Citing the high cost of manpower and technical equipment, the Chicago Symphony cancels the innovative concert series Beyond the Score, According to the ChicagoReader, « two performances scheduled for next month will be the last in this innovative, ambitious, and arguably most successful of the orchestra’s attempts at audience expansion. » Read More →
Die Entscheidung der Stadt Weimar über eine Streichung der Zuschüsse für das Kunstfest Weimar ist in den Herbst verschoben worden. Christian Holtzhauer, der künstlerische Leiter des Kunstfests Weimar, will die Zeit für eine kulturelle Debatte nutzen und Lobbying betreiben, damit die Subvention von 250.000 Euro nicht gestrichen werde.
Carlo Fuortes, der von der italienischen Regierung bestellte Kommissar, der die Abwicklung der Geschäfte im finanziell angeschlagenen Betrieb der Opernfestspiele in Verona überwachen soll, hat vor der Presse betont, die Festspiele würden wie geplant stattfinden und alle technischen, administrativen und künstlerischen Einheiten arbeiteten, um die Festspiele zu einem Erfolg werden zu lassen. Der Verkauf an Eintrittskarten sei zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt sogar höher als 2015.
Ein Streit um den künstlerischen Leiter des Balletts Johan Kobborg an der rumänischen Nationaloper ist eskaliert. Dabei kam es unter Opernmitarbeitern zu ausländerfeindlichen Äußerungen. Dann wurde der Direktor der Oper, der Dirigent Tiberiu Soare, ab- und wieder eingesetzt. Mittlerweile ist deswegen auch Rumäniens Kulturminister Vlad Alexandrescu vom Regierungschef aus dem Amt verwiesen worden. Seinem Nachfolger obliegt es, Ordnung ins Chaos zu bringen.
British cellist Jacob Shaw, who has been based in Copenhagen, Denmark since 2012, has created the Scandinavian Cello School. The aim of this new initiative is to help young cellists: « We support, educate and promote cellists aged from 16-25 years old. Cellists are welcome from all over the world to apply for various SCS projects or to become an SCS Young Artist. Our long term goal is to create a permanent center for cello in Scandinavia. » Read More →
The often as ‘dying’ labelled classical music is healthy as never before: With what is called an ‘unprecedented demand for tickets’ for this year’s Wexford Festival Opera, the board of the Festival Trust have announced that they will expand the 2017 Festival from 12 to 18 days, running across three weekends, for the first time since 2008, with next year’s 66th Festival opening on Thursday 19 October and closing on Sunday 5 November.
In Paris, Itzhak Perlman and Martha Argerich just have recorded a new album, to be released late 2016 on Warner Classics. It has been 18 years since their last album together: a live recital from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Read More →
Elena Obraztsova
The Elena Obraztsova International Competition of Young Singers may not take place this year, as the Culture Commission of St. Petersburg refused any financial support. The competition is scheduled to take place early in July 3-8, at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall. The organizer already received more than 200 applications from Russia and other countries.
Pope John Paul II
Karol, a musical about the life of Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II. in 1978, will be premiered on 27 February 2017 in the Tauron Arena in Krakow, southern Poland. The music is by Filip Siejka, script and song lyrics, are from Michał Kaczmarczyk. Over 500 tickets have been sold in the first week of online bookings. Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Archbishop of Krakow, who was the pope’s personal secretary, is an honorary patron of the production.
The jury of the Third International Svjatoslav Knushevitsky Cello Competition in Saratov announced the winners in the younger group, with performers up to 18 years. 14 years old Chinese cellist Zhai Mo Zi won first prize while the Second Prize went to Michael Makhnach (Belarus). The third prize was split between Bok Eul Ji (Korea), Bakhytzhan Tolzhuma (Kazakhstan) and Ludmila Funtikova (Russia).
