Performances of La Traviata stand or fall to an unusual extent on their principal soprano; the first thing that needs saying about this Glyndebourne performance is that Marie McLaughlin has all of the attributes needed for a role that is fundamentally a virtuoso one, no matter how emotionally involving it is as well. The point about Violetta is that she is, with absolute authenticity, all ...
Best of Jazz Open 1998 is not, as the title suggests, highlights from the entire "jazzopen" music festival which took place in Stuttgart in July 1998, but performances taken from the closing evening concert dedicated to the so-called "pope of jazz", presenter, festival organiser and producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt. The musicians were chosen in collaboration with Berendt, resulting in some ...