The 49th Mostly Mozart Festival continued
with an all Mendelssohn program
at Alice Tully Hall. The highlight before
the intermission was the Violin
Concerto in E minor, with a young,
charming Alina
Ibragimova as
soloist. She performed brilliantly, and it
was a joy to listen to her. The audience
granted her a thunderous, well deserved
ovation. Edward
Gardner conducted
the Academy of Ancient Music as the program
began with The
Hebrides ("Fingal's
Cave"), and concluded the afternoon with
a stirring Symphony
No. 3 in A minor ("Scottish").
He displayed an energetic style that the
orchestra responded to with great
enthusiasm. It was another satisfying
program in a truly wonderful season of
splendid classical music and superb
soloists.
The Mostly Mozart continued with two Mozart symphonies.
The concert began with Symphony
No. 25 in G minor, K.183 and
concluded with Symphony
No. 40 in G minor, K.550, with the
orchestra conducted by Louis
Langree. Both were well performed. The
highlight of the concert was the performance
by the German baritone, Matthias
Goerne, who sang Ich
habe genug, Cantata BWV 82, by Bach before
the intermission, and three songs by Schubert after
the intermission. The songs were An
Silvia, Alinde andErlkonig.
Goerne sang with intense feeling, revealing
a strong voice in his lower register, with
the Schubert songs particularly well sung.
It was an interesting evening.
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MoMA is presenting Scorsese
Screens August 5-September 6. The
Upturned Glass, by Lawrence
Huntington, Great Britain, 1947, stars James
Mason as
a brain surgeon, who murders the sister-in--law
(Pamela
Kellino) of the woman he loves (Rosamund
John), who died from falling out of her
bedroom window. It was judged to be an accident,
but Mason suspects that Kellino was
responsible. It is an excellent film, with
adult, intelligent dialogue, and a joy to hear.
There are many twists and turns in the plot to
keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It
is a splendid film noir.
It Always Rains on Sunday, by Robert
Hamer, Great Britain, 1947, takes place on
one rainy Sunday in the East End of London. An
escaped convict seeks refuge in the home of a
former lover (Googie
Withers). She unwisely helps him, and the
tension builds up in the house, as she tries to
hide him from her husband and three children.
The film shows the depressing neighborhood of
lower class British citizens, and there are a
multitude of characters populating the film.
There are scenes in a pub, in a dance hall, in a
crowded street market, and we see the police,
minor criminals, shady shopkeepers, and many
uneducated young people living dull lives. It is
an impressive film.
Publicist Bruce
Lynn celebrated
his 60th birthday with many friends at the
popular Italian restaurant Il
Bastardo, 191 Seventh Ave. A sumptuous
buffet was served along with music by DJ Kevin
Strip for
the four hour party. A happy time was had by
all.
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