In 2015 ‘Orchestre de Paris’ will have its residency at the new ‘Philharmonie de Paris’ in the North-Eastern part of the French capital city. Apparently musicians and their music director Paavo Järvi can’t await to move in, as one could believe while watching this video: Read More →

Andres Orozco-Estrada

The 2014/15 concert season marks the beginning of a new era, evident in the first official concert of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. The new Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada is celebrating his début with an open-air concert. Artist in Residence is the Moldavian violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who will be giving guest performances in four concert programmes. The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra will give a total of 80 concerts in the coming concert season. Read More →

Teodor Currentzis
(c) Anton Zavjyalov

Greek born conductor Teodor Currentzis, music director in Perm (Russia) has been granted the Russian citizenship, by presidential decree. It has not been communicated if he will have to sign Pro Putin letters in future times.

Fayçal Karoui

French conductor Fayçal Karoui has announced that he will end his activities as Music Director of the Paris based ‘Orchestre Lamoureux’ in order to spend more time with the ‘Orchestre Pau Pays de Béarn’ in Pau where he is music director since 2001.

Die Salzburger Festspiele haben 2013 ihre Reserven auf 400.000 Euro reduziert, um Jahresfehlbetrag von 1,62 Millionen Euro aufzuwiegen, den Intendant Alexander Pereira in seinem Ausgabenrausch verursachte und der sogar ohne Budgetkunstoperationen noch höher ausgefallen wäre, wie ‘Der Standard’ berichtet. Freilich hat Pereira angeblich auch nicht Produktionen im Wert von 1.6 Millionen, sondern nur für 690.000 an die Mailänder Scala verlauft. Read More →

Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach
© C. P. E. Bach *1714/cpebach.de

Am kommenden 30. April startet das 89. Bachfest der ‘Neuen Bachgesellschaft Leipzig’ in Weimar. Aus diesem Anlass feiert die ‘Bach Biennale Weimar’ in Kooperation mit den ‘Thüringer Bachwochen’, der ‘Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt’ sowie der ev.-luth. Kirchgemeinde den großen Komponisten und den 300. Geburtstag seines in Weimar geborenen Sohn C. P. E. Bach. Read More →

Everyone involved with classical music will tell you that the genre needs to be better promoted. This generates the most original, often funny and attractive ideas. Some other are not. Like this in my eyes sordid promotion video for a Belgian classical festival, B-Classic. Poor Dvorak, you did’nt deserve it! For the video click on ‘Read more’. Read More →

A meeting of the San Diego Opera’s board of directors Thursday resulted in a upheaval in the organization’s leadership. Board President Karen Cohn walked out of the meeting along with a group of other members. Later, journalists were told, Cohn had resigned. Opera director Ian Campbell left the meeting also before it ended. According to press reports 30 of the board’s 50 members remain active. Board secretary Carol Lazier was named acting board president. Read More →

A Jewish-owned violin once saved from the Holocaust will be on the face of an Israel postage stamp to mark Heroes and Martyrs Remembrance Day this year (28 April). The background shows part of the entrance to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, while the bottom half of the stamp is dedicated to the violin. The issue, with a face value of NIS 9.60, was designed by David Ben-Hador.

Teatro alla Scala, Milano

Der wegen eines Interessenkonflikts in die Kritik geratene designierte Intendant der Mailänder Scala, Alexander Pereira – er verkaufte als Intendant der Salzburger Festspiele Produktionen an die Scala, angeblich, ohne jemanden in Mailand zu konsultieren –  gerät immer mehr in die Kritik. Die Gewerkschaft des Opernhauses hat jetzt Streiks gegen Pereira angedroht. Read More →