The Texas Opera Alliance (TOA) has announced the launch of the Teen Opera Club of Texas. TOA is reunites Austin Opera, Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Opera San Antonio. Read More →

The Covid-positive among the choristers and musicians of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, rose to 21, one of them being hospitalized. The management is now trying to figure out what went wrong with the anti-contagion protocol. Currently the theatre is closed, but the goal remains to go on stage on 7 December for the official opening of the season, perhaps without an audience but at least worldwide on RAI.

Duncan Ward
(c) Alan Kerr

The British conductor and composer Duncan Ward (*1989) has been appointed as Chief Conductor of the Philharmonie Zuidnederland (Eindhoven/Maastricht) from September 2021 for an initial three season contract. Ward succeeds Russian Dmitri Liss, who has been chief conductor since 2016. Read More →

Riccardo Muti

Conductor Riccardo Muti, 79, has appealed to the Italian government to reconsider its decision to close theatres, cinemas and concert halls because of the Corona pandemic. In a letter to Prime Minister Conte published in the newspaper Corriere della Sera on Monday, Muti wrote that society needs « intellectual nourishment » from music and theatre, otherwise it will become « ugly ». Read More →

The International Piano Competition in Orléans/France announced that despite all pandemic related problems, their competition will begin on 28 October. « Our 7 semi-finalists coming from around the world have arrived at Orléans and all is ready to bring the 14th International piano competition of Orléans to life! » Read More →

Sào Soulez Larivière
(c) Christian Götting

Sào Soulez Larivière ist der 7. Gewinner des Fanny Mendelssohn Förderpreises. Die einstimmige Entscheidung traf die 5-köpfige Jury am vergangenen Samstag nach einer siebenstündigen Sitzung in Hamburg. Der französisch-niederländische Bratschist überzeugte und berührte die Jury-Mitglieder « gleichermaßen mit seinem virtuosen Spiel sowie mit seinem herausragenden Konzept unter dem Titel Impression. » Read More →

Philharmonie Luxembourg
(c) Wade Zimmermann

Das dritte und letzte Konzert, bei dem Krystian Zimerman zu Gast beim Philharmonischen Orchester Luxemburg und Gustavo Gimeno war, bot dem Solisten wieder eine große Herausforderung mit Beethovens Klavierkonzerten Nr. 4 und 5, die normalerweise nur einzeln am Abend zu hören sind. Dazwischen gab es wieder einen kleinen Happen, die drei Sätze aus der Lyrischen Suite von Alban Berg für Streichorchester. Uwe Krusch hat für Pizzicato mitgehört. Read More →

The Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, has announced that from tomorrow until (at least) the 24 November all theaters and concert halls in Italy will close. This is due to the rapidly escalating numbers of coronavirus cases in the country. Read More →

The Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting, held once every three years since 1967, will take place in September and October 2021.The jury comprises Tadaaki Otaka, Sian Edwards, Dan Ettinger, Junichi Hirokami, Michiyoshi Inoue, Okko Kamu, Rainer Küchl, Jun Märkl and Ken Takaseki. Read More →

To cope with its financial crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Royal Opera House in London has sold a painting by David Hockney for 14.2 million euros. The painting auctioned at Christie’s depicts David Webster, former director of the opera house from 1945 to 1970, and dates from 1971.

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