When California was hit by a 5.1 last weekend, the Los Angeles Philharmonic played through it unperturbed under the baton of Charles Dutoit.

Elsewhere, there was panic.

The Cal State Long Beach Symphony Orchestra was in the middle of a tuba concerto by John Williams when the earth moved. On the video, the conductor is first to rush for the exit. His friends say he was leading by example. There seems to be no concern for the audience. Your views?

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She had agreed to step in for Anna Netrebko at Baden-Baden. Now she’s having second thoughts. Here’s what Angela Gheorghiu has just posted:

I am very sorry to have to turn down the offer from the Baden-Baden-Festspielhaus to perform in Faust in June this year.

It has always been one of my principles not to sing in a new production that has not been conceived from the very beginning for me. It is also rather unusual for me to have to replace another singer. Nevertheless, I have tried to make it possible and to be available for the whole period but unfortunately I have not been successful in doing this.

I sincerely hope to have the chance to be invited to a new production in Baden-Baden, that will be created for me, in future.

I am also so much looking forward to my New Year’s Eve Gala Concert in Baden-Baden!

Angela Gheorghiu

 

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His birthday’s on Sunday and his website has not been updated for over four years.

Andre, it seems, is taking a break.

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Maria Miller, the UK Secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport has been ordered to say sorry to her peers for over-claiming on expenses. No resigning matter, it seems, but her position is now less secure and that will be a cause of satisfaction to the arts world.

Ms Miller is not anti-art. She is best described as culture-neutral.

Her apology to the house was brusque to the point of insult.  She regretted only her ‘attitude to the committee’, not her wayward expenses. Watch here.

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Another day, another list.

This one, no more authoritative than any other, is by a lone blogger. Unlike previous league tables, it contains much useful information and sound advice.

We dispute, however, the placement of Juilliard at the top of the pole. Most educators, both in and out of Juilliard, recognise that the school has fallen off its perch in the past few years. Talent for talent, Curtis, Bloomington and Cleveland have outstripped it.

Juilliard is now recruiting expensively to recapture its position. There has never been tougher competition in US music schools. Take the first 12 names on this list, put them in a hat and shake it. Whichever name comes out first could well be the current best.

 

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We hear that United Music Publishers Ltd. have notified their composers that the company is entering liquidation.

UMP was founded in London in 1932 to promote contemporary French music, particularly Messaien, Dutilleux and Duruflé. Over time, it took on a number of British composers, among them Simon Bainbridge, Diana Burrell, Edward Cowie, Michael Finnissy and Havergal Brian.

Their catalogues are orphaned by the sudden collapse. We have sought clarification from UMP.

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The imposing facade of the Oslo opera house, opened only in 2008, is in need of a refit. The proud white marble has turned streaky grey and needs to be restored. The Government will pay. It’s a matter of national pride.

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The diva was in  Princeton last week when she heard there was a choir outside, waiting in bitter cold to sing to her. So she asked them in, picked up the camera and filmed her visitors, tears of gratitude streaking her cheeks. Here’s the video she’s sent us and (below) the reason she cried.

What a beautiful, surprising, lovely gesture from the gorgeous choir members of Westminster Choir College. They waited (out in the cold!) after my recital in Princeton to “thank me” in song. I cannot describe how touching it was to see these beautiful faces singing in such a heartfelt manner.

The funny thing? This was me, xx years ago … I was the one tearing up at the power of song and the immense connection that occurred singing in a choir with my dearest of friends. I am so uplifted and hopeful seeing how this tradition continues.

Thank you so much for your gorgeous gift!!

 

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The conductor Thomas Sanderling has uncovered a wartime suite of romances by Dmitri Shostakovich on poems by Shakespeare, Walter Raleigh and Robbie Burns. Even more remarkable is a wondrously unidiomatic orchestration of the Scottish ballad, Annie Laurie. Who knew?

Gerald Finley sings the glorious world premieres on an imminent Ondine recording.

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In the April issue of Standpoint, I assess the disparity between the dull bourgeois personality of Richard Strauss and the celestial uplift we receive from his music. For stimulus and sparkle, Strauss is probably the last person you would invite to a dinner party. A determined egotist, lacking ethical or intellectual curiosity, he was no more and no less than a great composer.

So why do we expect genius to be interesting? Read my essay here.

STRAUSS, Richard  (1864-1949) in 1943

pictured with Baldur von Schirach and the playwright at the world premiere of Hauptmann’s Iphigenia

 

The Danish violinist Anker Buch, who studied at Juilliard with Ivan Galamian alongside Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, has died aged 74.

Aside from a busy career with many performances and recordings, he bought and developed the Kalgruber tourist attraction and founded a prize for young talents.

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The violinist has been talking to CBC News about his bad experience at Pearson Airport.

‘We find this very concerning as it is not at all representative of Air Canada’s policies,, said an airline spokesman. Watch here.

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