Ruth Leon recommends… Elvis Presley’s Birthday
Elvis If he had lived, Elvis would have turned 90 today. Hard to imagine, isn’t it, Elvis Presley as an old man? He was so intrinsically part of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and […]
classical music
Peter (RIP), Paul and Mary
Peter Yarrow, of the 1960s folk trio, died today of bladder cancer, aged 86. Paul (Noel Paul Stookey) is the last survivor. Contrary to their cleancut image, Peter was jailed for three months for indecency […]
NY drum legend, dead at 49
There has been an ooutpouring of grief at the sudden death of Anthony Pinciotti, a leading drummer in jazz, rock and world ensembles, who died suddenly just before Christmas. We are heartbroken to announce that […]
Wales 2025: The Land Without Music
Welsh National Opera yesterday inducted two new artistic directors in the hope of digging itself out of a deepening hole. Arts Council England has abolished its touring grant and Wales will not make up the […]
Idomeneo in Amsterdam: Lawrence Cummings joins forces with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for a new production of Mozart’s first mature opera
Mozart’s Idomeneo is regarded as his first mature opera, written for Munich in 1781. The subject may not have been Mozart’s choice but it represents the composers continuing engagement with Italian opera seria, a style that […]
Drawing us in: baritone James Atkinson makes his Wigmore Hall debut with pianist Iain Burnside in a programme moving from Robert to Clara Schumann to Brahms’ late tombeau for Clara
Robert and Clara Schumann Schumann: Eichendorff Liederkreis, Clara Schumann: Gedichte aus Rückerts Liebesfrühling, Brahms: Four Serious Songs; James Atkinson, Iain Burnside; Wigmore HallReviewed 6 January 2025 Young baritone James Atkinson used his rich, dark hued […]
The Turk who played duets with David Oistrakh
The death has been announced of the leading Turkish violinist Ayla Erduran, at the age of 90. Ayla studied with David Oistrakh in Moscow in 1957-58 and played duets with him in concert. She also […]
Jonas Kaufmann: Managing other people’s cancellations
The numbers are in at the Erl winter festival in Tyrol and the backers are happy. When the curtain dropped last night, 94 percent of tickets had been sold, more than ever before. What counted […]
Herbert Blomstedt: ‘I never conquered an orchestra’
The conductor, 97, gives a reflective interview to Markus Thiel. Sample quotes: There is so much wonderful music that I would like to perform and that could change me. But you just don’t have that […]
Berlin cancels musical due to city cuts
Berlin’s Komische Oper has called off its summer production of the popular ex-DDR musical, ‘Mein Freund Bunbury’. They say: ‘We would like to start the year with some good news, but due to the austerity […]
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