ForumOpera reports that the local authority has stepped in to purchase and restore the house at Bougival where Geirges Bizet composed Carmen and, three months after its premiere, died after a swim in the Seine.

The house is 15km from the centre of Paris, close enough to attract tourists.

 

Vladimir Jurowski has cancelled this weekend’s concerts with the Israel Philharmonic.

His brother Dmitr (pictured) is flying out to replace him in a Haydn cello concerto and Mahler 7.

Next message from the Israel Phil: The cellist Marie-Elisabeth Hecker has cried off.

 

Before you ask: No, she doesn’t have a sister.

The Bolshoi has announced the death of Alexander Vedernikov, its premier bass through most of the second half of the 20th century. He was 90 years old.

He is survived by his son, also Alexander Vedernikov, incoming chief conductor of the Royal Danish Opera.

 

Hyeyoon Park, youngest winner of the ARD International Music Competition in 2009, has signed up with the UK-based Hazard Chase.

She is now 25, and busy.

Quite by chance, I came across two articles I wrote in 2010 on criticism in crisis. I had just given up the last of my editorial responsibilities for hiring and firing critics and I was free to speak my mind.

Pressures were mounting on newspapers to cut review space and costs.

The first piece warns of declining standards among critics.

The second describes the arts critic as  an endangered species, almost a write-off. 

However, compared to present circumstances, 2010 seems a distant paradise.

The composer has responded angrily to reports that a Yorkshire school is making a £5 weekly charge for music.

‘I am a passionate believer in the importance of the arts in schools, particularly music, which transcends all languages, shades of politics, race and creeds,’ he told The Stage.

‘In our increasingly dangerous and fractured world, the arts have never been as vital as they are today and they should be free.’

More here.

 

The Austrian guitarist and lutenist Konrad Ragossnig died in Antwerp on New Year’s Day.

He was a pillar of the Archiv record catalogue.

 

 

We’ve had issues with LATAM Airlines before, but this appears to be a case of staff callousness elevated to a business model.

From Annie McGee of the Sydney Conservatorium:

I am so enraged by my experience travelling LATAM Airlines that I thought I should share.

My flights have been delayed, staff have refused to make themselves available to speak with, I’ve missed connecting flights, I’ve queued in line for four hours to arrange new flights, I’ve been given measly food vouchers as compensation that aren’t accepted by the airport, I’ve had to stay at the airport gates overnight rather than in a hotel. The list goes on.

I would have put up with all of that, no complaint, had they not lost my luggage – my suitcase and my cello. Only with the help of my gorgeous Brazilian friend on the phone could I communicate with airport staff in São Paulo to complete a lost baggage form.

After they informed me my luggage had been located in Santiago and would be on the next flight to São Paulo and delivered to my accommodation, I calmed down a little. Alas, after 30 hours here in São Paulo my luggage status is now ‘missing’. After initially saying they would get in touch with me, customer service says I should call back after 36 hours as there’s nothing they can do for me before then. Otherwise I should just keep checking online using my luggage reference number. No apology for the inconvenience has yet been given.

I’ve come to Brazil to play in a music festival with fabulous musicians, teachers and conductors. I arrived a week early to adjust to the time zone and continue preparing some very difficult repertoire. Now I’m in doubt whether I will receive my cello before the festival and even get a chance to play.

See also: World’s worst airlines, 2018

Simon Rattle is putting together a parallel orchestra of 100 amateur players.

Applications close tomorrow.

Get those videos in now. Apply here.

We hear that Luiza Borac’s performance of the Liszt concerto at Bad Kissingen this weekend had more than its usual share of Blitz und Donner.

As the conductor pointed to the triangle section, a huge spotlight blew out with a bang.

Neither Luiza nor the National Theatre Orchestra of Prague batted an eyelid.

Review here.

From an article in Strings magazine:

The biggest mistake musicians make is denying they feel anxiety, says Patricia Thornton, a New York psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders. “If you tell yourself not to be anxious and feel anxious anyway, you’ll feel even worse,” she explains. “Denial makes the thought more resistant.”

The solution: Embrace the anxiety.

“Instead of trying to relax, energize yourself,” Thornton says. “Get your heart-rate up. If you’re performing with other people, cheer each other on. Then you can attribute that elevated heart rate to excitement rather than anxiety.”

Read on here.

 

 

Page\Park Architects from Glasgow have been awarded the £12m contract to bring the public spaces around the excellent concert hall up to contemporary standards.

The hall opened in 1991.

Here’s the new look:

No clue yet how long the facility will be out of action.