A Cunning Blog

Long words. Short words. Words that say something.

21st May 2017
by harryfiddler
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Unfinished business

Articulation. Timbre. Pace. Pitch. Ornamentation. Tempo. Vibrato. Effect. Affect. There’s so much to think about once you enter the labyrinth of Historically Informed Performance. It sometimes feels like a loss of innocence – gone are the days of just playing, revelling … Continue reading

8th January 2017
by harryfiddler
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Decoding the stars

Biographica Sydney Chamber Opera / Ensemble OffSpring Carriageworks, 7 January 2017 The life of scholar Gerolamo Cardano (1501-1576) is an impossible tale. Obsession. Delusion. Murder. Betrayal. Invention. No one medium could do hope to do justice to the complexity of … Continue reading

15th December 2016
by harryfiddler
1 Comment

Po marie, po aroha

There’s no better antidote to the nuttiness of the end-of-year, end-of-term, end-of-everything scramble than 90 minutes of music from the Australian Brandenburg team. Their annual Noel Noel concert has become a permanent fixture in so many people’s calendars that this … Continue reading

1st December 2016
by harryfiddler
0 comments

Romans and Christians

I have a confession to make. Yesterday, at the first night of Pinchgut Opera’s Theodora, I did something I frequently do at concerts, but not at operas. I didn’t intend to, but I couldn’t resist. Yes, I admit it. I … Continue reading

27th November 2016
by harryfiddler
0 comments

Porgy and Bess

It was a crowded house last night. Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, an all-star cast and a packed Concert Hall within. And without, all of Bennelong Point swarming with people either inside the enclosure, on the steps, or outside, … Continue reading

4th November 2016
by harryfiddler
1 Comment

Opera: the opera

In the grand tradition of writers writing about writing and painters painting pictures of painters painting, Opera Australia presents an opera about opera. They have the perfect setting, after all: a huge stepped stage with a stunning backdrop, lit by … Continue reading