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 →
Viktor Ullmann
When the Austrian composer Viktor Ullmann was murdered in Auschwitz in 1944, he had just finished the libretto of an opera with the title Der 30. Mai 1431, dedicated to Jeanne d’Arc. In two acts it stages the most famous moments of Jeanne’s life until she died on the stake. The text was published in German by Schott. Now, composer Hélios Azoulay used the two pages of sketches for a score based on a French translation of Ullmann’s text. Read More →
Rund 186 Millionen Euro soll die komplette Sanierung des Theaters in Augsburg kosten. Das Gebäude wurde im Juni wegen Sicherheitsmängeln geschlossen. Ein Bürgerbegehren gegen die geplante Renovierung ist gescheitert, weil die vorgeschriebene Zahl gültiger Unterschriften nicht erreicht wurde. Die Bürgerinitiative hatte nach Angaben der Stadt geschummelt, weil rund ein Viertel der Unterschriften von nicht Stimmberechtigten stammte.
Due to the ongoing strike by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra musicians, additional FWSO concerts through December 31 have been cancelled. A press release says: « We deeply regret having to cancel further performances. Unfortunately, talks with the Musicians’ Union over the weekend did not yield the results necessary to ensure the Orchestra’s survival in the short term while we implement plans to secure the long-term future of the institution. Therefore, we must cancel these performances in consideration of our patrons and ticket buyers, artists, and presenters to give them ample time to make alternative plans.”
Enrique Batiz
The musicians of the State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico have asked their 74-years-old chief conductor Enrique Batiz to resign. They say, it has become increasingly difficult to follow his conducting. Batiz has admitted that he suffers from Parkinsons disease. He has been music director since the orchestra was founded in 1971.
Das Konzert der Dresdner Sinfoniker im deutschen Generalkonsulat in Istanbul findet nicht statt. Die Musikveranstaltung zum Thema ‘Massaker an den Armeniern’ hat das Auswärtige Amt in Berlin abgesagt. Erdogan wird sich ins Fäustchen lachen ob der feigen deutschen Haltung.
Die Dresdner Sinfoniker wollen ihr Konzertprojekt ‘Aghet’, das den Völkermord an den Armeniern thematisiert, im November im deutschen Generalkonsulat in Istanbul aufführen. Dazu haben sie, wie dpa berichtet, den türkischen Präsidenten Erdogan sowie Ministerpräsident Binali Yildirim, Außenminister Mevlüt Cavusoglu und Kulturminister Nabi Avci eingeladen. Die Türkei läuft seit Monaten Sturm gegen das Konzertprojekt, das von der EU und vom Auswärtigen Amt finanziell gefördert wird, und kündigte deswegen bereits das EU-Kulturprogramm auf.
