Archives for February 2011

A week or so ago, I blogged about video and physical previews of new works and unknown performers. Why do we expect people to spend money on classical music they've never heard, I wondered, if most other things in our lives offer us some kind of product sample? You know, like ice cream. Soon after I wrote that post, I came across this trailer for the Royal Opera House's production of Anna Nicole [yes, Smith: that's the one!]. My first thought was, "Fantastic! Look at the cool thing they made for the 'MTV Generation'!" It's professional, … [Read more...]

Oh, happy day! This very evening, Life's a Pitch's second-favorite soprano (favorite whom we don't work for) will appear on The Best Show On Television, aka Law & Order: SVU. Back in January, TheaterMania and other sites reported that Renée Fleming would be appearing on an episode in February:Tony Award nominee Kate Burton will guest star on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in February. The episode will also feature a cameo appearance by opera star Renee Fleming, as well as a guest appearance by Countess LuAnn De Lesseps. Then today, … [Read more...]

I first heard about Lincoln Center's Tully Scope Festival, which opens tonight at 6 p.m. with a free concert in the lobby, when I received their v. attractive brochure in the mail. Here it is, modeled Quite Professionally on the floor of my apartment: Sleek, right? It got my attention, anyway, and I hate paper.  Similar to their winning multimedia treatment of the White Light Festival this fall, Lincoln Center created a microsite for Tully Scope. This is especially useful because the proper Lincoln Center site is a bear to deal with. The … [Read more...]

Letter-writing 8-year-old Lucas Amory from the Special Music School at the Kaufmann Center answers all the inquiring (hive)minds' questions, including mine: The best moment comes at minute 3:28, when Lucas "suggests" that "Tommasini" (last-name basis) should learn to distinguish between personal favorites and all-time greats. I love this kid. … [Read more...]

I'm not normally a fan of Top Ten lists of any variety (though I sometimes consider making Top Ten lists of critics I don't want making Top Ten lists), but I have to stand behind Anthony Tommasini's 2-week Top 10 Composers list for the response it generated. No, not the OUTRAGE on the interwebz--no women! no one alive! no one not-white!--or the nearly 2,000 comments on the Times' website, but for this letter from an 8-year-old who we will refer to as Lucas The Awesome. From Anthony Tommasini:My two-week project to select the 10 greatest … [Read more...]

Having been recently shown NPR and science-y Valentine's Day cards, and asked by a friend (who can be credited with this post title) if there were publicist Valentine's Day cards, I was inspired to make a First Chair Promotion set for the big day. Send them far and wide, because nothing says "I Love You" like classical music PR. And for all you Gabriel Kahane lovers out there, it could be best to send a simple video e-card: … [Read more...]

We the people do not like to make up our minds. We can watch one TV show with a square of another TV show in the corner. We can buy a dress and return it. We can make a whole brunch out of grocery store free samples. Why then, I often wonder, in this Sample Society, do presenters persist in assuming audiences will pay cash money for music they haven't heard? Sure, some people--and bless them, really--are happy to spend their money on the unknown, but you don't see me, for one, forgoing glorious mint chocolate chip for some chocolate cherry … [Read more...]

I can't go to the New York Philharmonic season announcement today because I have a meeting uptown at 4, but that's NO BIG DEAL because they're streaming it live! Woot. Click here at 3 p.m. today to watch. Maybe they'll change the logo! Probably not, but if the music for next season is good, I'll care a little less. I mean, I'll still care. I'll always care. Oh speaking of, there's this, via Daniel... … [Read more...]

Fresh from their custom line for the movie Burlesque, OPI is offering a series of "Urban Ballerina" nail polishes along with Sephora:Urban Ballerina Collection What it is:A collection of long-wearing, chip-resistant nail polishes. What it does:Inspired by the eclectic style of an urban ballerina, this striking collection infuses a punk-rock edge with the typically soft, sweet (and pink) palette of classical ballet. The shades in the Urban Ballerina collection reflect the urban dancer's dynamic textures and colors, like shimmering pink satin, … [Read more...]