In three rounds, the Jury of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) has chosen the releases competing in the finals for the awards 2024. The initial list with a total of 375 nominations has been reduced to three releases per category, the finalists for 2024. Read More →

The newest Karajan Community Letter focuses on Herbert von Karajan’s collaborations with soprano Maria Callas. Here is the link to this exciting newsletter. And here is the link, where you can subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.karajan.community/

Canadian conductor Rosemary Thomson was abruptly dismissed as Music Direcror of trhe  Okanagan Symphony Orchestra (British Columbia, Canada) after 16.5 years of service. « This was not an easy decision by the board, but one that was made after careful deliberation and consultation. The board has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the organization, » said executive director Geraldine Parent. Read More →

Georg Friedrich Händel

On Friday, December 15 at St. James Cathedral in Toronto, artists from OCAD University will paint canvases based upon the themes of the libretto of Messiah which will be performed by the St. James Cathedral Choir, the Chapel Choir of Trinity College, Orchestra and soloists. These paintings will be auctioned at the end of the performance, all proceeds are given to the artists.

English National Opera has chosen Greater Manchester as its future home, a year after Arts Council England (ACE) said it must move its base out of London. ACE later agreed a partial funding reprieve and gave ENO until 2029 to relocate. ENO has now agreed a partnership with the Greater Manchester city-region which has no resident opera company.

Jader Bignamini

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra announced the continuation of the artistic partnership of Music Director Jader Bignamini and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with a five-year extension of Bignamini’s contract through the end of the 2030–31 season. Read More →

Das grosse Festspielhaus in Salzburg

Gestern wurde bei der zentralen Wirtschafts- und Korruptionsstaatsanwaltschaft eine Strafanzeige wegen schwerem Betrug gegen die Geschäftsführung der Salzburger Festspiele, i.e. den verantwortlichen Intendanten Markus Hinterhäuser und den kaufmännischen Direktor Mag. Lukas Crepaz, im Zusammenhang mit Absagen und Verschiebungen bei den Festspielen 2020 gegenüber der Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor gestellt. Das geht aus einer Pressemitteilung von ‘art but fair UNITED’ hervor. Read More →

Die 36. Ausgabe von Wien Modern hat rund 30.000 Besucher angelockt. Das entspricht einem Plus von 34 Prozent gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Außerdem verbuche das Neue-Musik-Festival eine Rekordauslastung, wurde mitgeteilt. Sie beträgt 88,6 Prozent, wobei 41 der insgesamt 68 Veranstaltungen mit Kartenverkauf ausverkauft waren. Read More →

The Czech cellist Vilem Vlcek, 25, won First Prize at the fourth edition of the International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition, which was held in Krakow, Poland, 45 competitors aged between 16 and 30 were selected for the first of the three rounds. In addition, Vlcek won the Penderecki Special Prize for the best concerto performance. Read More →

Sound studio at the Philharmonie in Berlin
(c) Stefan Höderath

The Berlin Philharmonic offers a free concert each weekend in the Digital Concert Hall until Christmas! Here is what to expect: Read More →