Ainars Rubikis
(c) Janis Porietis

According to an information reported by Berlin’s Tagesspiegel, Culture Senator Klaus Lederer will present on Monday the Latvian Ainars Rubikis (*1978) as Generalmusikdirektor of the Komische Oper. With First prizes at Bamberg’s Mahler Conducting Competition 2010 and the Young Conductors Award in Salzburg 2011, Rubikis is known as an innovative and intelligent conductor. He was musical director in Novosibirsk, but was dismissed in the aftershocks of the Tannhäuser scandal.

Gustavo Dudamel

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic dedicated a concert by his orchestra on Friday night to the 17-year-old violist of El Sistema who was killed two days earlier in an anti-government protest and to all the victims of violence. This was reported by the L.A. Times.

Vladimir Putin has issued an executive order to increase cultural funding in Russia. Unlike in past years, the funding will now be index-linked, budget allocations being based on the level of inflation established by federal law for the next fiscal year.

The Paris based Long Thibaud Crespin Foundation has informed the candidates about the Cancellation of the singing contest 2017. Without giving further information they write: « Dear candidates, Due to unforeseen reasons we deeply regret to have to cancel the 2017 edition of our competition. All dues will be refunded in full. » Read More →

Kazem Abdullah

Im Herbst 2015 wurde angekündigt, Aachens Generalmusikdirektor Kazem Abdullah werde seinen Vertrag nach einer Amtszeit von fünf Jahren nicht verlängern und im Juli 2017 Aachen verlassen. Damals schien es, als gehe dieser Entschluss vom Dirigenten aus. Read More →

Gustavo Dudamel

After the murder of a young El Sistema musician by the Maduro regime in Venezuela, conductor Gustavo Dudamel has finally clearly condemned the government of his native country. Dudamel, who was criticized for being a follower of the regime, has now taken his own stand. On Facebook he posted a strong message. Read More →

Sad news from France: The Festival of Ile-de-France was closed down today. This decision ends a musical adventure of forty years. Read More →

Die deutsche Sopranistin Agnes Giebel ist im Alter von 95 Jahren in Köln gestorben. Das teilte ihre Tochter Kristina Kanders mit. Giebel starb nach Angaben der Familie bereits am 24. April. Read More →

Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero has severely attacked Dudamel’s El Sistema on her Twitter and Facebook pages: « On Monday, Eduardo Mendez (Executive Director of El Sistema) ‘Cachorro’ (Gustavo Dudamel’s right hand man), and other members of El Sistema, were photographed marching FOR Maduro’s regime. Yesterday, Armando Cañizales, a 17 year-old musician from El Sistema in Caracas, was murdered by the very same regime these people were legitimising – and have propagandised for 18 years – just a few days ago. Armando was protesting with the overwhelming majority against the barbarism that is now Venezuela’s reality. My sincere condolences to Armando’s family.

The Cité Musicale of Metz, France, and the Arts Centre of South Korea’s fifth-largest metropolis Daejeon have signed a collaboration agreement. The collaboration will essentially involve the orchestras of both cities. Also common opera productions could be considered. The National Orchestra of Lorraine will tour South Korea in 2018 while two Korean conductors are invited to conduct the ONL in the upcoming season.