When Valery Gergiev conducted the Munich Phil last week, the Abendzeitung expressed the critic’s impression that the Gergiev had not thoroughly rehearsed the programme. Today, The Times takes the same line after the first of the Prokofiev concerts by the Mariinsky Orchestra and Gergiev at London’s Cadogan Hall. The newspaper writes: « Precision has never been part of the Gergiev-Mariinsky rough magic package. While not exactly sight-reading, the orchestra played as though rehearsing for the first time, without stopping to correct infelicities of articulation, intonation, blend, balance and ensemble. »
On the 3rd of December The Kersjes Fund will award the annual Kersjesprize and bursaries to excellent young musicians at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. This year the prestigious Kersjesprize (€50.000) will be awarded to the Busch Trio, and the bursaries will go to violinist Ruña ‘t Hart and conductor Stijn Berkouwer. Additionally, the Babylon Quartet will receive a scholarship to support their studies and career. Read More →
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sämtliche Verfahren gegen das Staatstheater Mainz, dessen Mitarbeiter während einer Kundgebung der AfD auf dem Gutenbergplatz im vergangenen Herbst vom Theaterbalkon Beethovens ‘Ode an die Freude’ gesungen hatten, wurden eingestellt. Beethoven gegen Rassismus ist erlaubt!
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
(c) Pavel Antonov
On his website, Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky announces that he will have to undergo more chemotherapy to fight his brain tumour. The message reads:
My dear friends,
I am disappointed to have to withdraw from Simon Boccanegra at the Wiener Staatsoper. This follows my doctors’ orders that I undergo another round of chemotherapy. Read More →
Ilker Arcayürek
According to the jury decision of the 10th International Art Song Competition Stuttgart 2016, Ilker Arcayürek (tenor) & Fiona Pollak (piano) were awarded First Prize. Second prize went to Stuart Jackson (tenor) & Jocelyn Freeman (piano), while Samuel Hasselhorn (baritone) & Renate Rohlfing (piano) won Third Prize. Read More →
Philharmonie de Paris
The way how the new Philharmonic Hall has been financed by the city of Paris has been severely criticized by the regional Court of Auditors of Ile de France. The budget for the new hall increased from €173,1 million in 2006 to € 534.7 million in 2015. The report says that the French capital choose a funding model which was unsuited for this type of investment. Read More →
Enemble Vocal du Luxembourg
(c) Thierry Frentz
Das ‘Ensemble Vocal du Luxembourg’ feiert dieses Jahr 25. Geburtstag. Gegründet im Jahr 1991 vom Luxemburger Dirigenten Pierre Cao, ist das Ensemble heute ein gemischter Kammerchor mit 28 Sängern. Mit mehr als 200 Konzerten seit seiner Gründung, ist der Chor zu einem der führenden Akteure der Chorszene in der Großregion geworden. Im Jahr 2012 übernahm Jean-Philippe Billmann die künstlerische und musikalische Leitung. Read More →
Der Schweizer Komponist, Oboist und Dirigent Heinz Holliger (77) wird für seine « jahrzehntelange Auseinandersetzung mit dem Schumannschen Werk » von der Stadt Zwickau mit dem Robert-Schumann-Preis ausgezeichnet. Holliger bekannte selbst einmal, dass in jedem seiner Werke Schumann präsent wäre. Read More →
The Russian Ministry of Culture is planning to cut the Bolshoi funding by €765.000, targeting the provision of health services to the theatre’s employees. According to a recommendation of the Court of Auditors, State money can no longer be allocated to the medical treatment of artists, administrative and technical staff.
Ahead of new negotiations with the musicians on strike, the Fort Worth Symphony has announced the cancellation of concerts through November 6. The Texan musicians refuse to sign a reduced contract and began a strike on September 8.
