YuMi
(c) ABB

A few weeks ago, Pizzicato reported that the Lucca Philharmonic was to play under the baton of YuMi, a humanoid robot manufactured by ABB, a Swiss company specializing in new technologies. The concert took place in Pisa, Italy, and featured Andrea Bocelli and the soprano Maria Luigia Borsi. Read More →

Eine Gruppe von mehr als achtzig Intendanten verschiedenster deutschsprachiger Theater bekennt sich drei Tage vor der deutschen Bundestagswahl über eine Anzeige in einer großen deutschen Zeitung zu einem offen politischen Diskurs und betont damit den gesellschaftlichen Stellenwert der Theater und Orchester der Bundesrepublik. Read More →

Houston Grand Opera - Wortham Center

Hurricane Harvey forced the Houston Symphony to cancel the first two weeks of its season and since the underground parking garage that serves Jones Hall for the Performing Arts is still not accessible, the orchestra had to move to the Stude Concert Hall in Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music for last week’s concerts and will return there for the next two programs. Read More →

Die Staatsoper Stuttgart wird nun dennoch Humperdincks Märchenoper ‘Hänsel und Gretel’ nicht, wie geplant, am 22. Oktober aufführen. Entgegen früheren Plänen, die Inszenierung nach Angaben des in Moskau unter Hausarrest stehenden russischen Regisseurs Kirill Serebrennikov aufzuführen, wird das Projekt jetzt auf Eis gelegt – bis es von Serebrennikov selbst vollendet werden kann. Read More →

Dmitri Hvorostovsky
(c) Pavel Antonov

Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, 54, who is being treated for a brain tumour, has been forced to cancel his recital at the Tchaikovsky Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on September 26. Earlier this month the singer cancelled a concert in Bucharest set for September 22. Currently the singer’s website does not mention any other upcoming concert.

Eckart Preu

Eckart Preu will leave the Spokane Symphony at the end of the 2018-19 season to dedicate more time to his new role as music director of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra in California and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Read More →

Monserrat Caballé

In midst of independence attempts in Catalonia, the King of Spain wants to give a noble title to Montserrat Caballé. According to the Spanish press, Felipe VI, is willing make the crown more present in Catalonia. The iconic singer would be a good example to show this national strength.

Georgian tenor Zurab Sotkilava died on Monday at the age of 80. Sotkilava sang at State Opera House of Georgia, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. His career continued at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre from 1964, with performing career accompanied by teaching work at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory from 1975.

Marin Alsop
Photo: Grant Leighton

Marin Alsop, Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is the recipient of the 2017 Ditson Conductor’s Award for the advancement of American music, Columbia University has announced. Read More →

Die deutsche Kulturstaatsministerin Monika Grütters hat heute bekannt gegeben, dass im Rahmen des neuen Programms ‘Exzellente Orchesterlandschaft Deutschland’ bundesweit viele Orchester gefördert werden. Das teilte das Presse- und Informationsamt der Bundesregierung mit. Read More →