Thomas Quasthoff
(c) Harald Hoffmann / DG
Der 24-jährige Tenor Laurence Kilsby aus England und der 33-jährige Tenor Tae Hwan Yun aus Südkorea sind die Sieger des diesjährigen Heidelberger Frühling-Wettbewerbs ‘Das Lied’. Der 1. Preis wurde zweimal vergeben. Die Klavierpartnerinnen waren Ella O’Neill aus England und Dokyung Han aus Südkorea. Der vom Juryvorsitzenden Thomas Quasthoff gegründete Gesangswettbewerb fand nach vier Jahren pandemiebedingter Pause dieses Jahr zum dritten Mal statt. Read More →
RSO Wien im Konzerthaus
© Andrea Humer, Wiener Konzerthaus
The IMZ International Music and Media Centre has published an open letter to express « unwavering support for the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) », which is facing significant budgetary cuts and might be on the brink of dissolution. « It is distressing to think that the future of such an iconic institution is in jeopardy », the open letter says. Read More →
Opéra de Strasbourg
Designed and built at the beginning of the 19th century, the Strasbourg opera house, Place Broglie, is desperately needing a thorough renovation which was announced now by the municipality. The necessary work, which should last at least three years, will begin in 2026. The estimated cost is about 60 to 70 million euros. Read More →
Diego Ceretta
The Firenze-based Orchestra della Toscana (Orchestra of Tuscany) has a new Principal Conductor, Diego Ceretta, 26. The post had been vacant since June 2020 when Daniele Rustioni ended his tenure after nine years. Read More →
Operated by New Music USA, the Amplifying Voices program, launched in 2020 to foster collaboration and collective action between U.S. orchestras and composers through a network of co-commissions, continues this season with 13 premieres taking place across the country. The program has expanded rapidly to include over forty-five orchestras across the U.S. and beyond. Read More →
John Axelrod
The Bucharest Symphony Orchestra and its Principal Conductor John Axelrod have announced the launch of the Schumann 41/51 project and the continuation of the artistic partnership with Classeek. This will include recording sessions and professional engagements to further the careers of Classeek Ambassador soloists. Read More →
Axel Kober
Nach 15 Jahren als Generalmusikdirektor der Deutschen Oper am Rhein (Düsseldorf/Duisburg) beendet Axel Kober seine Amtszeit. Der 53-Jährige wird seinen im Sommer 2024 auslaufenden Vertrag nicht verlängern. Kober bleibt dem Doppelhaus aber verbunden: Bis Ende der Saison 2026/27 werde Kober dort regelmäßig am Pult stehen, verlautet aus der Opernleitung.
Palau de la Música, València
The Palau de la Música de València and the International Classical Music Awards have announced that the annual ICMA Awards Ceremony and Gala Concert will take place on April 12, 2024 at the Palau de la Música València, with the Orquesta de València conducted by its artistic and musical director Alexander Liebreich. The event will bring together the outstanding award winners and representatives of the international music industry in one of the most prestigious cultural venues in Europe. Read More →
Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) announced the cancellation of a concert by Anna Netrebko on March 5 amid criticism of the singer’s position on Russia’s war in Ukraine. In a statement on its website, the NSO said that following discussions with Netrebko’s management company, it decided to cancel the concert « for security reasons ».
Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg
Nach einem halben Jahrhundert Abwesenheit konnte Richard Wagners Musikdrama Tristan und Isolde seine zweite Aufführung in Luxemburg feiern. Allerdings war unserem Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen die Lust am Feiern schnell vergangen, musste er sich doch während vier Stunden den nicht nachvollziehbaren Ideen eines überforderten Regisseurs aussetzen. Read More →
