Stefan Sutkowski, one of the most prominent personalities on the Polish music scene, died in Warsaw, Saturday 22 April, at the age of 85, the Polish Radio reports. Read More →

3493 Minuten Musik umfasst der erste Teil einer Anthologie der russischen Orchestermusik unter der Leitung von Evgeny Svetlanov. Diese Anthologie, die das russische Label Melodiya im Laufe des Jahres in drei Volumen veröffentlicht, ist das größte Aufnahmeprojekt, das je ein einzelner Dirigent unternommen hat. Read More →

Musica, Italy’s oldest and most read classical music magazine, will celebrate its 40th birthday in May. Founded by Umberto Masini in 1977, it has established itself as a reference for classical music reviews, in-depth articles and interviews with the best-known artists. Read More →

In Warschau ging vor kurzem das ‘Ludwig-von-Beethoven-Oster-Festival‘ (02.04.-14.04.) zu Ende. Trotz reduziertem Finanz-Volumen konnte die wichtigste Konzertreihe Polens ihr ambitioniertes Profil konsolidieren und neue programmatische Akzente setzen. Zur 21. Festival-Ausgabe unter dem Motto „Beethoven and the fine Arts“  sprach Pizzicato mit dem Musikpublizisten und ICMA-Jury-Mitglied Martin Hoffmeister. Read More →

Valery Gergiev
Foto: Marco Borggreve

Valery Gergiev announced the opening of a further branch of his Mariinsky Theatre in Vladikavkaz, the capital city of the Republic of North Ossetia and one of the most populous cities in the North Caucasus. Read More →

Michael Helmrath hat seinen bloß auf zwei Jahre angelegten Vertrag als Generalmusikdirektor der Theater Nordhausen/Loh-Orchester Sondershausen GmbH auf fünf Jahre verlängert. Read More →

Ludovic Morlot
(c) Sussie Ahlburg

Seattle Symphony Orchestra has announced that music director Ludovic Morlot will step down after his eight year contract is up at the end of the 2018/2019 season. The 43 year-old French conductor says, he feels the time will be right then to go on to other things.

Seine Musicale
(c) Insula Orchestra

With two concert halls, the Grande Seine, devoted to large-scale shows and an Auditorium dedicated to classical music, the new music centre on the Seguin Island, west of Paris, is inaugurated this weekend. Bob Dylan is performing at the Grande Seine and the orchestra in residence, Insula Orchestra under Laurence Equilbey is giving a concert at the auditorium on Saturday 22. Read More →

Daniel Barenboim
(c) Peter Adamik

Worried about the rise of the National Front in France, conductor Daniel Barenboim, long-time music director of the Orchestre de Paris, spoke out against the rise of nationalism in Europe: « Nationalism results from the sense of unease about globalization, but it is the opposite of true patriotism », Barenboim said.

Luciano Pavarotti

The POTUS made once more a fool of himself, claiming that Luciano Pavarotti is a great friend of his. In a press conference with the Prime Minister of Italy, Paolo Gentiloni, Trump said: « Through the ages your country has been a beacon of artistic and scientific achievement. That continues today. From Venice to Florence to Verdi to Pavarotti – friend of mine. Great friend of mine. » Read More →