Broadway’s finest….

Composer of the year is George Benjamin, Conductor is Pablo Heras-Casado and Instrumentalist is Jeremy Denk. More here.

In October 2009, Diego Frazao Torquato moved much of Brazil to tears when this picture appeared in the media. Diego was playing at the funeral of his teacher, John Evandro da Silva, the man who had given him hope of escaping poverty through the mastery of a musical instrument in the AfroReggae group. John, one of the coordinators of AfroReggae, had been murdered in Rio de Janeiro.

Diego never overcame the pain of John’s death. A frail boy who battled with many diseases, he died of leukemia the following year, aged 12.

See his tears. They will never die.

H/t: Thanks to Lawrence Renes for sharing the picture.

Italy’s Museum of Musical Instruments, in Reggio Calabria has been completely destroyed. It housed some 800 precious items. Arson is suspected. An empty jerry can was found near the scene.

UPDATE: More pictures here.

The veteran broadcaster and popular writer had this to say on Sunday’s broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion, live from the State Theatre, Minneapolis:

The bad news is that the Minnesota Orchestra is not playing. They’ve been locked out of Orchestra Hall now for more than a year. After Orchestra Hall carried out a $50 million renovation project and the year after their CEO was paid $619 thousand in salary and bonus, they didn’t have enough money left to pay musicians, and so they’re not playing, and we miss them in Minneapolis.

Today is the 110th anniversary of the orchestra’s formation.

Here’s Keillor’s audio:

Here’s what she tells a Munich paper: Wagner schrieb ja wunderschöne Phrasen, aber als Sänger bezahlt man das teuer. Eigentlich müsste ich Jonas bitten, das zu beenden und nur noch Verdi und Puccini zu singen.

She’s worried that he’ll pay a heavy price for the big roles. We’re sure he’ll take her advice to heart.

Love the headline:

Regie, Scherze und Wagner – Angela Gheorghiu, die letzte Diva, redet Tacheles über Jonas Kaufmann

Zigmars Liepins, has been appointed artistic director and board chairman of Latvian National Opera. Never a good idea to put both jobs in one pair of hands.

The last opera chief was fired summarily in September. Latvia’s foremost operatic asset is the mezzo Elina Garanca. She is married to the (British) conductor of the national symphony orchestra. Small country.

The late Elizabeth Connell, a brilliant international soprano who died far too soon, left a legacy to fund an operatic singing prize in her memory. Details have just been announced.

Singers aged between 25 and 35 who pass the audition will be flown to Australia to compete. Rochard Bonynge will chair the judges.

Alma Deutscher, child of an Israeli language scholar and living in Dorking, has written her first opera. She is signed to a major UK talent agency.

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Mike O’Neill, who played sessions with the Fab Four, Deep Purple and more, has passed away at 75. He featured on Dusty Springfield’s hit ‘You Don’t have to Say You Love Me and was frontman for Nero and the Gladiators (below).

And the chairman prattles on about Vienna’s gift to mankind.

Oh, hang on, is that a token woman playing piccolo?

Louisville today appointed Teddy Abrams, 26, as music director. Abrams is  assistant conductor in Detroit. He says he has learned in Detroit how an orchestra can rise from ashes. Louisville almost went out of business last year.

Five years younger than the Dude, Abrams will enjoy lots of goodwill as the new kid on the block.

Watch video here.

A friend queued yesterday for hours to gain admission to a remembrance at the Théatre de l’Odéon of the great director, who died a month ago.

Marianne Faithfull read the text of her song, Sleep. Jane Birkin sang a capella L’amour de moi. Carla Bruni’s sister, Valeria, read from Patrice’s instructions for the Ring cycle he directed at Bayreuth. Isabelle Huppert and Peter Stein shared their memories. Pierre Boulez’s ensemble played.

It was a moving, pathos-free occasion. Here’s a full account (en francais)

photo (c) Lebrecht Music&Arts