His replacement last night as Werther was debutant Jean-François Borras. Anyone catch the show?
UPDATE: Here’s one. He was ‘major-league’… ‘brighter’ (than Kaufmann)… ‘more forward.’ Any more?
h/t Yehuda Shapiro
This is Abby Martin, who is unlikely to keep her US-based job on the Putin channel.
There were demonstrations outside the concert of the St Petersburg Philharmonic and one peaceful protestor during the concert, drawing attention to Russia’s anti-gay laws and general aggression. The performance, conducted by Yuri Temirkanov on March 3 at Davies Hall in San Francisco was briefly delayed by a young pro-Pussy Riot feminist in a brightly colored balaclava, waving a rainbow flag.
Report here. Video below.
photo: Bill Wilson of Gays Without Borders.
The veteran conductor, 85 today, has used his birthday to launch a fresh attack on the orchestra he led for close to three decades.
He tells the Dutch newspaper Het Parool that he has been ‘almost humiliated’ by the present management and ‘totally ignored’ during the orch’s 125th anniversary year. He singles out Jan Raes, CEO, and Joel Fried, artistic director, for particular criticism, saying they had ‘no contact’ with him and a lack of ‘interest in the (orchestra’s) tradition’. He wants to hand back the honorary title they gave him.
Apparently nothing has been done to mark the 60th anniversary this year of his debut with the orchestra. Read on here (in Dutch).
Down the years, Haitink has been frequently at odds with his national orchestra.
UPDATE: Here’s the orch’s response.
They’ve promote Nick Gatfield’s deputy, Nicola Tuer, to replace him, a week after his removal.
But Nicola, a label lifer, is named as COO not CEO.
Sounds like panic stations at Sony Towers. Either that, or a half-successful putsch.
Renato Cioni, who sang Cavaradossi in Tosca at Covent Garden opposite Callas and Gobbi, has died aged 84.
A fisherman’s son from the isle of Elba, Cioni made his debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, a role he later recorded with Joan Sutherland. At the Met, he sang in Pollione with Sutherland and Marilyn Horne.
May he rest in peace.
Warm wishes to the Dutch master.
He was appointed chief of the Concertgebouw at 30 and subsequently wielded the rod at the London Philharmonic, Glyndebourne, Covent Garden and, in the 21st century, at the Dresden Staatskapelle and Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
He is one of the most prolific conductors on record.
UPDATE: However, he has just launched another spat against the Concertgebouw.
Research at Aalto University in Finland confirms that music has a wider dynamic range in rectangular concert halls of shoebox shape. ‘Our research is the first that explains how halls influence perception of dynamic expression,’ says Dr. Jukka Pätynen.
Oh, really? Read here.
We’ve known for two centuries that shoebox works best. The issue is how to make other, more flexible halls work better.
This clip has just bee uploaded to Youtube. Click here to watch.
Robert Ashley, who has died aged 83, was a pioneer of mixed-media operas. He worked with the likes of Alvin Lucier, Gordon Mumma, and David Behrman. His final opera, CRASH, is due to premiere at the Whitney in New York later this year, provided funds can be raised.
Reared in Michigan, transplanted to San Francisco, his music was rooted in the American 20th century experience, a blend of subtle beauty and surprising visuals.
Angelika Kirchschlager has pulled out of an Austrian date with Rufus Wainwright this Sunday, citing ‘condition of exhaustion’. British soprano Janis Kelly (pictured) steps in at Festspielhaus St. Pölten. She will sing Berlioz Les Nuits d’été and Wainwright’s All Days are Nights – Songs for Lulu.
In a week when star have been falling like flies, Angela Gheorghiu has cancelled the first of three performances of Adriana Lecouvreur at the Vienna State Opera. Not feeling well. Her replacement is a Korean debutante, Hyuna Ko.
