Luxemburgs Kulturministerin Maggy Nagel hat, wie erwartet, heute im Ministerrat ihren Rücktritt eingereicht. Das Nägelchen, an dem ihre Karriere zuletzt hing, ist gebrochen. Ihre Nachfolge übernimmt Luxemburgs Premierminister Xavier Bettel höchstpersönlich, mit, als Staatssekretär an seiner Seite, Guy Arendt. Read More →

A Liverpool brewery has created a new ale for Vasily Petrenko, the Music Director of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. The Vasily Petrenko Ale, from Mad Hatter Brewing Company, will be on sale in the bar at the Philharmonic Hall as well as online and from selected outlets. Vasily Petrenko Ale has been specially selected by Petrenko (39). It’s a traditional style pale ale with American hops, light and smooth, with a zingy citrus aroma and mellow finish.

Christoph König

The orchestra Solistes Européens, Luxembourg (SEL) announced that German Conductor Christoph König (47) has agreed to extend his contract as Music Director through the season 2018-2019. Read More →

Monserrat Caballé

A court of Barcelona has sentenced Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballé to six-month probation over tax evasion. In addition, the 82-year-old has to pay 320,000 euros in fines. She agreed to bilateral agreement between her lawyers, the prosecution and the tax office. In the settlement of concert revenues she had indicated Andorra as a residence, but lived in Barcelona. At the hearing she pleaded guilty. At the same time, the singer was not present in the courtroom because of health problems, and made her statement via videoconference from home.

The winners of this year’s International Tchaikovsky Youth Competition are 20 young musicians from Armenia, Australia, Belarus, China, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States, aged 10 -16. Read More →

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 →