The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, having decided to shut its junior department, has agreed to a ‘consultation’. But without changing its strategy. We recognise the concerns that these proposals will cause the […]
There were tears in the aisles as the Frenchman Louis Langrée conducted his last performance on Sunday after 11 years as music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. At the close Langrée, 63, was awarded […]
The Cherry Orchard – Donmar Warehouse If you are prepared to forego Chekhov, the new Cherry Orchard at the Donmar is tremendous. Benedict Andrews has adapted and directed this production, jettisoning Chekhov’s language but mining his meaning. […]
At the 19th Israeli-Palestinian memorial day ceremony the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, drawn from both sides, sang in Arabic, English and Hebrew an appeal for peace. Starts at 22:00 Grab some hope. Do not miss. The […]
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 […]