A change of tune at the top of US broadcast media. After decades of no interest in cultural affairs, CBS News has appointed a correspondent.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that it’s not a journalist, someone trained to sift hype from reality.

It’s a musician. A jazz performer and impresario.

It’s Wynton Marsalis.

More here.

I have written a piece in tomorrow’s JC, touching on Barbara’s life as a paradigm of the struggles of Jews in France.

Read it here. And don’t miss Sunday’s documentary.

Here’s a video taster. Barbara solitude.

Barbara said she "wasn’t particularly proud of being Jewish, but seeing how others looked a me differently made me aggressive"

It looks like the Guardian got really overheated. I’ve received the Russian report of this morning’s radio phone in with the Russian prime minister.

Gergiev had just flown in from Spain and was generally upbeat about Russia’s achievements (as he usually is). He does not credit Putin personally with these improvements, nor does he liken him to Prokofiev or Peter the Great. The Guardian needs to look more closely at its reporting.

But the question is: why did he make the call in the first place? Probably put up to it by Putin’s minders.

Here’s the Russian text. Use google, if you like, to translate:

???????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ??????? ???????. ???-?? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????????, ???-?? ???????? ? ?????????? ?? ??????? ?????????. ? ? ??????, ? ??????? ???????-??????? ???????? ? ???????, ????????? ????????? ????. ???? ?? ??? – ???????????? ??????????? ?????? ??????? ???????.

?? ?????????? ???????? ? ?????? ?? ???????, ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????????.

– ?? ?? ?????? ???? ????????? ? ???????, – ????????? ? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???????????? ? ???????. – ? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????-?? ????. ????? ????? ?? ???????? ? ??????. ?????? ????, ??? ??????? ?????? ???????? ? ???????, ???????, ?? ? ?????? ?????. ?? ??? ????????? ?? ????? ???????, ?? ??? ?? ???????. ???????, ? ????????, ? ??? ?? ??? ???????? ??????? ?????????

? ??????, ????? ??????? ??????? ????????, ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ????:

– ???????? ????????????, ?? ???? ????? ???????? ??????. ????????? ??? ??????? ?? ??, ??? ??? ????? ???????? ? ???????. ??? ??????. ? ??? ????? ? ??????, ??????? ? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ??, ??? ? ?????? ??????. ?????? – ? ???? ? ?????????? ? ?????????? ?????????? ?????. ???????? ?? ?????????? ??? ???????? ???????. ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ?? ???????? ?????? ????????? ??????? ??????????? ?????? ????????? ?????? «????? ? ?????????», ???? ??? ????????????? ????????????. ? ????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ? ?????????, ??????? ??? ????????? ? ???????: «?? ?????????? ?????? ??????????» – «??». – «? ?????? ???? ????????????. ???????????. ??? ??????? ?? ???????????». ?? ???? ???????, ??? ?????? ????????? ????? ????????? «????? ? ?????????» ??????? ??? ???????? ?????????? ????? ?????????? ????????????. ??? ? «????? ? ???», ? «????? ????????». ?????? ? ???????? ?????? ????, ???????? ???? ?????? – ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ? ????, ??? ??? ? ?????? ?????????? ?????????, ??????, ????????????. ????????? ?????? ?????????! ? ??? ????? ??????????, ??? ??? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? «?????? ??????», ? ???? ???????? ? ??????. ??? ?? ??? ?????? ???????.

– ??????? ??????????, ??? ??????? ?? ?????????, ?? ? ???? ????? ??????? ? ??????, – ??????? ?????. – ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????????, ??? ??? ?????? ? ?????? «????? ? ?????????». ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ????, ??? ??? ?????? ???????? ? ?????? ????????. ?? ???????, ????????, ????? ??? ?????? ???? ???????????? ???????, ?? ????????? ????? ????????? ? ????? ???????????? ???? ? ???? ???? ???????: «??? ??????? ????????? ?? ?????, ??? ?????? ?????????? ? ??????». ? ??? ? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??????????. ? ?????? ??????????. ? ??? ?? ? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ????????. ? ?????, ?????? ?? ????, ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ? ?????? ???????, ???-???? ????? ???????? ??????????? ?????? ? ???????. ??????? ?? ???. ??? ????? ?? ? ????????, ????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ? ???????.

??? ???????? ??????????, ? ??? ????? ??? ??, ??? ? ??. ? ??? ???????, ??? ??? ????? ??????. ?, ???????, ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ???????, ? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ????, ????? ????? ??????????. ?? ????????? ??? ???????? ???????? ??????, ? ????? ??? ???-?? ?????? ? ?????????????, ? ?????????? ???????? ? ????????. ??? ?????? ?????? ????. ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???????????? ????? ????? – ??? ????, ?? ??????. ???, ???????, ????????? ? ?????????. ??? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ????????? ????. ? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ? ????????????? ????????, ??? ????????? ??????????, ??? ????? ??????? ????????????? ? ???? ?????. ? ????? ???????????, ??? ????? ??????????? ????? ????????????. ??, ??????????, ? ???? ??????????? ????? ?????????, ????? ?????? ?????????????? ??????????? ???????????? ? ???????????? ????????, ????? ??? ????????? ?????????? ??????????. ??? ??, ??? ? ???, ??? ???????? ? ?????????? ??????? ???????????.

– ???????? ????????? ??? ??????, – ??????????? ???????. – ????????, ????????? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ????. ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????.? ????? ??? ? ?????????, ?????? ?? ???? ? ???????? – ??? ????????? ??????, ???????????, ???? ?? ??… ?????? ?????? ? ?????????? ????, ????? ??????? ???? – ??? ??? ??? ??????? ?????. ???????????, «?????????» ? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ????????? ????-????? ??? ???????? ????, ????? ????? ??????????. ? ?? ??? ?????, ??? ???. ? ? ?????? ???????, ? ???? ? ???, ??? ???????????, ?????????? ?????????? ?????, ?? ????? ??????????? ????. ? ????, ??? ?? 2018 ???? ???????? ???????? – ????????, ???????????,??????. ????? ? ??????? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ???????? ?????????? ???. ??????, ?? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ??????. ?? ????? ????????, ???????? ??????. ???? ?? ????? ??????, ????????, ??? ??? ??? ???????? ??????????. ??? ????? ????? ????????????.

– ??? ?????? ???? ????????????? ???????? – ??????????????? ? ???????? ??????-???????.

– ??? ???????, ????? ??????? ???? ????? ???????, ? ??????????, ? ????? ?? ?????????? ??????????? ??????, ????? ????????, ??????? ?? ???????, ?? ??????? ????, ?? ???? ?????, ?? ???????, ?? ?????? ?????????????, ??? ??????????, ??? ?????????, – ????? ??????? ???????. – ?? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????????. ??? ???????, ???????, ??? ????????????? ? ?? ????? ?????????? ????????????? ??????? ??????. ?????? ???, ????? ??????, ?? ???? ????? ? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????????? ?, ??? ???????, ????????? ?? ????? ????????. ???????, ??? ? ?????? ?? ??????????. ? ?????? ???? ?? ??????????? ?????? ? ???????????, ? ???? ?? ????, ? ??? ???? ????????, ?? ???, ??? ???????, ??????? ? ???, ??? ? ???? ???????, ? ????????? ???????, ?? ? ? ?? ???????? ??????????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ??? ??????????? ????? ????????????, ?? ??? ? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????????? ????????. ???? ? ??? ??????? ????… ?? ? ??????? ???? – ???????, ??? ?? ??? ???????????, ???????

– ??????? ??????????, ?? ?????????????, ??????????, ?? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????????, – ????????? ?? ???????? ? ???? ????????? ???????? ?????? ?????.

– ? ???????? ????, ?????? – ?????????? ???????. – ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????????, ? ?????, ??? ???? ?? ? ????????. ?? ????? ????, ?????????? ????? ??????????????, ?? ????? ???????, ????? ???????? ????????, ? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ??????????: ?? ? ?????????? ????????? 530 ??? ? ???!

– ? ????, ??? ?? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????? ?? ?????????? ??????, – ???????? ???????.

– ??, ? ??? ???-?? ??????-?????????? ???????? ?????? ? ?????? ??????????? ?????????. ???, ???????, ????? ?????????? ????? ????? ??????.

– ? ?????, ??? ?? ?????? ? ????????? ???????? ? ????? ?????? ? ????????? ?? ??????????. ?? ??? ??? ????????? ???????.

According to the Guardian’s transcript of a national phone-in with the boss, the Mariinsky chief likened the Russian premier and would-be president to Peter the Great. Putin, for his part, promised to support culture. ‘This is all very pally,’ notes the Guardian’s transcriber, calling it ‘a classic piece of quality toadying’.

I wonder.

I pressed Valery very hard last summer about his relations with Putin. He recounted the origins of their connection in post-Soviet St Petersburg and insisted that it was mainly political. They hardly ever met, or spoke, these days. They were certainly not personal friends. What or who prompted Valery to ring the phone-in may take a while to find out, but reading the transcript and knowing his voice, I can hear degrees or ironic detachment that are not apparent in print.

If any of my readers in Russia heard the broadcast, please let us know your impressions.

UPDATE: Russian reports contradict the Guardian version.

(not exactly best of friends)

The house has just announced a pilot projects to stream live opera online. The second date’s the one to bookmark – it has Jonas Kaufmann in Don Carlo, details below.

The Bavarian State Opera is starting a pilot project at the beginning of 2012: For the first time, audiences from all over the world will be able to experience a complete evening of opera from the stage of the National Theatre online via video streaming. The broadcast is free to users.
In January, two selected Bavarian State Opera productions will be broadcast to the worldwide web in real time: The project starts on 7 January with Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore with Pavol Breslik as Nemorino and Adriana Kucerová as Adina. Director David Bösch uses wonderfully imaginative pictures to tell the story of the love-sick Nemorino, who woos the beautiful Adina with the help of a wonderful elixir of love. The musical director is Dan Ettinger.

This is then followed on 22 January by the broadcast of the eagerly awaited revival of Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo. The history of the Spanish Crown Prince Don Carlos, who is fighting for the freedom and independence of Flanders from Spain, is staged by Jürgen Rose. The production has a first-class cast, with René Pape as King Philip II, Jonas Kaufmann as the Infante of Spain and Anja Harteros in the role of Elisabeth de Valois. The conductor is Asher Fisch.

Opera lovers can thus enjoy two outstanding productions from the Bavarian State Opera online in their full length. The only requirement is a broadband internet connection such as DSL. The video is offered in two transmission qualities, at 600 and 1000 kbps, which adjust automatically to the internet user’s individual data connection. There is no charge to the viewer for using the live stream.

Live streaming
L’elisir d’amore
Sat., Jan. 07, 2012
7 P.M. CET – 1 P.M. EST – 10 A.M. PST
www.staatsoper.de

Live streaming
Don Carlo
Sun., Jan. 22, 2012
5 P.M.  CET – 11 A.M. EST – 8 A.M. PST
www.staatsoper.de

It’s  Lilli Paasikivi, as expected. She was officially appointed artistic director this morning, replacing Mikko Franck in August 2013.

Here’s how her website welcomes you to frozen Finland:

Lilli Paasikivi swimming in the ice. Photo by: Kira Gluschkoff

 

The conductor and oboist Nicholas Daniel, commenting on my notice of the death of his friend John Gardner, mentions that it was this ‘refined and ascetic’ musician who contributed the ending of the song Eleanor Rigby when Paul McCartney got blocked.

This much is known: Macca lived at the time with Jane Asher, whose mother had a music studio on Wimpole Street, near the Royal Academy of Music, where Gardner taught. According to Barry Miles, in Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now (pp 281-4), Mrs Asher engaged an unnamed friend from a music college to give Paul piano lessons.

Paul adds: ‘I wrote it (Eleanor Rigby) at the piano, just vamping an e-minor chord; letting that stay as a vamp and putting a melody over it.’ Miles comments that Lennon had virtually ‘nil’  input into the song, which Paul felt would make him ‘a more serious writer’.

So was Mrs Asher’s friend who taught Paul how to play the piano the late John Gardner? And did he help finish off Eleanor Rigby?

I’ve sent the question to the world’s great Macca experts. Does anyone know more? Listen here

The German Trade Union Foundation has accused the Bayreuth Festival of betraying its founders’ ideals by pricing tickets out of the reach of the general public and creating an exclusivist atmosphere.

‘Richard Wagner’s legacy has been buried at Bayreuth,’ said Matthias Jena, the Bavarian trades union chairman. ‘Apparently the management has forgotten the history of this festival.’ Wagner, he added, intended it for the nation, not for the rich.

No comment from the Wagner family.

Clive Robbins wanted to be a pianist. He lost much of the use of his left hand in a 1945 injury while serving with the RAF. The rest of his life was filled with ideas of rehabilitation for others worse afflicted.

Robbins and Nordoff work with a disabled child

Anyone knew he was from Birmingham? Here’s the full story.

 

Anthony Amato has died at 91. He founded Amato Opera Theater in 1948.

He conducted and managed the show. His wife, Sally, made costumes and occasionally sang. Between them they gave hundreds of good singers their first professional break. Neil Shicoff sang at Amato.

Here‘s a personal reminiscence, by Karl Ufert.

Last night at King’s Place Stephen Hough gave a riveting account of Liszt’s B-minor sonata, so thunderous as to terrify the under-age, so still as to unnerve the most complacent patrons of the Mayor’s Fund for Young Musicians. He took every risk in the book, plus some of his own.

This was a pro bono performance, squeezed into a tight diary. When I went to see him afterwards, he was dashing off to Liverpool, his home, town, where, as I write this note, he will be receiving an honorary doctorate. So it’s Doctor ‘ough, from now.

He may have to change hats for the ceremony. Bless.