Melbourne Chamber Orchestra has named violinist Sophie Rowell as Artistic Director from 2023. Rowell currently serves as Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In her new role with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra (MCO), she will be just its third artistic director in its over 30-year history. She will succeed William Hennessy and Jeffrey Crellin.

Die Moskauer Polizei brach ein Konzert des Pianisten Alexej Ljubimow und der Sängerin Jana Iwanilowa ab, weil sich angeblich eine Bombe im Gebäude befand. Das Publikum wurde aufgefordert den Saal zu verlassen. Die Bombe befand sich allerdings nur im Programm: Auf dem Programm des Konzerts standen Werke von Schubert und vom ukrainischen Komponisten Valentin Silvestrov. Für Putins Schergen ist Silvestrov hoch explosiv…

A violin costing around 100,000 euros that was stolen from an Italian violinist during a train ride has been recovered next to a trash bin in Paris. A passerby noticed the violin on the sidewalk and took it home, the newspaper Le Parisien reported Thursday. Because there was a name tag inside the violin case, the violin found its way back to its owner. The violin, made by Eugenio Degani, a Venetian violin maker from the late 19th century, was completely intact except for some dirt.

Sakari Oramo
(c) B. Ealovegae

Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo, 56, will hold the role of chief conductor with the BBC orchestra until the end of the 2025/26 season, the organization said. The Finnish conductor has held the role since 2013, taking over from Jiří Bělohlávek. Oramo also holds the position of chief conductor with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

After Maria Agresta cancelled her Manon Lescaut in Monte-Carlo for health reasons, the company hired the currently unemployed Anna Netrebko. The company says, that Netrebko made a statement on the Ukraine war, but failed to read the second statement where she said she would never go against her motherland. Read More →

The latest Karajan Community Letter focuses on Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Karajan admired the work deeply and worked on it over 40 years. The Newsletter puts a spotlight on his successful 1950 interpretation with Irmgard Seefried, Kathleen Ferrier, Walther Ludwig, Paul Schöffler and Otto Edelmann. Here is the link to this week’s Karajanist Community Letter. And here is the link, where you can subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.karajan.community/

Daniel Barenboim leidet derzeit unter Kreislaufproblemen und befindet sich hierfür in ärztlicher Behandlung. Er erholt sich momentan, aber aus Gründen der Vorsicht haben ihm seine Ärzte empfohlen, seine geplanten Auftritte bis inklusive 22. April 2022 abzusagen. Das teilte die Berliner Staatsoper mit.

Daniel Barenboim
(c) Peter Adamik

Gestern Abend musste das Konzert der Berliner Staatskapelle in der Philharmonie unter der Leitung von Daniel Barenboim in der Pause abgebrochen werden, weil sich der Dirigent unwohl fühlte. Angeblich hatte er Kreislaufprobleme. Das Publikum musste auf Bruckners Vierte Symphonie verzichten und wurde nach Hause geschickt.

The Anchorage Symphony has announced that acting Artistic Advisor and Chief Conductor Elizabeth Schulze will serve as next Music Director. She is also the Music Director and Conductor of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. Read More →

An investigation published by the Navalny support website has concluded that Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is not only very close to Putin but also kind of an oligarch, according to a very detailed investigation that follows the activities and assets of Valery Gergiev in Russia, the United States, the Netherlands and Italy. Read More →