Lawrence Brownlee and Eric Owens present an adventurous program that travels well outside the classical canon. In the inaugural issue of the Mondavi Center magazine, Gateway, Capital Public Radio's morning classical host Kevin Doherty (an operatic tenor himself) shares some provocative thoughts about the state of classical music, the canon and how diversity and a focus on living composers pays the ultimate respect to Beethoven’s legacy of innovation.
"Classical music is in dire need of a reboot. It’s time to breathe new life into an increasingly stale canon.
There, I said it.
Now hold on: before you cry 'blasphemy,' hear me out. Just as Atlas was condemned to bear the weight of the entire world on his shoulders, so too is Beethoven burdened with the brunt of expectation to keep classical music 'alive' for generations to come. What Beethoven did for music is undeniable, but many classical music aficionados have a hard time seeing past his accomplishments and the era he helped to usher in. Music has changed dramatically since the end of the Romantic period, and yet an entire century has gone by, and we are still reluctant to add new names to our list of masters ... My hope is that more will show unabated enthusiasm to hear the diverse, dynamic and relevant music of living composers ... don’t miss your chance to be a part of history or simply enjoy great music that resonates with you in your time. And, in the process, perhaps Beethoven can rest easy knowing classical music is in good hands.”
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor and Eric Owens, bass-baritone, perform at the Mondavi Center on March 11, 2019. For more information and tickets, click HERE.
Read Kevin Doherty’s full article from Gateway by clicking on the image below:
