Nir Kabaretti's Homepage

The inaugural concert climaxed with Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major, a stirring work that really stretched the capacity of the symphony's more than capable musicians. Even more amazing was that Maestro Nir Kabaretti conducted the whole 58-minute piece without once referring to a score!

R. Mineards: Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - October 28, 2008

Nir Kabaretti has an affinity for the music of Gustav Mahler. He is alive to its huge range of emotions, to its grandiloquence and its intimacies, and he is able to tame its large and sometimes unruly structure. Mr. Kabaretti has a fine feel for the score, and in his hands the First Symphony emerged a cogent whole, well-shaped and well-paced. He captured lots of the music's tang.

G.Gelles: Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - October 28, 2008

With music director Nir Kabaretti at the helm, exotic spices and diversity have been blended into the Santa Barbara Symphony's current season.

J. Woodward: Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - April 16, 2008

Nir Kabaretti again exhibited knowledge, thoughtfulness and creativity in the selection of pieces.

S. T. Vessels: Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - March 16, 2008

Mr. Kabaretti seems to feel Brahms in his bones. His sense of shape and pacing is instinctively right, and his phrasing of the long Brahms line is plastic and supple. On Saturday, one felt the First Symphony's overall architecture had been weighed and considered, as the structure of each movement and each phrase had also been.

G. Gelles: Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - October 17, 2007

After intermission, it was the orchestra's turn to shine on the genial landscape of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, which Mr. Kabaretti noted was partially influenced by a traditional Irish tune. Working without a score, the maestro marshaled an impressive performance, probably the best Beethoven in memory with this orchestra. That's not to say it was without wrinkles and weak spots, but the overall integrity and emotional force of the effort made for a moving symphonic encounter.

In its own way, Beethoven's Seventh is good, rousing holiday concert fodder, being relatively trouble- and angst-free. Mr. Kabaretti rallied the musicians into a performance bustling with both substance and warmth. This musical "church" proved to be a fascinating place to visit.

Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - March 20, 2007

Israeli conductor Nir Kabaretti seemed to be the only one who understood real Puccini style. Music with drama in it's vains. ... The Rishon Le Zion orchestra played wonderfully with a rich, full sound ... pay attention to this Kabaretti, as a conductor, he will go far.

Hanoch Ron, Yedioth Ahronoth (Israel) -February 20, 2006

Nir Kabaretti led an impressive concert Saturday evening at the Arlington Theatre.

He showed much that I admire: a no-nonsense interpretive approach, a technique that serves the score rather than drawing attention to itself, and an ability to evoke fine playing from his musicians. Mr. Kabaretti had the symphony sounding as if members had worked together for weeks and not days. Brahms' Second Symphony ended the evening in a performance that was strong and engaging. Mr. Kabaretti's interpretation is sure to evolve over time into a more personal statement, but even now he leads the piece with distinction. With well-chosen tempi and a sure feel for phrases both large and small, he led a fine performance in which the solo winds excelled.

Santa Barbara News Press - Santa Barbara, CA - USA - January 22, 2006

Que gusto contemplar en el amplio espacio montado en el Parque Santa Catalina atestado de un público delirante, que aplaudía con total pasión, la espléndida Filarmónica de Gran Canaria en un concierto lírico oportunamente programado.
Espléndidos fueron los números de conjunto, tanto el chispeante dúo de Fígaro y Rosina como el bellísimo Mira o Norma. Y en los puramente orquestrales Nir Kabaretti supo hacer buena música con el conjunto en el que los solistas tuvieron muy buonos momentos.

Rodrigo Barbosa, La Provincia - Diario de Las Palmas 23 luglio 2005

Der Klassik –Block wird mit Rossinis “Barbier von Sevilla” Ouvertüre eingeleitet.
Sprittzig und straff am dirigentenzügel erklingt sie, Zündend und mit einer gehörigen Portion Italianità. Das orchester ist ob seiner klangfrischen, beweglischen und federnden Art kaum wieder zu erkennen. Zündend tanzt die Frandole aus “Bizets L’Arlesienne”- Suite vorüber. Später bei der “Fledermaus”- Ouvertüre und “Kaiserwalzer” von Johann Strauss Sohn gehen sie facettenreich und detailgenau zu Werke, kultivieren das Schwebende, leichte, die Eleganz der tänzerichen Bewegung.

Peter Buske Prenzlauer Zeitung April 30, 2005

Il viaggio a Reims stagione estiva del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2004

Il ritorno dell’opera lirica al Giardino di Boboli ha rappresentato un evento già per se stesso degno di plauso. La Fondazione del Maggio Musicale ha sfoggiato così un luogo di grande fascino per l’apertura del cartellone estivo, che ha debuttato giovedì scorso con Il viaggio a Reims di gioachino Rossini. (...) Sensibile e ben articolata la direzione di Nir Kabaretti a cui hanno contribuito i begli inserti dei concertati.

Il Corriere di Firenze 3 luglio 2004

Precisa ed attenta la direzione di Nir Kabaretti. Buon successo.

Il Giornale della Toscana 3 luglio 2004

Contribuisce al raggiungimento emotivo quella linea senza soluzione di continuitá costituita dai coloriti brillanti dell’orchestra Mimesis MaggioArte e dalla bacchetta di Nir Kabaretti, incalzante e plastica nel Pulcinella di Strawinsky, vitale e briosa in Gianni Schicchi.

R. del Nista - L’Opera, january 2003

A Firenze al Teatro della Pergola è andato in scena il Gianni Schicchi di Giacomo Puccini, preceduto da una versione in forma di concerto del Pulcinella di Igor Stravinskij. Dirigeva l'ensemble il giovane direttore israeliano Nir Kabaretti, che ha risolto egregiamente le rielaborazioni neoclassiche della partitura stravinskiana, dando alla piccola orchestra un'esattezza e una coloritura di estrema raffinatezza.

Piero Gelli -Teatro.it, january 2003

“What happened in Raanana tonight was astounding,” said one member of the audience. Integrating east and west seemed to come naturally while at the same time there was also a respect for the different cultures.
In addition, this was Nir Kabaretti’s debut as conductor and new Music Director of the orchestra. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, which by no means is a simple musical challenge, illustrated not only Kabaretti’s vast musicality, but also his qualifications to reach great Beethovenian heights. He allowed the musical instruments to shine with a refined, accurate and homogeneous sound. It looks like Kabaretti will be leading Raanana’s Symphonette to a new, successful and impressive musical era.

Ora Binur, Maariv October 4, 2002

E’ toccato ai giovani strumentisti di MaggioArte esprimere l’alto messaggio di fratellanza delle note beethoveniane del Coriolano, interpretato con baldanzoso furore sotto l’appassionata bacchetta di Nir Kabaretti. Israeliano di formazione viennese, Kabaretti ha saputo scavare la materia con minuziosa attenzione alle fascie sonore e timbriche, superando brillantementele insidie della partitura.

Il Giornale della Toscana, 12 september 2002

El director Nir Kabaretti dirigió la Sinfónica de Madrid en una brillante ejecución de El pajaro de fuego de Strawinski.

El Pais, 23 november 2001

The enormously talented 25-years-old Nir Kabaretti at its helm, gave us a magnificent insight into the mysterious twilight zone of the disintegrating Romanticism. Kabaretti must be hailed not only for his excellent performance and rich romantic sound he elicited from the orchestra, but also for choosing these illuminating pieces.

The Jerusalem Post, 24 december 1993