Since last night, the musicians of the Québec Symphony Orchestra are locked out by their management. The decision was taken after the management’s last offer for the renewal of the collective agreement of the musicians had been rejected. Read More →

The case of the transformations at the Paris Opera Garnier was up again yesterday, December 14, at the Paris Administrative Court. The lawyer of the plaintiffs, Maître Benoît Jorion, requested the suspension of the work and the restoration of the main hall at Palais Garnier. The ruling of the Court is expected in the coming days. Read More →

Itzhak Perlman

Violinist Itzhak Perlman is the recipient of the 2016 Genesis Prize which honours people who have attained excellence and international renown in their profession and who have inspired others through their engagement and dedication to the Jewish community and the State of Israel. The award is endowed with US $1 Million. Perlman will receive the award from the Prime Minister of Israel at a ceremony in June 2016.

The plan existed since months, now it becomes concrete: Kristjan Järvi’s vision of a Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra has been transformed in reality. With the Baltic Youth Orchestra firmly established as a ‘New Voice in the North’, the professional orchestra is now the next step. This Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra will consist of BYP alumni who are immersed in the ‘Music without Borders’ way of thinking and performing. The orchestra will have some 100 musicians coming from the Baltic countries, Denmark, Germany, Finland and Poland.

Karl-Heinz Steffens
(c) Stefan Wildhirt

The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet announced the appointment of Karl-Heinz Steffens (*1961) as Music Director as from the next season on. Steffens is also Music Director of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz. He began his career as a clarinettist. Read More →

With Filippo Gorini winning the International Beethoven Competition in Bonn, another scholarship student of the International Music Academy Liechtenstein has added his success to the impressive list of winners among the Academy’s students in 2015. Read More →

Filippo Gorini

Der 20-jährige Italiener Filippo Gorini hat den Internationalen Beethoven Wettbewerb 2015 in Bonn 2015 gewonnen Er setzte sich gegen Ben Cruchley und Moritz Winkelmann durch. Filippo Gorini überzeugte die neunköpfige Jury unter der Leitung von Pavel Gililov mit seiner Interpretation von Beethovens Klavierkonzert Nr. 5, begleitet vom Beethoven Orchester Bonn unter Leitung von Stefan Blunier. Filippo Gorini erhielt zudem den Publikumspreis für den besten Finalteilnehmer. Read More →

Maggy Nagel
(c) Service Information et Presse / Yves Kortum

Unser Leser kennen sie, die unmögliche Kulturministerin Maggy Nagel, wandelndes Stopschild des Luxemburger Kulturlebens. Ihre Zeit ist offenbar abgelaufen, ihr Titel hängt nur noch an einem Nägelchen, und die Brünnhilde dürfte demnächst unsanft abstürzen. Read More →

Bayreuth, Festspielhaus

Wie die Tageszeitung ‘Die Welt’ berichtet, hat eine Messung der Temperaturen im Bayreuther Festspielhaus ergeben, dass Festspielbesucher im Laufe der letzten Saison Temperaturen von 26 bis etwas mehr als 30 Grad ertragen mussten. Besonders warm wird es dort, wo VIPs und z.B. die Bundeskanzlerin sitzen. P.S.: Wenn Sie jetzt grinsen, machen Sie sich der Schadenfreude schuldig.

Concert Hall Katowice
(c) Sammy Hart

Katowice in southern Poland has been awarded the status of UNESCO City of Music. The Silesian city boasts such prestigious ensembles as the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra with its recently-opened concert hall, the Silesian Philharmonic, the Silesian Quartet, and the Camerata Silesia Choir. Katowice is also the venue of thirty music festivals. It will host the International Classical Music Awards ICMA in 2018. Katowice is the first Central and Eastern European city to win the title.