The magnificent mezzo-soprano Joyce Di Donato has renewed her longterm record contract with Virgin Classics, shrugging off interest from rivals. Virgin is part of wobbly EMI, but there’s nothing uncertain about Joyce. Loyal to her label allies, she’s in for the duration. 

Virgin chief Alain Lanceron said:  “I’m very
happy with Joyce’s confidence in EMI/Virgin Classics and that the wonderful
adventure we embarked upon some years ago will continue with many other
remarkable projects.  Since her first recordings with Virgin Classics, Joyce’s
fame has grown internationally and we are very proud that she is now one of the
most sought after opera singers.”

And it’s not all glamour, you’ll be pleased to know. She’s playing Wichita, Kansas, next week before heading back to the Met.


Joyce
DiDonato upcoming engagements

 

March
26

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita
Grand Opera Gala

 

March 24
& 29; April 2, 5, 9*, 14, 18, & 21

New
York
, New York

Metropolitan Opera /
Maurizio Benini

Rossini:
Le comte Ory (Isolier – role
debut)

* “Live
in HD” international broadcast

 

May 7,
10, & 13

New
York
, New York

Metropolitan Opera /
Maurizio Benini

Strauss:
Ariadne auf Naxos (composer – house role
debut)

 

May
20

Baden-Baden,
Germany

Festspielhaus

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il Complesso Barocco /
Alan Curtis

 

May
23

Paris,
France

Théatre des
Champs-Elysées

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il
Complesso Barocco / Alan Curtis

 

May
25

London, England

Barbican
Hall

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il
Complesso Barocco / Alan Curtis

 

July 5,
7, 9, 11, 13, & 16

London, England

Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden / Bertrand de
Billy

Massenet:
Cendrillon (title
role)

The magnificent mezzo-soprano Joyce Di Donato has renewed her longterm record contract with Virgin Classics, shrugging off interest from rivals. Virgin is part of wobbly EMI, but there’s nothing uncertain about Joyce. Loyal to her label allies, she’s in for the duration. 

Virgin chief Alain Lanceron said:  “I’m very
happy with Joyce’s confidence in EMI/Virgin Classics and that the wonderful
adventure we embarked upon some years ago will continue with many other
remarkable projects.  Since her first recordings with Virgin Classics, Joyce’s
fame has grown internationally and we are very proud that she is now one of the
most sought after opera singers.”

And it’s not all glamour, you’ll be pleased to know. She’s playing Wichita, Kansas, next week before heading back to the Met.


Joyce
DiDonato upcoming engagements

 

March
26

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita
Grand Opera Gala

 

March 24
& 29; April 2, 5, 9*, 14, 18, & 21

New
York
, New York

Metropolitan Opera /
Maurizio Benini

Rossini:
Le comte Ory (Isolier – role
debut)

* “Live
in HD” international broadcast

 

May 7,
10, & 13

New
York
, New York

Metropolitan Opera /
Maurizio Benini

Strauss:
Ariadne auf Naxos (composer – house role
debut)

 

May
20

Baden-Baden,
Germany

Festspielhaus

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il Complesso Barocco /
Alan Curtis

 

May
23

Paris,
France

Théatre des
Champs-Elysées

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il
Complesso Barocco / Alan Curtis

 

May
25

London, England

Barbican
Hall

Handel:
Ariodante (title
role)

Il
Complesso Barocco / Alan Curtis

 

July 5,
7, 9, 11, 13, & 16

London, England

Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden / Bertrand de
Billy

Massenet:
Cendrillon (title
role)

The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has gone to Copenhagen for its next head of opera. Elaine Padmore was running Det Kongelige Theater when she got the call from the Queen.

Her successor, it’s just been announced, is Kaspar Holten, who succeeded her in Denmark eleven years ago (I know, he looks straight out of school).
He’s best known for a Ring Cycle and his website has been paralysed by the career upgrade.
Here’s the news in Danish.

Photo: Miklos Szabo. all rights reserved

And British director Keith Warner is taking over from Holten in Copenhagen. So it’s a swap. 


Here’s the press announcement:

PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate
release

 

18
MARCH 2011
KASPER HOLTEN TO JOIN ROYAL OPERA
HOUSE

The Royal Opera House announced today that Kasper Holten has been appointed
Director of Opera, to succeed Elaine
Padmore
when she leaves at the end of the 2010/11 Season. 

 

A native of
Copenhagen, 37 year old Kasper Holten has been Artistic
Director of the Royal Danish Opera since 2000, where he successfully led the
move into
Copenhagen‘s new opera house in
2005.

 

As a director he has staged more
than 60 productions of opera, drama, operetta and musical theatre in
Denmark,
Sweden,
Norway,
Finland,
Iceland,
France,
Austria,
Latvia,
USA and
Russia. His production of Wagner’s Ring in Copenhagen 2003-2006 received
international acclaim.

 

Other key productions include Le nozze di Figaro (Theater an der
Wien), Tannhäuser
(
Copenhagen), A Clockwork Orange
(
Stockholm), My Fair Lady
(
Copenhagen) and Die Tote Stadt
(
Helsinki).

 

In 2010 he created Juan – a modern cinematic version of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. It has been shown in film
festivals in
Korea,
Switzerland,
Sweden,
Ukraine,
Lithuania,
USA,
Germany and
Turkey and will be on general release in
cinemas in
Denmark from 7 April
2011
. It
will later be released in cinemas in the
UK and other
countries.

Kasper Holten studied theatre and music at the
University of Copenhagen, and has worked as assistant
director to John Cox, David Pountney and Harry Kupfer. He was artistic director
of Aarhus Sommeropera Festival 1997-2000. He was a member of the Danish Music
Council 1995-99 and the Danish Radio and TV Council 2000-2008. He has been
associate professor at
CopenhagenBusinessSchool since
2007.

 

Announcing the appointment, Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera
House
said: “I am thrilled that Kasper Holten is to join the senior
management team.  He has done some
fantastic and innovative work as a stage director and at the same time he has
confirmed the Royal Danish Opera’s status as a major player in the international
opera world.  He joins The Royal Opera
after ten years of superb artistic achievement, but also at a time of new
economic challenges and further expansion in the digital arena.  I look forward to working with
him.”

 

These sentiments were echoed by Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera:  “This is an enormously challenging job and
Kasper’s first two Seasons are packed full of exciting large scale productions.
I have enjoyed all our conversations so far and I eagerly anticipate further
creative planning discussions for future Seasons when he arrives in September.

 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank
Elaine Padmore for her wonderful
friendship, support, counsel and leadership over the last ten years, and wish
her every success in her future ventures.”

 

Kasper Holten said “I had promised myself to
fo
cus more on my artistic work when my
contract in
Copenhagen expires this summer after 11
exciting years. But if there is one job in the world that I cannot resist, it is
this one. To work with
Antonio
Pappano
, Tony Hall and
Peter
Katona
in what I regard as the leading
opera house of the world is an incredible opportunity for me. I will do my very
best to contribute to further developing
ROH as a leading opera house of the
world with exciting productions, broad outreach and a standard of artistic
quality second to none.”

 

-ENDS-

 

Photograph:

 

http://kglteater.dk/OmKunstarterne/Opera/Ledelse/Galleri_Kasper%20Bech%20Holten.aspx

  


 

The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has gone to Copenhagen for its next head of opera. Elaine Padmore was running Det Kongelige Theater when she got the call from the Queen.

Her successor, it’s just been announced, is Kaspar Holten, who succeeded her in Denmark eleven years ago (I know, he looks straight out of school).
He’s best known for a Ring Cycle and his website has been paralysed by the career upgrade.
Here’s the news in Danish.

Photo: Miklos Szabo. all rights reserved

And British director Keith Warner is taking over from Holten in Copenhagen. So it’s a swap. 


Here’s the press announcement:

PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate
release

 

18
MARCH 2011
KASPER HOLTEN TO JOIN ROYAL OPERA
HOUSE

The Royal Opera House announced today that Kasper Holten has been appointed
Director of Opera, to succeed Elaine
Padmore
when she leaves at the end of the 2010/11 Season. 

 

A native of
Copenhagen, 37 year old Kasper Holten has been Artistic
Director of the Royal Danish Opera since 2000, where he successfully led the
move into
Copenhagen‘s new opera house in
2005.

 

As a director he has staged more
than 60 productions of opera, drama, operetta and musical theatre in
Denmark,
Sweden,
Norway,
Finland,
Iceland,
France,
Austria,
Latvia,
USA and
Russia. His production of Wagner’s Ring in Copenhagen 2003-2006 received
international acclaim.

 

Other key productions include Le nozze di Figaro (Theater an der
Wien), Tannhäuser
(
Copenhagen), A Clockwork Orange
(
Stockholm), My Fair Lady
(
Copenhagen) and Die Tote Stadt
(
Helsinki).

 

In 2010 he created Juan – a modern cinematic version of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. It has been shown in film
festivals in
Korea,
Switzerland,
Sweden,
Ukraine,
Lithuania,
USA,
Germany and
Turkey and will be on general release in
cinemas in
Denmark from 7 April
2011
. It
will later be released in cinemas in the
UK and other
countries.

Kasper Holten studied theatre and music at the
University of Copenhagen, and has worked as assistant
director to John Cox, David Pountney and Harry Kupfer. He was artistic director
of Aarhus Sommeropera Festival 1997-2000. He was a member of the Danish Music
Council 1995-99 and the Danish Radio and TV Council 2000-2008. He has been
associate professor at
CopenhagenBusinessSchool since
2007.

 

Announcing the appointment, Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera
House
said: “I am thrilled that Kasper Holten is to join the senior
management team.  He has done some
fantastic and innovative work as a stage director and at the same time he has
confirmed the Royal Danish Opera’s status as a major player in the international
opera world.  He joins The Royal Opera
after ten years of superb artistic achievement, but also at a time of new
economic challenges and further expansion in the digital arena.  I look forward to working with
him.”

 

These sentiments were echoed by Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera:  “This is an enormously challenging job and
Kasper’s first two Seasons are packed full of exciting large scale productions.
I have enjoyed all our conversations so far and I eagerly anticipate further
creative planning discussions for future Seasons when he arrives in September.

 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank
Elaine Padmore for her wonderful
friendship, support, counsel and leadership over the last ten years, and wish
her every success in her future ventures.”

 

Kasper Holten said “I had promised myself to
fo
cus more on my artistic work when my
contract in
Copenhagen expires this summer after 11
exciting years. But if there is one job in the world that I cannot resist, it is
this one. To work with
Antonio
Pappano
, Tony Hall and
Peter
Katona
in what I regard as the leading
opera house of the world is an incredible opportunity for me. I will do my very
best to contribute to further developing
ROH as a leading opera house of the
world with exciting productions, broad outreach and a standard of artistic
quality second to none.”

 

-ENDS-

 

Photograph:

 

http://kglteater.dk/OmKunstarterne/Opera/Ledelse/Galleri_Kasper%20Bech%20Holten.aspx

  


 

The Opéra National de Paris has released its plans for 2011/12, giving me the great satisfaction of reading that Emmanuelle Haim has been invited to conduct a new production.

Ms Haim, you may remember, was cruelly treated by the opera house orchestra last year when she attempted to direct the musicians in Luc Bondy’s staging of Mozart’s Idomeneo with ‘a different aesthetic’ of her baroque style. The musicians denounced her as ‘incompetent’ and a divorce was announced in Le Monde that seemed to end her career at the Paris Opéra.
Ms Haim is one of the most intelligent, enterprising and hard-working orchestral directors of recent times. Don’t take  my word for it: ask Simon Rattle, Natalie Dessay, Rolando Villazon and dozens of others with whom she has created outstanding opera productions. She is also, in my personal experience, charming, cheeky and not easily derailed by male opposition.
So my heart leaped to see that Nicolas Joel, the new boss of the Opéra, has booked her to take charge of Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie, in a new production by Ivan Alexandre, with a cast headed by Sarah Connolly, Anne-Catherine Gillet and Topi Lehtipuu, opening June 2012.
The only disappointment is that she won’t be conducting the rude and rebellious house orchestra. With her in the pit will be her own band, Le Concert d’Astrée. Paris still has some way to go before its musicians accept stylistic plurality.

                                 Natalie with Emmanuelle photo: Lexpress.fr. all rights reserved
Emmanuelle with NL at the BBC. all rights reserved

Two open letters have come in overnight, warning of possible after-effects of the ‘re-evaluation’ process at the Brazil Symphony Orchestra. One is from a senior official of the American Federation of Musicians, the other from the manager of the orchestra in Belgrade, Serbia. I print them as received, in Portuguese and English.

Carta do Vice-Presidente da Federação de Músicos (American Federation of Musicians) John Acosta para o Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 8:03pm Caro Senhor Estou escrevendo para o senhor no que diz respeito às ações recentes que sua administração tomou em relação aos músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Se não me engano, você está pedindo que toda a orquestra re-audicione para os seus cargos, depois de todos terem passado por um teste para sua posição atual na orquestra. Este ato vai de encontro a todas as normas que são seguidos em todas as orquestras profissionais ao redor do mundo. O Brasil se tornou um líder mundial nos negócios e nas artes, e suas ações irão diminuir a reputação do Brasil não só no Mercosul, mas em todo o mundo, onde a música clássica é tocada e apreciada. Peço-lhe que reconsidere suas ações, evitando manchar o bom nome de sua orquestra, entre as grandes orquestras do mundo. Trabalhe com seus músicos para encontrar uma solução razoável para os problemas que você enfrenta. Atenciosamente, John Acosta Vice-President American Federation of Musicians Los Angeles, California Professional Musicians Local 47 AFL-CIO Tel 323-993-3173 Fax 323-469-5864 

Dear Sir I am writing to you in regards to the recent actions your management has taken with the musicians of the Brazilian Symphony. If I am not mistaken, you are now asking that the entire orchestra re-audition for their positions, after having initially auditioned for their current position with the orchestra. This act flies in the face of all norms that are followed within all professional orchestras around the world. Brazil has become a world leader in business and the arts, and your actions will only diminish Brazil’s reputation not only in the Mercosur, but all over the world, where classical music is played and appreciated. I urge you to reconsider your actions, and avoid blemishing the good name of your orchestra among the great orchestras around the world. Work with your musicians to find a reasonable solution to the problems you face. Sincerely, John Acosta Vice-President American Federation of Musicians Los Angeles, California Professional Musicians Local 47 AFL-CIO Tel 323-993-3173 Fax 323-469-5864 

Carta do Secretário Geral Assistente do Sindicato dos Músicos Britânicos (British Musicians’ Union) para o Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:53pm Sr. Eleazar de Carvalho Presidente da Fundação Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. 17 de março de 2011. Caro Senhor, Fomos informados sobre sua intenção em reorganizar a Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira através de uma audição a que todos os músicos deveriam ser submetidos. Embora o objetivo possa ser o de melhorar a qualidade da orquestra, este processo no nosso ponto de vista é inapropriado e pode, em verdade, se prova contra produtivo. Todas as orquestras mais representativas do mundo possuem uma longa tradição de diálogo social. Este diálogo é crucial tanto para prevenir conflitos, como na resolução de vários problemas que podem acontecer na rotina diária de uma orquestra. Eu quero também lembrar que todos os músicos passaram por uma audição antes de assumirem suas posições na orquestra. Desde então, eles estão atuando sobre os palcos toda a semana, o que também representa uma outra forma de audição. Re-audicionar todos estes músicos será unicamente um desnecessário, um teste extremamente estressante, incapaz dar uma imagem acurada das qualidades e talentos destes músicos. Finalmente, e o mais principal, a personalidade artística de uma orquestra é o resultado de um processo de longo prazo que depende não somente nas qualidades individuais, mas também na profundidade do trabalho realizado diariamente pela orquestra como um todo, assim como nas opções artísticas definidas por seu diretor musical. Eu acredito firmemente que é possível conciliar o seu objetivo de melhorar a qualidade da orquestra com as legítimas expectativas de seus músicos. Para terminar, eu clamo para o seu envolvimento nas discussões com as lideranças dos músicos o mais rápido possível, com a intenção de juntos identificarem a melhor maneira de alcançar o nível de excelência que é igualmente desejado por ambas as partes. Fazendo isto, o senhor maximizará as chances de ser bem sucedido na renovação da orquestra, para o mutual beneficio de todos os envolvidos neste processo, incluindo o público. A comunidade mundial dos músicos não entenderia se estes pedidos continuassem a não ser ouvidos. Sinceramente, Horace Trubridge Assistant General Secretary Carta do Gerente Geral da Orquestra Filarmônica de Belgrado, Tasovac Ivan, ao Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:26pm Sr. Eleazar de Carvalho Presidente da Fundacao Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira Av. Rio Branco, 135 sala 915 Centro Rio de Janeiro 20040-006 Caro senhor, Fui informado pela Federação Internacional de Músicos sobre sua decisão de realizar um processo de avaliação de desempenho entre os músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Embora acreditando na sua intenção e objetivo de melhorar a qualidade artística de sua orquestra, devo expressar minha profunda preocupação com a completa inadequação do procedimento a que os músicos da orquestra estarão sujeitos. Acreditamos firmemente que o diálogo e a conversa construtiva são fundamentais para o trabalho de todas as instituições, especialmente em um campo tão específico como as artes e a cultura. Neste caso particular, uma aberta troca de opiniões com os representantes dos músicos é especialmente importante na prevenção de conflitos e resolver problemas que obviamente a sua orquestra está enfrentando. Gostaria também de acrescentar que em todas as orquestras sinfônicas do mundo, cada músico tem que passar por um teste, a fim de ser aceito como parte do conjunto. Assim, não tenho dúvidas de que isso também aconteceu no caso de todos os músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Cada um dos seus concertos representa um teste em si, então esta tentativa de re-audição, só pode resultar em estresse e sofrimento desnecessário para os músicos. Eu acredito fortemente que você, sendo um artista mesmo, pode facilmente reconhecer a iniquidade do seu gesto e da injustiça que você faria aos seus colegas, se você tivesse que começar esta decisão. É por isso que eu também confio que você será capaz de conciliar as expectativas legítimas dos músicos e, ao mesmo tempo, aumentar a qualidade de sua orquestra. Como Gerente Geral de uma orquestra, que compartilha muitos de seus problemas, eu estou pedindo que você inicie o diálogo mútuo logo que possível, a fim de tentar encontrar soluções, e a melhor maneira po
ssível para atingir o níve
l necessário de excelência que é, como acredito, o objetivo comum das duas partes. Atenciosamente, Tasovac Ivan, Gerente Geral Orquestra Filarmônica de Belgrado Sérvia 

Dear Sir, I was informed through the International Federation of Musicians about your decision to undertake the process of performance evaluation among musicians of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Although I wish to believe in your intention and goal to improve artistic quality of your orchestra, I must express my deepest concerns about inappropriateness of the complete procedure the orchestra musicians are subjected. We strongly believe that mutual dialogue and constructive conversation is crucial for the work of all institutions, especially in such a specific field as arts and culture. In this particular case, open exchange of opinion with the performers’ representatives is especially important in preventing more conflicts and solving problems which your orchestra is obviously facing. I would also like to add that in all symphonic orchestras in the world, every musician must pass the audition in order to be accepted as the part of an ensemble. So, there is no doubt that this also happened in the case of all musicians from the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Each of their concert performance presents an audition itself, so every attempt of re-auditioning can only result with unnecessary stress and grief for the musicians. I strongly believe that you, being an artist yourself, can easily recognize the unfairness of your gesture and injustice you would do to your colleagues if you were to commence this decision. That is why I also trust that you will be able to reconcile legitimate anticipations of the performers, and at the same time, increase the quality of your orchestra. As the General Manager of an orchestra, who shares many of your problems, I am urging you to start with mutual conversations as soon as possible, in order to try to find solutions, and the best possible ways to reach the necessary level of excellence which is, as I believe, the goal of which both sides agree upon. Yours sincerely, Ivan Tasovac, General Manager Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Serbia

Two open letters have come in overnight, warning of possible after-effects of the ‘re-evaluation’ process at the Brazil Symphony Orchestra. One is from a senior official of the American Federation of Musicians, the other from the manager of the orchestra in Belgrade, Serbia. I print them as received, in Portuguese and English.

Carta do Vice-Presidente da Federação de Músicos (American Federation of Musicians) John Acosta para o Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 8:03pm Caro Senhor Estou escrevendo para o senhor no que diz respeito às ações recentes que sua administração tomou em relação aos músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Se não me engano, você está pedindo que toda a orquestra re-audicione para os seus cargos, depois de todos terem passado por um teste para sua posição atual na orquestra. Este ato vai de encontro a todas as normas que são seguidos em todas as orquestras profissionais ao redor do mundo. O Brasil se tornou um líder mundial nos negócios e nas artes, e suas ações irão diminuir a reputação do Brasil não só no Mercosul, mas em todo o mundo, onde a música clássica é tocada e apreciada. Peço-lhe que reconsidere suas ações, evitando manchar o bom nome de sua orquestra, entre as grandes orquestras do mundo. Trabalhe com seus músicos para encontrar uma solução razoável para os problemas que você enfrenta. Atenciosamente, John Acosta Vice-President American Federation of Musicians Los Angeles, California Professional Musicians Local 47 AFL-CIO Tel 323-993-3173 Fax 323-469-5864 

Dear Sir I am writing to you in regards to the recent actions your management has taken with the musicians of the Brazilian Symphony. If I am not mistaken, you are now asking that the entire orchestra re-audition for their positions, after having initially auditioned for their current position with the orchestra. This act flies in the face of all norms that are followed within all professional orchestras around the world. Brazil has become a world leader in business and the arts, and your actions will only diminish Brazil’s reputation not only in the Mercosur, but all over the world, where classical music is played and appreciated. I urge you to reconsider your actions, and avoid blemishing the good name of your orchestra among the great orchestras around the world. Work with your musicians to find a reasonable solution to the problems you face. Sincerely, John Acosta Vice-President American Federation of Musicians Los Angeles, California Professional Musicians Local 47 AFL-CIO Tel 323-993-3173 Fax 323-469-5864 

Carta do Secretário Geral Assistente do Sindicato dos Músicos Britânicos (British Musicians’ Union) para o Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:53pm Sr. Eleazar de Carvalho Presidente da Fundação Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. 17 de março de 2011. Caro Senhor, Fomos informados sobre sua intenção em reorganizar a Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira através de uma audição a que todos os músicos deveriam ser submetidos. Embora o objetivo possa ser o de melhorar a qualidade da orquestra, este processo no nosso ponto de vista é inapropriado e pode, em verdade, se prova contra produtivo. Todas as orquestras mais representativas do mundo possuem uma longa tradição de diálogo social. Este diálogo é crucial tanto para prevenir conflitos, como na resolução de vários problemas que podem acontecer na rotina diária de uma orquestra. Eu quero também lembrar que todos os músicos passaram por uma audição antes de assumirem suas posições na orquestra. Desde então, eles estão atuando sobre os palcos toda a semana, o que também representa uma outra forma de audição. Re-audicionar todos estes músicos será unicamente um desnecessário, um teste extremamente estressante, incapaz dar uma imagem acurada das qualidades e talentos destes músicos. Finalmente, e o mais principal, a personalidade artística de uma orquestra é o resultado de um processo de longo prazo que depende não somente nas qualidades individuais, mas também na profundidade do trabalho realizado diariamente pela orquestra como um todo, assim como nas opções artísticas definidas por seu diretor musical. Eu acredito firmemente que é possível conciliar o seu objetivo de melhorar a qualidade da orquestra com as legítimas expectativas de seus músicos. Para terminar, eu clamo para o seu envolvimento nas discussões com as lideranças dos músicos o mais rápido possível, com a intenção de juntos identificarem a melhor maneira de alcançar o nível de excelência que é igualmente desejado por ambas as partes. Fazendo isto, o senhor maximizará as chances de ser bem sucedido na renovação da orquestra, para o mutual beneficio de todos os envolvidos neste processo, incluindo o público. A comunidade mundial dos músicos não entenderia se estes pedidos continuassem a não ser ouvidos. Sinceramente, Horace Trubridge Assistant General Secretary Carta do Gerente Geral da Orquestra Filarmônica de Belgrado, Tasovac Ivan, ao Presidente da FOSB by Antonio J Augusto on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:26pm Sr. Eleazar de Carvalho Presidente da Fundacao Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira Av. Rio Branco, 135 sala 915 Centro Rio de Janeiro 20040-006 Caro senhor, Fui informado pela Federação Internacional de Músicos sobre sua decisão de realizar um processo de avaliação de desempenho entre os músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Embora acreditando na sua intenção e objetivo de melhorar a qualidade artística de sua orquestra, devo expressar minha profunda preocupação com a completa inadequação do procedimento a que os músicos da orquestra estarão sujeitos. Acreditamos firmemente que o diálogo e a conversa construtiva são fundamentais para o trabalho de todas as instituições, especialmente em um campo tão específico como as artes e a cultura. Neste caso particular, uma aberta troca de opiniões com os representantes dos músicos é especialmente importante na prevenção de conflitos e resolver problemas que obviamente a sua orquestra está enfrentando. Gostaria também de acrescentar que em todas as orquestras sinfônicas do mundo, cada músico tem que passar por um teste, a fim de ser aceito como parte do conjunto. Assim, não tenho dúvidas de que isso também aconteceu no caso de todos os músicos da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. Cada um dos seus concertos representa um teste em si, então esta tentativa de re-audição, só pode resultar em estresse e sofrimento desnecessário para os músicos. Eu acredito fortemente que você, sendo um artista mesmo, pode facilmente reconhecer a iniquidade do seu gesto e da injustiça que você faria aos seus colegas, se você tivesse que começar esta decisão. É por isso que eu também confio que você será capaz de conciliar as expectativas legítimas dos músicos e, ao mesmo tempo, aumentar a qualidade de sua orquestra. Como Gerente Geral de uma orquestra, que compartilha muitos de seus problemas, eu estou pedindo que você inicie o diálogo mútuo logo que possível, a fim de tentar encontrar soluções, e a melhor maneira po
ssível para atingir o níve
l necessário de excelência que é, como acredito, o objetivo comum das duas partes. Atenciosamente, Tasovac Ivan, Gerente Geral Orquestra Filarmônica de Belgrado Sérvia 

Dear Sir, I was informed through the International Federation of Musicians about your decision to undertake the process of performance evaluation among musicians of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Although I wish to believe in your intention and goal to improve artistic quality of your orchestra, I must express my deepest concerns about inappropriateness of the complete procedure the orchestra musicians are subjected. We strongly believe that mutual dialogue and constructive conversation is crucial for the work of all institutions, especially in such a specific field as arts and culture. In this particular case, open exchange of opinion with the performers’ representatives is especially important in preventing more conflicts and solving problems which your orchestra is obviously facing. I would also like to add that in all symphonic orchestras in the world, every musician must pass the audition in order to be accepted as the part of an ensemble. So, there is no doubt that this also happened in the case of all musicians from the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Each of their concert performance presents an audition itself, so every attempt of re-auditioning can only result with unnecessary stress and grief for the musicians. I strongly believe that you, being an artist yourself, can easily recognize the unfairness of your gesture and injustice you would do to your colleagues if you were to commence this decision. That is why I also trust that you will be able to reconcile legitimate anticipations of the performers, and at the same time, increase the quality of your orchestra. As the General Manager of an orchestra, who shares many of your problems, I am urging you to start with mutual conversations as soon as possible, in order to try to find solutions, and the best possible ways to reach the necessary level of excellence which is, as I believe, the goal of which both sides agree upon. Yours sincerely, Ivan Tasovac, General Manager Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra Serbia

The Brazil Symphony Orchestra has been officially cleared by the labor court to ‘evaluate’ its musicians by means of re-audition, a process that has already led to several musicians being

suspended or dismissed. It is unlikely that this process will win anyone a gold medal for excellence in human relations. The statement is reproduced below:

A Justiça do Trabalho rejeitou o pedido de liminar feito pelo Sindicato dos Músicos, que solicitava o cancelamento das avaliações de desempenho dos músicos da OSB. A Justiça entendeu que não existiu qualquer ilegalidade no ato da comunicação das avaliações, bem como ressaltou o caráter consultivo da Comissão de Músicos da OSB, que pode ou não ser convocada pelo Presidente da FOSB quando o próprio julgar necessário. A Justiça também entendeu que a FOSB, como instituição privada, tem o direito de usar da prerrogativa de empregador e avaliar seus músicos quando julgar conveniente.

Clique o link abaixo para ler o documento na íntegra no blog OSB Em Pauta.

The Labor Court rejected the request filed by the Musicians Union, which asked for the cancellation of the OSB musicians’ performance evaluations. The Court also pointed out the consultative character of the OSB Musicians Commission, which may or not be called upon the FOSB President whenever he himself finds it necessary. The Court also understood that FOSB, as a private institution, has the right to make use of the employer’s prerogative and evaluate their musicians whenever they find it convenient.



From the same source, here’s a protracted justification of the re-audition procedure by the OSB manager, Eleazar de Carvalho, jr, son of the formative conductor. And, beneath that, an independent dissenting view.



         OSB:  crisis or opportunity to continue to evolve 
                
        Eleazar de Carvalho Filho, President of the OSB Foundation 

The Brazilian Symphony Orchestra achieved 70 years of uninterrupted 
activity last year. We passed through several phases, some grandiose, 
others with
large difficulties in honor
ing the legacy of those who 
founded the orchestra in 1940. The OSB was a pioneer among Brazilian 
Orchestras in the recordings, tours abroad and in the identification of 
talents recognized nowadays. As a private foundation, we have the 
privilege of having the investment of public and private partners to 
maintain our business and then continue to deserve the trust of loyal 
subscribers and the general public. We have an obligation to be 
accountable to society and our educational and social programs are 
aimed at integrating us to Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. 
Our various concert series represents the “product” for which we are 
judged, either for the diversity and innovation in our programming, or 
by soloists and conductors who present with us as guests and by the 
quality and dedication of our musicians. The Reviewers praised the 2010 
season and we are very grateful to the great artists that took part in 
it. The OSB Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as their managers, 
has worked tirelessly, without any sort of pay, to seek continuity and 
the continuous improvement of the orchestra. We know that there is no 
guarantee for our existence, and we have to keep on preserving the 
tradition that has been conquered by OSB. 
We have recently announced that we would carry out performance 
evaluations in order to introduce an additional element to the 
evaluation process that occurs on the day-by-day of the orchestral 
body. We have scheduled individual assessments, within parameters that 
occur in large orchestras and with musicians from abroad to make up 
most of the evaluation boards. Our goal, when choosing external 
evaluators and of recognized competence, was to ensure total 
impartiality to the process, but also, especially, to be able to give a 
set of suggestions to the musicians to their possible improvement. 
After all, improvement is the key word in an orchestra like the OSB. We 
set up a deadline of two months, during annual leave which is meant for 
that period, so that musicians could get prepared properly. The 
required repertoire, which was judged as being extensive by some, was 
extracted, mostly from the same works that have been played over the 
past two years. Finally, the decision was to cover the entire 
orchestral body for equality reasons, to allow musicians to plead 
change of level, and by believing that it was an important way of 
communication and improvement. 
The events that followed, also in warm demonstrations and protests in 
this newspaper, on the Internet and through statements which, 
unfortunately, have been distorting the truth and scratching the 
institution image, make me do this reflection. Initially, also for 
matters of respect towards our musicians because it is a subject of 
interest only for themselves, we avoided making any public comment. We 
have been open to dialogue in the past few weeks, we have reduced some 
works that made up the evaluation and we have clarified doubts. The 
tone of the demonstration of some musicians, unfortunately, 
demonstrated that the desire was confrontational, contrary to a firm 
purpose of the Foundation to improve the artistic level and turn the 
OSB, in the coming years, again into the best orchestra in the country. 

Little has been said, especially to the general public, that we have 
presented the musicians with a new internal bylaw, with a greater 
demand for work like that of other great orchestras, and a 50% increase 
in earnings, raising the minimum wage to R$ 9000 monthly, which depends 
partly on the number of monthly concerts. We believe those are 
excellent conditions to ensure competitiveness and to attract foreign 
and Brazilian musicians to fill job openings in our orchestra. It is 
also an extraordinary sign for those students, including the 83 members 
of our Young OSB, that the career of an orchestra musician can pay a 
professional in a dignifying manner, which is commensurate with his 
contribution to the orchestral body. 
We have a great orchestra, but it can be even better. The Foundation, 
through its Trustees, has given clear signs that it is expecting this 
development and that it supports the artistic direction. The orchestra 
believes that the artistic direction will drive the process fairly, but 
with high levels of demand. Our statutory role, our duty to the legacy 
we have received, is exactly that, the one of ensuring the future of 
the institution. 
It was never our intention to hurt the respect we have for the 
differentiated work that a musician performs. The evaluations that are 
currently underway are only part of a continuous process of improvement 
and artistic evolution. We totally understand and respect the sacrifice 
of a life devoted to the study of an instrument and aimed at perfection 
every moment. We owe our gratitude to those who for years have been 
contributing to the story of our orchestra. By recalling that we are a 
private institution, I recognize that we had the onus of including all 
the musicians in the evaluations, for we believed it would be the most 
correct way of doing it. 
Let me conclude by bringing a personal testimony. I received from my 
father, Maestro Eleazar de Carvalho, the legacy of a life devoted to 
the craft of music and many years devoted to the OSB. This dream of my 
father was discontinued for negative reasons and beyond his control. I 
was given the responsibility to humbly continue this dream in the 
Presidency of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra Foundation. The other 
board members, the artistic direction and the managers will never be 
able to fulfill that dream without our musicians. We expect from those 
who share the goal of having a remarkable set, to continue to 
contribute to it. 

 

Finally, this from Augusto Maurer of the Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre, Brazil:
http://impromptu.opsblog.org/

we at OSPA strongly support the claims of the insurgent members of OSB against the imposed reauditions, concerning not only the human rights and working conditions involved but, ultimately, the progress of the artistic direction of music collectives towards the utmost quality in music making.

If you agree, at least partially, to the above argument, please consider signing the online petition for the immediate suspension of the abusive process of reauditions currently underway at OSB here.

Andre Previn, criticised for refusing to speak about Japan’s humanitarian crisis while touring the US and Canada with the NHK orchestra, has just agreed to donate ‘part of his honorarium’ to aid relief efforts.

The concession was broken in a press statement by orchestra chairman, Naoki Nojima.
Here’s the text:

We
would like to thank people in Canada for their support.


We are all deeply touched by kind words,
thoughts and prayers we are receiving all over the world.


We
were scheduled to depart from Narita airport in Tokyo 20 hrs after the first
earthquake hit us. We were not sure,
first, if we can make it to America
.


We
struggled with the decision of whether we should cancel the tour or not. Most of us have had to leave our families
behind and two of our original members are not here because their homes were
destroyed.

Still at the end, after
having collected 93 members of our orchestra, we decided to forge ahead and come
to America, because we believe music can uplift the heart and strengthen the
spirit.

 

In
this occasion, Maestro Previn will be contributing part of his honorarium to the
Red Cross Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami relief fund.


Before the regular program,
Maestro Previn wish to present Bach’s Air as a tribute to the people of Japan.


Naoki Nojima

The
Chairman of NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo

I am posting, without comment, two case histories of musicians who have been hustled out of their jobs by forces beyond their control – which usually means conductor intervention.

The first concerns the orchestra of Glyndebourne on Tour, a freelance ensemble that does outstanding work through the English autumn and winter. Its chief conductor is the promising young Czech, Jakob Hrusa. It should be emphasized that Glyndebourne are following proper procedure and all due forms of consultation. It is a far cry from the Brazil furore.

What follows is a petition that is being circulated among the orchest
ra:

Dear player from last Autumn’s GoT orchestra,

Many of you may have
heard already that George (surname withheld) received a letter in February telling him that he will
no longer be leading the orchestra.

I heard the news on the grapevine
last week, and was concerned that some players might not know and wouldn’t have
a chance to voice any concerns they might have about the handling of the matter.
I am sending this email to as many players as I can just to make sure that
everyone at least has the chance to find out about what has happened.

 I
don’t know all the details of how this has come about. However, it seems to me
that a colleague has been treated badly, and when we are working for such a
prestigious company as Glyndebourne, we should not be so scared of losing our
well-paid work that we are totally unable even to ask polite questions of the
company.

The orchestra committee were approached by some members of last
year’s orchestra in the hope that they might be able to represent the
orchestra’s point of view in a letter to the management at Glyndebourne.
However, having heard differing ideas on how best to present the orchestra’s
opinions, the committee members felt that the reactions of so many disparate
freelance players who aren’t currently working together can’t really be
expressed in a single letter.

Although the letter to George stated that
GoT would be seeking a new leader for the 2011 tour, a member of the committee
told me that assurances have been made that no new leader will be engaged until
George has met with the head of human resources at Glyndebourne. This meeting is
to take place in early April with Steven Naylor and Julia Murray-Logue. I think
it is important that anyone who has anxieties about the situation voices them
before this meeting.

Some years ago, Glyndebourne on Tour introduced
official procedures for dealing with problems within the orchestra, and these
were set out in the orchestra’s booklet, explaining what a player could expect
to happen if his or her playing or behaviour was giving cause for concern.

These steps included initial warnings, meetings with section leaders, a
chance for the player to rectify the problem, a review meeting, and careful
guidelines about what would happen if the problem was unresolved. These
procedures are no longer printed in the tour booklet. Since the guidelines were
introduced, several players have lost their positions in the orchestra after
years of service without these procedures having been followed. George has been
leading the orchestra for twenty years, and has received this letter out of the
blue.

Glyndebourne on Tour receives Arts Council funding, and this use of
taxpayers’ money carries with it high expectations of a company being well
run.

I am not suggesting any kind of rabble-rousing or militant action,
but if you feel strongly about what has happened, please write a letter or email
to one of the following:
–  George, who must be going through a terrible
time, and would value any support. He can also pass on your views at the meeting
in April, if you wish. 
– Someone at Glyndebourne – Gus Christie is the
Executive Chairman, David Pickard is the General Director, Steven Naylor (who
wrote to George) is the Director of Artistic Administration, and Julia
Murray-Logue is head of human resources. The address: Glyndebourne, Near
Ringmer, Lewes, East Sussex. BN8 5UU
– Jakub Hrusa, the Music Director of
GoT.

Your letter can be anonymous, if you prefer, and any correspondence
could be copied to another of these names if appropriate. I understand that
freelance musicians value highly a patch of work such as this tour, and that the
fear of not being asked to play with the orchestra again might make a player
hesitant to speak his or her mind. However, I hope that we might be able to pull
together to persuade the company to treat its orchestral musicians in a more
reasonable way.

     (ends)

Ahoy. Yo-ho, to-ho!

Birgit here. I may not be with you any longer but I am still watching, oh yes.
Some of you may know that when I was around I worked as hard as anyone, hitting all those horrible high notes and trying to look as if I thought Turandot had enough brains to pass a driving test on a donkey.
Somehow, I made a lot of money. I never asked for it. They threw it me, like bouquets. Maybe they couldn’t find anyone to sing so loud and high.
Anyway, I put some of the money into the farm and the rest into a prize. Well, why not? It might encourage others to do some good in this frustrating art.
So what happens? They give my prize to a conductor.

A conductor? A stick on Cuban heels. An anatomical appendage (it’s shorter in Swedish) with ego. A third wheel on a bicycle. An efterthought. 
They gave a million dollars of my hard-earned to Riccardo Muti.
What for? So he can buy himself a new train set? Or the whole of Alitalia? Or a month in a monastery for Signor Berlusconi. 
Why did these ants in pants give a million of my high notes to a man who can’t pass wind without a stick in his hand?
For heaven’s sake, Birgit Nilsson had many faults but she never put up with nonsense from that direction. Did the judges never read what I wrote about Karajan – ‘he was just using us’ – or Solti – ‘too slow’ – or any of the rest of the bigshots?
One of the panel, the British critic Christiansen – a closet Dane? – is a Muti fan. ‘I can scarcely wait to hear him conduct Macbeth at Salzburg this summer,’ he tells Daily Telegraph readers. Well bully for him, but who goes to see Verdi for the fellow who’s beating time? It’s singers that make it happen. The rest is decorative.
They had better watch out, those judges. I may be elsewhere but I can still hurl a thunderbolt and cause damage. These are Birgit’s kronor you are tossing about like confetti. Birgit does not like that. 
She is having coffee with Kirsten this morning. We have time between rehearsals. We will take stock. Be warned. We will, as that nice Mr Mercury suggested the other day at the Celestial Brits, we will rock you.
Oh, yes.
And tell that Muti I want to see receipts.

Ahoy. Yo-ho, to-ho!

Birgit here. I may not be with you any longer but I am still watching, oh yes.
Some of you may know that when I was around I worked as hard as anyone, hitting all those horrible high notes and trying to look as if I thought Turandot had enough brains to pass a driving test on a donkey.
Somehow, I made a lot of money. I never asked for it. They threw it me, like bouquets. Maybe they couldn’t find anyone to sing so loud and high.
Anyway, I put some of the money into the farm and the rest into a prize. Well, why not? It might encourage others to do some good in this frustrating art.
So what happens? They give my prize to a conductor.

A conductor? A stick on Cuban heels. An anatomical appendage (it’s shorter in Swedish) with ego. A third wheel on a bicycle. An efterthought. 
They gave a million dollars of my hard-earned to Riccardo Muti.
What for? So he can buy himself a new train set? Or the whole of Alitalia? Or a month in a monastery for Signor Berlusconi. 
Why did these ants in pants give a million of my high notes to a man who can’t pass wind without a stick in his hand?
For heaven’s sake, Birgit Nilsson had many faults but she never put up with nonsense from that direction. Did the judges never read what I wrote about Karajan – ‘he was just using us’ – or Solti – ‘too slow’ – or any of the rest of the bigshots?
One of the panel, the British critic Christiansen – a closet Dane? – is a Muti fan. ‘I can scarcely wait to hear him conduct Macbeth at Salzburg this summer,’ he tells Daily Telegraph readers. Well bully for him, but who goes to see Verdi for the fellow who’s beating time? It’s singers that make it happen. The rest is decorative.
They had better watch out, those judges. I may be elsewhere but I can still hurl a thunderbolt and cause damage. These are Birgit’s kronor you are tossing about like confetti. Birgit does not like that. 
She is having coffee with Kirsten this morning. We have time between rehearsals. We will take stock. Be warned. We will, as that nice Mr Mercury suggested the other day at the Celestial Brits, we will rock you.
Oh, yes.
And tell that Muti I want to see receipts.