Herbert von Karajan was the son of an upper-bourgeois Salzburg family of Greek ancestry. His great-great-grandfather, Georg Johannes Karajanis, was born in Kozani, at that time a town in the Ottoman Empire (now in Greek Macedonia) Vienna in 1767, eventually moving to Chemnitz in Saxony. He and his brother participated in the establishment of Saxony's cloth industry, and both were ennobled for their services by Frederick Augustus III on June 11792. The Karajanis name became Karajan. [http://www.karajan.co.uk/family.html" target="_blank" >*
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NPR Topics: Classical Music
Mozart's 'Don Giovanni' Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:25:00 -0500 Many have called Don Giovanni the finest opera ever composed. Mozart's classic is a brilliant combination of stark human tragedy and touching comedy, set to music of limitless genius. It's heard in a new production from Houston Grand Opera. Edward Elgar's Post-War Concerto of Conviction Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:40:00 -0500 After WWI, the British were lamenting a lost era and eager for something new. Edward Elgar gave them a meditative, compelling cello concerto. Steven Isserlis plays Elgar's autumnal music in concert with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Hopper Paintings Get Musical Portrayal in 'Hoppera' Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:00:00 -0500 Painter Edward Hopper's images of urban America have become iconic, and have made him one of this country's most popular artists. The University of Maryland has commissioned an opera based on five of Hopper's paintings. "Later the Same Evening," or the "Hoppera," as the work is informally called, premieres Nov. 15. Verdi's 'Simon Boccanegra' Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 The title character in Simon Boccanegra is among the most complex and poignant that Verdi ever created, and the opera is among his most beautiful. In this production from Houston, Boccanegra is played by the renowned baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Musical Mayhem: Top 5 Creepy Halloween Classics Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:56:00 -0500 From the ancient "Day of the Dead" melody to depictions of ghouls and witches, composers have long tapped into the dark side to serve up some deliciously devilish music. Halloween is the perfect time to observe a few creepy classics. Putting the Squeeze on a Musical Nightmare Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0500 This week's From the Top comes from New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston, where 18-year-old Samuel Thomas unpacks his accordion to play 'Chopin's Nightmare.' Eleven-year-old violinist Mindy Chen plays a romance by Sarasate, and a talented teen quintet takes on Dvorak. Also, a young cellist chooses Elgar, and a 14-year-old pianist plays Prokofiev.