Andris Nelsons
In a personal statement on their websites, conductor Andris Nelsons and singer Kristine Opolais announced their divorce, after seven years of marriage. Read More →
Francesco Lecce-Chong
Californian Santa Rosa Symphony announces Francesco Lecce-Chong, 30, as its fifth Music Director, beginning with the 2018-2019 season. Born in San Francisco, Lecce-Chong is a native of Boulder, Colorado, where he began conducting at the age of sixteen. He is a graduate of the Mannes College of Music and Curtis Institute of Music. Read More →
Die Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden hat den Tänzer Istvan Simon entlassen, nachdem dieser den Ballettmeister der Oper des sexuellen Missbrauchs bezichtigt hatte. Nach monatelangen Untersuchungen und der Suspendierung des Tänzers (gegen die dieser geklagt hatte), sieht die Oper nun definitiv keine Hinweise für eine sexuelle Belästigung im Ballett. Das Vertrauensverhältnis zu dem Tänzer sei daher « unwiederbringlich zerstört », sagte der amtierende Opernintendant Rothe.
Opéra Bastille, Paris
In Paris, small gardens flourish in numerous streets. One of the most original projects might be the micro-hop garden on the roof of the Opéra Bastille which will supply 500 kg of fresh hop to a micro-brewery installed in the attics of the opera house. Around 100 plants have already been planted, 200 more will follow shortly. The start-up Topager, that runs the project, also plans a vegetable farm on the same roof.
(c) Monello
French Television France 4 has launched the cartoon series Max & Maestro, created to in introduce children to classical music. The main characters are Max, a boy, and Maestro, the cartoon version of Daniel Barenboim. The conductor was also a consultant and performs or conducts the music of the 52 episodes. Read More →
Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Die Mailänder Scala plant eine Versteigerung von Kostümen. Etwa 50.000 Stück befinden sich in den Lagern des Opernhauses, von einem Teil davon will sich das Theater jetzt auch aus Platzgründen trennen, berichtete die italienische Tageszeitung ‘La Stampa’. Read More →
Antoni Ingielewicz & Piotr Alexewicz (.)
Two young Polish artists will perform during this year’s ICMA Award Ceremony in Katowice. The first one, Piotr Alexewicz (*2000) has been proposed by the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music, which won a Special Achievement Award from ICMA. Read More →
The Lausanne Opera has banned the music critic Jacques Schmitt from ResMusica due to, what the institution says, a lack of objectivity and unjustified commentaries. This is an unacceptable reaction and a violation of the freedom of press and freedom of mind. Opera Lausanne would well be advised to revise its position.
(c) Monika Rittershaus
Im Rahmen der diesjährigen Residenz der Berliner Philharmoniker bei den Osterfestspielen Baden-Baden, steht Dieter Dorns Neuinszenierung von Richard Wagner ‘Die Kulissenschieber von Baden-Baden’, pardon ‘Parsifal“ mit drei Aufführungen im Mittelpunkt. Alain Steffen besuchte die Premiere. Read More →
José Antonio Abreu who created the El Sistema network for young musicians in Venezuela, died on Saturday. He was 78 years old. Abreu started the project in 1975, and since then El Sistema has grown to include more than 900,000 children, taught by 10,000 teachers throughout Venezuela. Yet, the worldwide recognition began with the success of conductor Gustavo Dudamel. In our days, El Sistema suffers, like the entire Venezuela, from the political regime. Tours of the Simon Bolivar Youth orchestra have been cancelled and a large part of the musicians have chosen to quit their native country.
