Singspiel – what is that?
Singspiele were extremely popular in the opera houses of the 18th century. But what is a Singspiel anyway? Find out in this blog post.
You can also read why the middle class of the 18th century preferred to go to the Singspiel instead of the court opera, how Joseph II set up what was perhaps the first cultural funding pot of all time, and which Singspiele you absolutely have to know.
Teatro La Fenice – A Drama in Three Fires
The Teatro La Fenice in Venice is one of the most important opera houses in the world. To be able to build and maintain this good reputation, perseverance and optimism were necessary – because this opera house has been burned down and rebuilt several times. In this blog post, I tell the story of Teatro La Fenice. A drama in three fires.
Theater an der Wien – the Most Famous Suburban Stage in the World
Suburban stage, world centre for German-language musicals and Vienna’s third opera house: the Theater an der Wien can look back on a truly eventful history. A portrait.
Samuel Barber – On the Intelligibility of Music
Is music something intellectual? Or something for the “broad masses”? You may have a clear opinion about this. However, generations of composers have argued about this question – and are still arguing today. The US composer Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) is one of the few who took a clear stand.
The 3 Most Popular Blogposts of 2020
The year 2020 has come to an end and with it a turbulent year for many cultural professionals. Since the launch of the StarkConductor Blog on 22 August 2020, I have published 28 blogposts. I will briefly present the three most popular ones here.
Menotti: How To Become a Successful Composer
How does one become successful as a composer? Very simple, says Gian Carlo Menotti: wait until you are 90 years old.
The Two Faces of the Upbeat
The upbeat is a widespread phenomenon in music. For us conductors, it has a particularly great significance, because there are different kinds of upbeats.
Volksoper Wien – Diversity From The Very Beginning
122 years ago today, the Volksoper Wien was opened. A few thoughts on the history and tradition of this diverse house.
Haydn, the Folklorist
Have you ever asked yourself where great composers got their ideas from? No doubt: a thorough education, a solid mastery of the craft of composition and an untiring will to work have always been decisive. But sometimes great composers have simply copied.
