At the height of his career, Paganini was asked who was the best violin player of them all. “I don’t know who’s the best,” he answered…
What soccer and opera have in common
The year was 1994 and America was getting ready to host the FIFA World Soccer Cup. The United States Soccer Federation tried hard to popularize the…
“Hotel California”, the Song I Love So Much
Probably one of the best songs from the 70s. Maybe one of the best. Here is one of its original performances. The main musical theme composed…
Why Cremona Became the Capital of the Singing Wooden Box
The centers of excellence. Athens, Florence, Hangzhou in China, Vienna, Silicon Valley in California. The spikes on progress in our civilization. And there is a smaller…
Violin and the road to perfection
If you’ve ever listened to the second part of Paganini’s violin concerto #4… you know that a violin can be an angelic instrument. But after listening…
‘Tristan und Isolde’, a Five-hours Long Trial by Fire
Tristan and Isolde. “I know of some, and have heard of many, who could not sleep after it, but cried the night away.” Mark Twain, after watching…
Is the Violin a Devil’s Instrument?
On that night, in the year 1713, I dreamed I had made a pact with the devil for my soul. Everything went as I wished: my…
Learning how to Like an Opera Takes Time
An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down. Maria Callas The human voice is the most beautiful…
Is There anything Worse Than an Untimely Cellphone Ring?
We have a little gem in our neighborhood. It is a bookstore. Situated in a cottage-like house, on the old, traditional farm. Surrounded by the old…