1) Blue Rhapsody (Austin Chamber Music Center) The temptation was strong to top this list with the Long Center’s awesome debut, marking Austin’s continued rise as a cultural capital. But in the end, instinct pointed to the Austin Chamber Music Festival’s opening gala, about which I still ramble incessantly. After witnessing Artistic Director Michelle Schumann’s roller-coaster performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in its original orchestration, it would have been easy to walk away thrilled and miss what was at work behind such artistry. The center’s knack for rebelling against stereotype continues to bring new life – and new audiences – to chamber music. More, please!

2) The Long Center’s gala opening weekend

3) I Dream a World (Conspirare)

4) The Bat (Austin Lyric Opera)

5) Austin Symphony Orchestra with André Watts

6) Susannah (UT Butler Opera Center)

7) The score for Porgy and Bess (Zach Theatre)

8) Miró Quartet with Bion Tsang (UT Butler School of Music)

9) Verdi: Messa da Requiem (Conspirare, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus, and Texas State University Chorale)

10) Brazilian Guitar Quartet (Austin Chamber Music Center)

This article appears in 2008.

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