29Nov

Proms founder died after husband ‘mistook accelerator for brake’

An inquest in Wakes has been told that a successful and influential musician was killed after her husband of 55 years pressed the wrong pedal upon leaving a concert. Jean Hywel Williams, 79, founder of the Llanelli Proms, engaged Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans for her series and was known herself the world over as a […]

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29Nov

Munich does U-turn and calls for new concert hall

Nine months after the city council decided to spend millions on a refit of the irredeemably unsightly Gasteig (pictured), it has now responded to a campaign led by Anne-Sophie Mutter to build what the city has lacked since 1945 – a decent-sized concert hall with a world-class acoustic.   There are two favoured sites one behind […]

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29Nov

Discovering the social limits of classical music – and El Sistema

In the new issue of Standpoint, I take a drive on the wild side to assess whether classical music can do much to address  a city’s social crisis. In other words, to see where the universal El Sistema remedy hits a brick wall. The school, as we arrive, is in lockdown. Lockdown? “It’s what we do […]

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28Nov

Working with the demanding Luc Bondy: a memory

A first tribute to the lamented Luc Bondy from Valerio Tura, former artistic administrator at La Monnaie.   I have just read about the premature passing away of Luc Bondy. I had the privilege and the pleasure of working with him on three different occasions, during my days at Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, in […]

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28Nov

Death of Met’s former assistant conductor

We have been notified belatedly of the death last month of Susan Webb, assistant conductor at the Met for two decades until her retirement in 2003. Susan was 73. She began her career with 13 years on the music staff of the San Francisco Opera, joined Dallas Opera for one season, Chicago Lyric Opera for two. Then […]

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28Nov

Ezra Pound’s anti-Debussy opera to receive UK premiere

Le Testament de Villon, an opera written in 1920s Paris by the American poet as a revolt against musical impressionism, can be seen in London next month as part of Igor Toronyi-Lalic’s contemporary music festival. The production is billed at the UK premiere of the original version, though the piece does not have much of […]

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28Nov

Sergei Babayan: ‘Some young pianists succumb to superficial rivalry’

The distinguished pianist and teacher on how competitors are prepared for international competitions: Some young pianists succumb to superficial rivalry and choose fast, showy pieces in order to try to win over others. When I encounter a performance that reflects this, I am disappointed and wonder what the pianist is going to achieve. Even if […]

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28Nov

Just in: Opera giant is dead, at 67

One of the most prolific and popular directors of opera and theatre productions, Luc Bondy, has died suddenly at the age of 67. Swiss born, of Jewish parents, he stepped in 30 years ago as director of Berlin’s Schaubühne after Peter Stein’s resignation, earning widespread respect for both his imaginative and administrative brilliance. He went […]

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28Nov

Moving video: Austrian rescuer teaches Syrian refugees a Yiddish song

A Viennese son of Hitler refugees, Hans Breuer has been shpherding Syrians to safety across his country, all the while teaching them to join in singing his Yiddish heritage. The video went up on Youtube a couple of months ago and is gathering a global audience. The words of the song are: By the roadside […]

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28Nov

Week’s top video: ‘From nine years old, I wanted to be a curator’

One of the British Museum’s hidden treasures. You won’t want to miss this.  

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28Nov

The American opera singer who became a neuroscientist

She has recorded for DG, sang Ermione at Glyndebourne and performed many times at the Kennedy Center. But Linda Maguire was also training as a neuroscientist. She had just published a paper on how ‘Participation in active singing leads to cognitive improvements in individuals with dementia’. In an interview with ET she says: ‘I’m a […]

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