In March 1770, the 14-year-old Mozart presented three magnificent arias at a soirée of Count Firmian’s in Milan: this led to his first commission, for an opera seria for one of Italy’s three principal theatres. The resulting […]
Lovers of the Austro-German Classical symphony will delight intros dic; as will horn players, doubly blessed (quadruply?) by a double horn concerto and a symphony that features the horns prominently. Franz Anton Hoffmeister was prolific: […]
The US conductor Karina Canellakis has recommitted to Dutch Radio: I am very happy to announce that I will stay Chief Conductor of the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest through to 2031. I am proud of how […]
The German label Dabringhaus und Grimm has ordered an enoromous skip in which it will crunch up 20,000 unsold classical CDs, rather than paying a five-figure royalty demand from the collection agency Gema. Full story […]
Pembridge College has wasted no time in filling the organ bench lately vacated by Anna Lapwood. The new director of music is to be Luke Fitzgerald, assistant director at Coventry Cathedral. He says: ‘Big shoes […]
We are hearing from disappointed concertgoers who booked flights to attend Víkingur Ólafsson’s Wigmore Hall recital of Beethoven and Schubert sonatas, only to be informed today that the Icelandic pianist has reverted to last year’s […]
We have been notified of the passing of the Grammy award-winning conductor John Nelson, an American who became an authority in the music of Hector Berlioz and other romantic creators. John was 83. The son […]
The pianist and composer Nikki Iles is to be Principal Conductor of the NDR Bigband from September. She succeeds Geir Lysne. Nikki, 61, was previously composer in residence with NDR Bigband. The post British jazz […]
The British actor has been commissioned by the Opéra de Paris to direct Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, his operatic debut. Semyon Bychkov will conduct. Boris Pinkhasovich sings the title role. Fiennes played the role himself in […]
Don’t bother calling the Philharmonie box-office. A five-night series of classical guitar concerts, headlined by the Catelnuovo-Tedesco and Rodrigo concertos, has completely sold out. The fingers behind it belong to rising Warner artist Thibaut García. […]
