This evening Opera Roma closes the summer series of Carmen performances at Terme di Caracalla with a considerable sales record. Georges Bizet’s brought a total of € 1.180 million into the opera house’s coffers. The previous record was Tosca, in the 2009 season, with a total of 973.000 euros.

Franz Welser-Möst
Photo: Don Snyder

Der Pro Arte Europa-Preis 2017 des Herbert-Batliner-Europainstituts wird heute im Karl-Böhm-Saal in Salzburg an den Dirigenten Franz Welser-Möst verliehen. Die Laudatio hält der ehemalige Vorstand der Wiener Philharmoniker, Prof. Clemens Hellsberg. Read More →

The 80 members of the so-called European Spirit of Youth Orchestra, have been hospitalized for an intoxication in Trento, Italy. The young musicians come from 12 nationalities and are conducted by Igor Coretti-Kuret. Read More →

Jonas Kaufmann
Photo: Mathias Bothor

Jonas Kaufmann engagiert sich ab sofort als Botschafter für die José Carreras Leukämie-Stiftung, teilte diese mit, und wird außerdem am 14. Dezember 2017 in München in der 23. José Carreras Gala (www.josecarrerasgala.de) auftreten. Read More →

Cité musicale-Metz has hired Florence Alibert as General Manager. This organization is responsible for three halls, among them the prestigious  Arsenal and the Orchestre National de Lorraine. Read More →

After struggling with financial problems for several years, the Board of Directors for the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra (Central California) has decided to cease operations. The orchestra may plan, if funding is possible, a grand celebratory concert with music director Heiichiro Ohyama who is leading the orchestra since 1983. The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1978.

The Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) is now accepting applications for the inaugural class of its new Minority Artist Fellowship (MAF) program for African-American and Latino Students. Read More →

French media report about the serious financial difficulties the lyric festival Chorégies d’Orange is facing despite a significant increase of visitors. The actual deficit is close to €1,5 million, and no bank seems willing to grant the festival a loan. Since the festival is auto-financing its activities by 80%, General Manager Jean-Louis Grinda has asked the public institutions to increase their funding. This looks however a bit optimistic, given the current austerity measures.

Anna Netrebko
(c) Werner/Tsui

Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko comes on top of the list of Russian top-earning musicians, Forbes said on Monday. Netrebko’s annual income amounted to $7.5 million, according to Forbes. The 45 years-old Netrebko said, Forbes lied about her income. « Your statements are not correct, stop lying! », she wrote on Facebook.

Nikolay Madoyan

Armenian-Jewish violinist Nikolay Madoyan (born in 1973 in Yerevan) has got the confirmation by the Committee of the Guinness Book of Records that he set up a world record while playing the violin for 33 hours (with breaks of 5 minutes each hour). The playing took place in February 2017 in the Chamber Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan. Madoyan performed 59 selected works by various composers.