Next Wednesday, 20 January at 2 p.m. CET, a press conference will take place in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, for the announcement of the winners and the Award Ceremony 2021 which will be hoisted by the Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein. Read More →

Maria Callas with Mario-Sereni Giorgio & Tozzi
© Louis Melancon

On February 6, as part of its 2020-21 radio broadcast season, the Metropolitan Opera will air its first-ever Listeners’ Choice broadcast. During December, the Met invited its worldwide radio audience to vote for their favorite from among ten legendary performances drawn from the Met archives. The historic performance chosen by radio listeners from around the world is Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor starring Maria Callas. Read More →

Ich ärgere mich immer wieder, wenn ich mir eine CD anhöre, und die Track-Information nicht auf dem Backcover sehen kann, sondern umständlich erst das Bocklet durchforschen muss, um diese Informationen, Tracks, Werk- und Satzbezeichnungen und Spielzeiten zu bekommen. Read More →

Der 28-jährige türkische Komponist Mithatcan Öcal (28) erhält den mit 20.000 Euro dotierten Hindemith-Preis 2021. Öcal zeige in seinen Werken eine beeindruckende klangliche Vielschichtigkeit, begründete das Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in Lübeck die Entscheidung. Mittels feiner Nuanciertheit in der Instrumentation, der harmonischen Gestaltung und einem besonderen musikalischen Ausdruck berühre er sein Publikum auf unmittelbare Weise. Read More →

Sir Simon Rattle

65-year-old British conductor Simon Rattle (65) wants to become a German citizen. The passport has already been applied for, the conductor said in Munich on Friday, a few days after being named Music Director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir. However, he wants double nationality and thus keep his British citizenship. Rattle lives with his family in Berlin.

Der ursprünglich für Oktober 2020 geplante und dann auf Mitte März 2021 verschobene 6. Internationale Franz Liszt Wettbewerb für Junge Pianisten muss leider abgesagt werden. Aufgrund der immer noch kritischen Pandemie-Situation fällt der Wettstreit an der Weimarer Hochschule für Musik nun ersatzlos aus, teilte die Organisation mit. Read More →

Roberto Alagna
(c) Harcourt

In the French TV show C à Vous, yesterday evening, tenor Roberto Alagna was supposed to perform the song Mon pote le gitan in memory of one of his friends. Yet he found himself caught up in a torrent of emotions and, after a few seconds, the artist had to interrupt his performance. He left the stage saying, « I cannot do this today ». He then explained: « In fact, we talked before about this friend and it moved me so much that I sing the song thinking about him and I can’t concentrate ».

This week’s Karajanist Community Letter pays tribute to Katia Ricciarelli, a true Italian who is going to celebrate her 75th birthday on Saturday. In the ongoing series about Karajan and Mozart’s operas the Newsletter focusses on Don Giovanni, arguably Mozart’s most mysterious and powerful composition. Read More →

Fabio Luisi

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has announced the contract extension for Music Director Fabio Luisi. The renewal is for a further five years through the 2028/29 concert season. Italian conductor Fabio Luisi, 61, began his first season as Music Director in the current 2020/21 season after a year of holding the title Music Director Designate. He is General Music Director of the Zurich Opera, and Principal Conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

Vasily Petrenko
Photo: Mark McNulty

Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko, 44, has been appointed as Artistic Director of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia Evgeny Svetlanov. Succeeding Vladimir Jurowski, who has served in the role since 2011, he will take up the position on 1 September 2021, at the same time as he formally takes up the position of Music Director of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Read More →