Press Quotes
José Luis Dominguez Mondragón – Press
“In the years that I have known José Luis Dominguez, he has always been a genuine, warm, encouraging and inspiring force among his colleagues and students. As a conductor he exudes that same energy: he is a dignified, authoritative and charismatic presence. Conducting from memory or with the score, he listens and communicates acutely, leading with refined and understated gestures, imposing his Will over the music, while always remaining lucid to the energies of the music and his musicians.” –Wissam Boustany – Flute Soloist and Founder of Towards Humanity.
“One of the best conductors I’ve worked with in a long time…Absolutely amazing.” –Andrés Díaz, World-Renowned Cello Soloist.
“Maestro Jose Luís is a conductor who possesses a strong passion and commitment for music, perfect baton technique and in addition is an affable person to work with. He has the capacity to inspire musicians to reach the highest levels of musicality. His performances are always with insightful, exciting and receive praise from the press.” –Maritza Parada, Executive Director, Fundación de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Chile (Foundation of Youth Orchestras of Chile)
“Mozart Magic Flute, Teatro Municipal de Santiago “The Choir of the Municipal maintains it´s outstanding level, and José Luis Domínguez´s conducting in front of the Philharmonic was totally solid, many times solemn, with tempos that never put at risk the fluidity of the singing. ” –Las Últimas Noticias
La Bohème de Puccini, Teatro Municipal de Santiago “… The musical direction, in the hands of José Luis Domínguez, was very successful. With precise tempos, he knew how to combine the voices with the necessary dramatism of decisive passages.” –Las Últimas Noticias
Bartók Bluebeard´s Castle and Puccini Suor Angelica “José Luis Domínguez carried the Philharmonic Orchestra in the meanders of this music with total ease and knew how to emphasize the anguish and hand-wringing… his baton unveiled crescendo of musical complexity that Puccini plotted for his most beloved opera… he carried forward the score with emotional impulse, hinting, moreover, it´s Debussyans winks. “ –El Mercurio
Sergie Prokofiev Cinderella “José Luis Domínguez in front of the Philharmonic developed a remarkable framework“ –Las Últimas Noticias
Puccini Tosca “José Luis Domínguez in front of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago, walked through the pages with push, privileging the dramatic power.” –La Tercera
Brahms Piano Concerto Nº 2,solista Svetlana Kotova “José Luis Domínguez took the baton in front of the Philharmonic, obtaining as a whole a sober, reflective musical reading , of wide dimensions.” –El Mercurio
Cavalleria Rusticana e I Pagliaci “… The overall strengthening also had as great agile actor and strong pulse that the baton of José Luis Dominguez levied on the Choir of the Teatro Municipal and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago.” –Las Últimas Noticias
Symphony Nº 6, “Patética”, Tchaikovsky “One listened to the Symphony Nº 6, “Pathetic”, of Tchaikovsky, at such excellence levels that we do not hesitate to point out that it was one of the best live versions that we have heard and that put´s José Luis Domínguez in an indisputably consecrated situation.. “ –Las Últimas Noticias
“Dominguez unrivaled, magnificently and with exemplary gestures, the essence of the song of the swan…” –El Mercurio
Music Web International Review José Luis DOMÍNGUEZ (b. 1971) The Legend of Joaquín Murieta, Ballet in Two Acts (2009) José Luis Domínguez (conductor) Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra rec. Arrau Hall, Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Santiago de Chile, 2-5 March 2015 Great fun! A new full-length ballet, especially one as tuneful as this, with an exciting story, is always a welcome addition to both the ballet repertoire and to recorded music. José Luis Domínguez, who also conducts on this set, is a significant figure in Chilean music as a conductor. This ballet is his first large-scale symphonic work. It is little surprise that, like many conductor-composers, he has such a sure sense of orchestral balance and capability, something evident throughout this work. The ballet tells a simple story – with plenty of action, set in California – of Joaquín Murieta, a nineteenth century brigand, perhaps the inspiration for Zorro. His origins are obscure, but he has been adopted as something of a folk hero in Chile from where he might have originated. Pablo Neruda wrote a play about him, later turned into an opera by Sergio Ortega. Those works end with a gruesome finale as Murieta is shot and beheaded. Domínguez ignores that, instead creating a tale set during the Gold Rush, in which Murieta and his men come to the rescue of a town under threat from the villainous Galgos. There is no decapitation but rather the happy outcome of reunion with the beloved Teresa. Think of this as a blend between Robin Hood andThe Magnificent Seven. The comparison is apposite, as Domínguez is quite specific that his music is inspired by symphonic soundtracks of composers such as Korngold, Herrmann and Williams. That is a clue not only to its style, but also to his idea that it should work as a stand-alone piece. This recording is a must for anyone who enjoys the great film-scores: all the virtues of sweeping themes, varied instrumentation and memorable tunes are here.
Performances are committed and in the best Hollywood tradition, with good recorded quality. If a great ballet company such as the Royal Ballet were to take this into their repertory, one could imagine it quickly becoming a popular hit, rather in the manner of Khachaturian’s Spartacus. A fine ballet conductor, like Barry Wordsworth, would relish this score. –Michael Wilkinson
José Luis Domínguez