Members of the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra and Odessa Opera Chorus performed the Ode Of Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the Privoz Fish Market in Odessa. Significatly, the ‘Ode to Joy’ also happens to be the anthem of the European Union. The musicians told a local newspaper that they wanted to make a statement about Ukrainian unity, so they selected this ode to unity and brotherhood. Hobart Earle is the conductor. Watch the video: Read More →
Serge Dorny
© Matthias Creutziger
Even though he says not being able to answer to an anonymous letter, Serge Dorny, the general manager of ‘Opéra de Lyon’ said he would meet the delegation and representatives of every single department of the opera house to discuss the problems raised by some staff members in an open letter. They accused Dorny he would overload them with work. Dorny, who was dismissed at the Semper Oper in Dresden even before he took his job, is now a candidate to succeed to himself in Lyon.
Vadim Repin
(c) Gela Megrelidze
Er will nicht mehr in seiner Heimatstadt Novosibirsk leben, weil es dort zu kalt ist, hat sich aber überreden lassen, dort ein Musikfestival zu gründen und künstlerisch zu leiten. Vom 31. März bis 12. April findet Vadim Repins erstes ‘Trans-Siberian Art Festival’ statt. Remy Franck hat sich mit dem Geiger darüber unterhalten. Das Gespräch finden Sie in unserer Rubrik Features & Interviews.
Lang Lang
(c) Deutsche Grammophon
Spanish company Telefónica, its subsidiary Wayra and Lang Lang International Music Foundation, have launched the ‘Lang Lang Challenge’. The goal is to find an application that best helps discover, educate, share and / or learn to play classical music in the most attractive way possible. Read More →
Alexander Pereira
Photo: Suzanne Schwiertz
Der neue Intendant der Mailänder Scala, Alexander Pereira, trumpft auf: 20 Opernpremieren, sowie zahlreiche Ballette und Konzerte sind in der Scala-Saison 2014/15 vorgesehen, mehr als je zuvor. Eröffnet wird die Saison am 7. Dezember mit Beethovens ‘Fidelio’ unter der Leitung von Daniel Barenboim, der die Scala danach verlässt. Die Regie wurde Deborah Warner anvertraut. Read More →
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announced that it hast to postpone the planned concert tour to Iran originally foreseen for late August or September. The tour will now be planned for an unspecified date during the 2014-15 season. Simin Yazdgerdi Curtis, president and CEO of the co-organizing American Middle East Institute, said to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, she hopes it will take place within two to six months of the original timing. A visit to Iran in 2014 would mark the 50-year anniversary of the last time the PSO performed in that country.
Osmo Vänskä
Photo: A Marsden
In an interview with the Minnesota Public Radio, former Minnesota Orchestra Music Director Osmo Vänskä said he’s in negotiations with orchestra management about a possible return to his old job. « We started negotiations last Saturday, and I think that the purpose of those negotiations is to try to find out if there is a way for me to come back, » he said. Vänskä resigned during the 16-month long lockout of the orchestra’s musicians. After the lockout ended, Vänskä said Orchestra President Michael Henson would have to step down, in order to allow his comeback. Last week it was announced that Henson will quit his job at the end of the current season.
Der ehemalige Opernsänger und einstige Intendant der Seefestspiele Mörbisch, Harald Serafin, soll die umstrittene Wörtherseebühne im österreichischen Klagenfurt retten. Die 1999 eröffnete Bühne geriet als ‘Millionengrab’ in Verruf, und der für Kultur zuständige Landesrat Wolfgang Waldner kündigte vor der Landtagswahl in Kärnten 2013 an, die Seebühne aufgrund der nicht finanzierbaren Betriebskosten in Höhe von 600.000 € pro Jahr, denen Einnahmen von 40.000 € pro Jahr gegenüberstehen, schließen zu wollen. Seither gibt es Versuche, die Bühne zu retten und dazu gehört eben nun der Plan Serafin, in den das Klagenfurter Stadttheater mit einbezogen werden soll.
David Aaron Carpenter
(c) Akos Simon
On a special performance at Sotheby’s New York, yesterday evening, David Aaron Carpenter became, effectively and for some moments, the most valuable musician in the world. He gave a performance on what he describes as “the most truly perfect viola ever made” and is about to become the world’s most expensive-ever musical instrument. The $45 million starting price for the Stradivarius, owned by the UK’s Baron MacDonald in the 19th century, is so far past the previous world record (recently set at something over $16 million by the ‘Vieuxtemps’ Giuseppe Guarneri “’Del Gesù’ violin) that it is likely to shift the entire global market for musical instruments. Read More →
Benjamin Britten
Indianapolis Opera canceled its fourth and final production of the season due to « financial challenges. » The management informed cast members that they would cut Benjamin Britten’s ‘Albert Herring’, planned for April 25 through May 4 at the Basile Opera Center. « Individual and corporate support for the arts has diminished, » the opera said. They also announced a major statement concerning the business plan and the 2014-2015 seaso
