Schuurkerk in Zaandam
(c) Google Streetview

Violinist Maria Milstein and the members of the Busch Trio, Mathieu van Bellen, Omri and Ori Epstein, have realized an ambitious dream: the creation of a chamber music centre called MuziekHaven in Zaandam, a suburb of Amsterdam. « A sanctuary where musicians can dedicate themselves entirely to their music, our location aims to provide chamber musicians with the ideal conditions for development and discovery », Mathieu van Bellen says. The word sanctuary is well chosen though, because MuziekHaven is located in a historic church. Remy Franck attended the MuziekHaven’s inauguration. Read More →

Der russische Energiekonzern Gazprom und sein österreichischer Partner OMV  haben einen Vertrag für Projektsponsoring bei den Salzburger Festspielen unterzeichnet. Damit soll die russische Oper im Programm der Festspiele verankert werden. Read More →

The Spanish singer Placido Domingo, confronted with accusations of sexual harassment, was yesterday awarded the Mexican music prize Premio Batuta. This was announced by the organizers. Only one day before, they had suspended the awarding of the prize, waiting for the accusations to be clarified. The organizers did not give a reason for their renewed swing. However, Domingo was not present at the award ceremony.

Italian tenor Marcello Giordani died this afternoon following a heart attack at home in Augusta, Sicily. He was 56 years old. Just a month ago, Giordani sang the role of Calaf in Puccini’s opera Turandot in the ancient Taormina theatre and the Greek theatre in Syracuse. Turandot was the last of a series of successes in a career that led him to sing in theatres all over the world: London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, San Francisco, in all major tenor roles. Read More →

Teodor Currentzis
(c) Philharmonie/Sébastien Grébille

Nun kam in der noch jungen Saison nach dem Mariinsky-Orchester schon die zweite russische Gästegruppe aus dem Osten, nämlich MusicAeterna unter ihrem Chef Teodor Currentzis. Bei diesem Konzert gab es eine weitere Parallele und zwei Unterschiede, so hat es Uwe Krusch für Pizzicato gehört. Read More →

The organizers of the Mexican classical music prize Premio Batuta announced that they were cancelling the award foreseen for the Spanish tenor Placido Domingo because of accusations of sexual harassment. Domingo had been due to receive the prize today in Mexico City along with 15 other honourees, but organizers said they had decided to put his award on hold « until all this has been clarified. »

Yo-Yo Ma
(c) Jason Bell

For the last three years in January, Yo-Yo Ma and some of his closest collaborators work with students in an intense week of education, collaboration, and exploration at Youth Music Culture Guangdong (YMCG) in Guangzhou, China. 2020’s theme focuses on the musical center of Bach and outreach into local communities. Read More →

Das Personal der Mailänder Scala kündigte am Dienstag einen Streik ab dem 18. Oktober an, Tag der Premiere der Händel-Oper Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Die Gewerkschaften reagierten so, nachdem es bei der Aufsichtsratssitzung am Montag zu keiner Einigung über das Tagegeld bei Tourneen kam. Die Leitung des Opernhauses bemüht sich um eine Lösung des Konflikts.

Francesco Lecce-Chong

The Eugene Symphony (Oregon, U.S.) extended Music Director Francesco Lecce-Chong’s contract through at least the 2022/23 season, a news release says. Initially named Music Director & Conductor in July 2017, Lecce-Chong first took the podium at that month’s ninth annual Eugene Symphony in the Park. Lecce-Chong is also Music Director of the Santa Rosa Symphony.

Anne-Sophie Mutter
Photo: Deutsche Grammophon

German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter interrupted her performance of the Beethoven concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony last Saturday, asking an audience member to stop filming her with a mobile phone. Critic Janelle Gelfand reported the incident in the Cincinnati Business Courier. When the young woman had been escorted out of the hall, the violinist and orchestra restarted the concerto’s slow movement.