classical music

The magnificent saxophonist David Sanborn has died of prostate cancer, which he had endured for six years. He took up the instrument on doctors’ orders as a child to strengthen his chest muscles and improve […]

After months of speculation, the stakeholders have given the hereditary director of the Bayreuth Festival another five years of rule until 2030. However, they have decided to impose a General Manager, using the English term, […]

Here’s another screed of posted by Emma Stenning’s regime at Birmingham’s troubled orchestra. The text is lacking in specifics. It proclaims a welcome, then utters threats. You’d need a psychoanalyst to explain what prompted it. […]

The controversial US soprano, 75, went for the high notes in the closing number of her unprompted return yesterday to the Metropolitan Opera. Link here. The post Watch Kathleen Battle’s Met farewell appeared first on […]

Christian Thielemann, incoming Generalmusikdirektor of Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden, has presented his first season, together with incoming intendant Elisabeth Sobotka. The new shows include Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, Kurtag’s Endgame, Rattle conducting Janacek’s Mr […]

The Oberlin Conservatory is marking the retirement of Peter Takács after 48 years with varied concerts and celebrations, including a new work by Robert Spano, one of his star students. Romanian by birth, Takács joined […]

The finalists have been selected at the richly endowed Concours musical international de Montréal. All six are male. They are: Elias ACKERLEY (UK, South Korea) Anthony RATINOV (United States) Gabriele STRATA (Italy) Derek WANG (United […]

The BBC Singers, almost abolished last year by top-floor decree, is upping its attention-seeking strategy. This just dropped in: On Tuesday 21 May at 7pm, singers of all abilities across the UK are invited to […]

Kim Tae-yeon has won the 12th Witold Lutoslawski International Cello Competition in Warsaw. She takes home 20,000 Euros and a fistful of engagements after triumphing in Lutoslaski’s Grave, for concerto. Second and third were Poles. […]