Riccardo Muti
In einem bemerkenswerten Interview mit dem Wiener ‘Kurier’ sagte Riccardo Muti u.a.: « Heute gibt es viele von Plattenfirmen oder ihren Managern forcierte Dirigenten, die wie wild auf dem Podium herumhüpfen und große Gesten machen. Das Publikum soll dann glauben: Der empfindet die Musik aber wirklich. Insofern ist der Beruf des Dirigenten heute sehr bequem geworden. Man kann viel leichter bluffen. Denn die Menschen hören weniger genau zu und fallen mitunter auf optische Effekte herein. Viele hören mit den Augen. » Read More →
Eckart Preu
The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra has named Eckart Preu Music Director. The 47-year-old German conductor will begin a three-year contract this fall. Preu, a native of Erfurt, Germany, has lived in the United States for two decades. He is currently music director of the Spokane Symphony and the Stamford Symphony. Recently, he was named Music Director of the Long Beach Symphony in California, from the 2017-18 season on.
Serge Prokofiev
A monument to Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, will be built in Moscow before the end of 2018. The corresponding decree was signed by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The monument, created on the initiative of the Russian military-historical society (RVIO) will stand in front of the house where Prokofiev lived.
Robert Spano
(c) Atlanta Symphony
Thanks to the Delta Air Lines Foundation the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Musicians’ Endowment Campaign exceeds its $25 Million Goal Ahead of Schedule. Indeed, Delta Airlines pledged to contribute $2.5 Million To the fund. This endowment will help Robert Spano’s orchestra to restore a size of 88 musicians.
After a patron of the Metropolitan Opera in New York dispersed the human ashes of a friend into the orchestra pit and brought the opera house to cancel the afternoon performance of ‘Guillaume Tell’ and the evening performance of ‘L’italiana in Algeri’ as well, it is clear that opera houses face a new source of revenue. A lot of opera lovers will like to be laid to rest in an opera house, and so Peter Gelb as well as all the other managers should brainstorm about possibilities to install a funeral area in their houses and earn money with this new lucrative activity…
Metropolitan Opera New York
An afternoon performance of Rossini’s Guillaume Tell at the Metropolitan Opera in New York was abandoned on Saturday during the second intermission after a member of the audience peppered an unidentified powder into the orchestra pit. The New York Police Department was called to investigate the incident. The company has also canceled the evening performance of L’Italiana in Algeri while the authorities investigated the incident. Read More →
Daniel Harding
(c) Julian Hargreaves
British conductor Daniel Harding, 41, like Herbert von Karajan, is a fan of aviation. As France Musique revealed this week, that Harding got his pilot’s license two years ago and just passed the final exam for the ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot Licence).
Opéra Bastille, Paris
The French government has announced an important extension project for the National Opera in Paris. The Bastille opera house will move its workshops from the North of Paris next to the opera house, Rue de Lyon. Furthermore, the Bastille will finally get its second hall, seating 800. This hall will be used for educational projects, chamber operas and experimental music theatre. The construction is to begin in 2018.
Alexander Prior
24-year-old British conductor Alexander Prior will be the next Music Director of the Canadian Edmonton Symphony Orchestra from the 2017-2018 season. He will succeed the outgoing conductor Bill Eddins who will be Music Director emeritus. Read More →
Riccardo Muti
During its 2015-2016 fiscal year (in fact the last concert season), Riccardo Muti’s Chicago Symphony Orchestra registered record ticket revenues for its CSO Main series of performances, and record single-ticket sales for that series. At the same time, records do not mean profit, since the CSO announces a $1.1 million operating deficit, with operating revenues totalling $71.9 million and operating expenses, $73 million. Read More →
