Eliahu Inbal
(c) Sverdlovsk State Philharmonic

The Taipei Symphony Orchestra announced that Israeli conductor Eliahu Inbal, 83, has been appointed as Principal Conductor. His contract was signed for three years, through the 2021/2022 season. The conductor’s main focus will be on the symphonies by Gustav Mahler. Inbal is the successor of Gilbert Varga who was Chief Conductor from 2013 until 2018.

Teddy Abrams
(c) Kenny Corbin

Louisville Orchestra has announced that the its board of directors has extended Music Director Teddy Abrams’s contract for an additional five years, through the 2024-2025 season. Read More →

Stathis Karapanos

Der Förderpreis des Rheingau Musik Festivals geht in diesem Jahr an den griechischen Flötisten Stathis Karapanos. Die Jury setzte sich zusammen aus dem Dirigenten und Pianisten Christoph Eschenbach, dem Intendanten und Geschäftsführer des Rheingau Musik Festivals, Michael Herrmann, Dr. Heinz-Georg Sundermann von Preis-Stifter Lotto Hessen und den Programmmitarbeitern des Rheingau Musik Festivals. Read More →

Steven Mercurio

The Czech National Symphony Orchestra has announced that American conductor Steven Mercurio, 63, will become its new Music Director from the 2019/20 season. Mercurio succeeds Libor Pesek, who had held the position since 2007. In April 2018 he had been named Principal Guest Conductor of the orchestra.

Foto: Andreas Klingenberg

Die 72-jährige slowakische Sopranistin Edita Gruberova beendet ihre Opernkarriere. Am 27. März werde sie zum letzten Mal in einem szenischen Stück auf der Bühne stehen, teilte die Bayerische Staatsoper in München mit. Gruberova wird dort die Königin Elisabetta in Gaetano Donizettis Oper ‘Roberto Devereux’ in der Inszenierung von Christof Loy geben. Danach werde sie nur noch bei Konzerten singen und Meisterklassen halten.

Der deutsche Klarinettist Wolfgang Meyer ist am 17. März im Alter von 64 Jahren gestorben. Als Kammermusiker arbeitete er bevorzugt mit seiner Schwester Sabine Meyer und Reiner Wehle im ‘Trio di Clarone’, dem ‘Zemlinsky-Trio’, dem ‘Carmina Quartett’ und dem ‘Quatuor Mosaïques’. Read More →

Quatuor Ebène
(c) Julien Mignot

Bei seinem Auftritt im Kammermusiksaal der Philharmonie entfaltete das ‘Quatuor Ébène’ in geradezu atemlos machender Art und Weise dem Auditorium seine ganze Kunst. Pizzicato-Mitarbeiter Uwe Krusch war im Konzert. Read More →

Kristiina Poska (c)Theater Basel

Flanders Symphony Orchestra in Ghent announced Estonian conductor Kristiina Poska , 40, as chief conductor from the concert season 2019-20.Kristiina Poska started her musical career in Tallinn, where she studied choir conducting. She later went to Berlin and studied orchestral conducting with Christian Ehwald at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik. Read More →

The ongoing strike of the Chicago Symphony musicians is not likely to end soon. The negotiations are stuck in a dead end. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement saying, in part: “It is an honor to send my greetings to the men and women of the Chicago Federation of Musicians. Read More →

Teatro alla Scala, Milano

This is a big defeat for La Scala’s intendant Alexander Pereira: The Milanese opera house annulled his deal with Saudi Arabia’s culture minister over 15 million Euros and the possibility of giving Prince Badr bin Abdullah a seat on the board of the opera house. La Scala will refund the over €3 million received so far from Saudi Arabia. Read More →