DnaNudge, developer of the rapid, lab-free CovidNudge test has announced a special partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra, delivering regular COVID-19 testing to the orchestra’s 120 musicians. DnaNudge is performing the testing – which delivers results in just over an hour – exclusively for the LSO as sponsors. Read More →

Tianyi Lu
(c) Finotti Tosi

Tianyi Lu, a young conductor from New Zealand with Chinese origins is the winner of the 11th Edition of the Premio Internazionale d’Orchestra Guido Cantelli. The thirty-year-old conductor born in Shanghai stood out from the other finalists – Bertie Baigent (25, from England), Diego Ceretta (23, from Italy) and Dmitry Matvienko (29, from Belarus) – at the competition’s final concert at the Teatro Coccia di Novara. Read More →

Ivan Fischer invents music-enhancing face mask

Hungarian conductor Ivan Fischer has invented a music-enhancing face mask. It has two plastic cups shaped liked life-size palms attached to the mask’s strings and designed to fit around the wearer’s ears, allegedly allowing concertgoers in the age of coronavirus to enjoy improved acoustics. Read More →

Christoph Poppen, principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, is quarantined in a hotel ahead of a concert which he is scheduled to conduct without a live audience later this month at City Hall in Hong Kong, The South China Morning post reported. He is going through 14-day quarantine, which started last Tuesday, so he can perform with pianist Alexander Krichel on September 26. Read More →

Nice is not exempt from the progression of the Covid19 epidemic which is currently affecting France. The mayor of the city has therefore announced new measures to stem the spread of the virus. He said: « For the world of culture, I am announcing the postponement of the presentation of the new Opera season and the opening performance scheduled for 12 and 13 September. All the cultural and sporting events planned in the coming weeks and organised by Ville de Nice will be postponed or cancelled. »

Due to the cancellation of all performances since 10 month the Boston Symphony musicians have agreed to pay cuts in a new three-year labor agreement, the Orchestra announced. With a revenue loss of $35 million in ticket sales, the salary reductions average 37 percent in the first year, the announcement stated. During the contract’s second and third years, increases in compensation will take place as the BSO will redevelop « sustainable revenue. » Read More →

Zubin Mehta
(c) Stephan Polzer

Der 84-jährige Dirigent Zubin Mehta fühlt sich nach seiner Genesung von einem Nierentumor stärker als vor seiner Erkrankung. « Ich habe nach der Operation eine experimentelle Behandlung durchgeführt und der Tumor ist nicht mehr da. Ich bin jetzt stärker als vorher », sagte Mehta im Interview mit der Mailänder Tageszeitung Corriere della Sera (Freitagsausgabe). Er sei in Los Angeles von einem internationalen Ärzteteam erfolgreich operiert und behandelt worden. Read More →

Der russische Bass Ildar Abdrazakov hat sich mit dem Coronavirus infiziert, weswegen er seine Teilnahme an der Wiederaufnahme-Premiere von Peter Konwitschnys Don Carlo am 27. September an der Wiener Staatsoper absagen musste. Der 43-Jährige hätte in der Verdi-Oper an der Seite von Jonas Kaufmann Philipp II. singen sollen.

Philharmonie de Paris
(c) Remy Franck

In addition to taking place in public in compliance with health regulations, the eliminatory rounds, semi-finals and finals, as well as the announcement of the results and the awarding of the prizes of La Maestra, the first International Competition for Women Conductors, will be available for viewing live and in play-back on Philharmonie Live and ARTE Concert. Read More →

US-Präsident Trump wurde schon im Januar vom amerikanischen Geheimdienst auf die Gefahren des Corona-Epidemie und ihre tatsächliche Entwicklung in China hingewiesen. Er missachtete die Warnungen und minimisierte die Hinweise des Geheimdiensts, wie er in einem jetzt publik gewordenen Gespräch mit Bob Woodward zugegeben hat. Die zu dem frühen Zeitpunkt so eminent wichtigen Informationen hat er nicht nur ignoriert, er hat sie auch nicht an die Partnerländer der USA weitergegeben. Read More →