, the narrative is divided into two books. It details the rise of

Musicians will be familiar with this image of an iceberg. The tip, the visible part, represents our public persona and the music we perform and share with others, while the much larger mass which is hidden below the surface of

The concert hall is like the theatre, and the performer the actor on the stage. And for the audience, a concert is both a visual and aural experience – we “listen” with eyes as well as ears. Today audiences are

More than ever we need heroes. Alice Hertz-Sommer is one of mine. Alice practiced the piano several hours each day usually from memory and with total absorption—Chopin waltzes, Schubert impromptus, Bach inventions, Beethoven sonatas and she played chamber music with