There’s a restructuring going on at the Royal Opera House.
Alistair Roberts has left Enterprises division and his empire is being split in two.
The boring bits – secondary income streams such as retail, catering, events – join the Business and Development department.
The people who handle print, online, broadcasting, cinema and suchlike are being herded with communications and marketing into a new group, Audiences and Media. A director is being sought at a handsome salary.
Here’s at tip for the head-hunters:
Are you fre–ee?
The flute virtuoso Boujemaa Razgui became an international celebrity two years ago when Slipped Disc reported that New York custom officials at JFK had broken his handmade flutes without warning or right of appeal. The story is one of the biggest we have ever carried and readers still refer to it to this day.
Boujemaa is still making his own flutes.
Tonight he will play them at what appears (amazingly) to be the first benefit concert staged on US soil on behalf of Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
It’s in Boston at 8pm. Details here. Get there if you can. And say hi to Boujemaa from Slipped Disc.
Warsaw has just won the title for cleanest music competition on earth.
It has published the votes in every round of every single member of the jury.
You can see, at a glance, which judge gave just one mark out of 10 in the final round to the ultimate winner, Seong-Jin Cho, and which judge refused to vote at all for three of the contestants because they had been his students.
Martha Argerich by the way, gave 9 each to the 1st and 2nd placed winners.
Kate Liu, placed 3rd, was the only contestant to receive three maximum 10s.
The opera lion is looking good after having his gall bladder removed on Tuesday.
He has posted this family picture of his son’s 50th birthday party at the Manhattan hospital.
Celebrando los 50 años de Placi y lo bien que todo ha salido! Ya con ganas de irme a casa pronto!
Erica Worth, editor of Pianist magazine, has posted her impressions of the final round of the competition and her first encounter with the winner, Seong-Jin Cho.
At the press conference directly after, a smiling Cho said, ‘I decided to enter this competition when I was 11. I had listened to it in 2005, and it became my dream to enter. For me, the second and third rounds were really tough… I mean, really! The Finals weren’t so bad at all. I actually had to check on YouTube afterwards how I played, because I couldn’t remember!’
Musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic say they are in the process of buying a disused inn in the picturesque village of St. Aegyd am Neuwalde in Lilienfeld. The building will serve as a home for 16 refugees.
The idea came from clarinettist Norbert Täubl, who was born in the village. The orchestra reckons the project will cost them quarter of a million Euros.
Hats off to the Viennese.
This is seriously cool.
Alondra de la Parra, who has cancelled her season’s engagements to have a baby, has been named music director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Seriously cool – except for the Brisbane temperatures, which run into the 40s.
press release:
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of acclaimed conductor Alondra de la Parra as Music Director.
It is the first appointment of a Music Director by any Australian orchestra, and is the first Music Director position for Ms de la Parra.
QSO Chief Executive Officer Ms Sophie Galaise said Ms de la Parra was revered as one of the most compelling conductors of her generation. “The appointment of Alondra de la Parra is a major turning point for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra – not only are we the first in the country to appoint a Music Director, therefore aligning ourselves with the great orchestras of the world, but with our first Music Director we have secured a music leader who could choose to work with any orchestra across the globe,” she said.
In May this year Ms de la Parra performed to standing ovations with the QSO. As Music Director designate in 2016 she will open QSO’s concert season with Mahler 2 on February 27. Ms de la Parra will commence her three year role as Music Director in 2017, the orchestra’s 70th anniversary year, and she will be resident in Brisbane throughout the year.
We regret to report the death of David Drew, Principal Character Artist of the Royal Ballet, on October 16. David was 77.
No question where the next stream of opera voices is coming from.
Judges last night whittled down the Neue Stimmen candidates from 19 to 11. Three S. Africans still standing.
Miriam Albano – Mezzo soprano – Italy
Mario Bochmanova – Soprano – Russia
Chen Dashuai – Tenor – China
Elsa Dreisig – Soprano – France
Jung Rae Kim – Baritone – Korea
Lukhanyo Moyake – Tenor – South Africa
Bongiwe Nakani – Mezzo Soprano – South Africa
Darren Pati – Tenor – New Zealand
Luthando Qave – Baritone – South Africa
Anatoli Sivko -Bass – Belarus
Camila Titinger – Soprano – Brazil
The final is Saturday night, streamed exclusively here.
For the fifth year running, the box-office of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra broke all records, it was announced last night. Nevertheless, the orchestra ran into deficit.
The stats: Ticket Sales and Earned Revenue for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015
Ticket sales totaled $22.7 million for 233 CSOA-presented events, a slight increase over the previous year’s $22.4 million, marking the fifth consecutive year of record-setting sales.
Nearly 369,000 tickets were sold for 233 ticketed concerts*. Average paid capacity also increased in FY15 to 82%, up from 79% in FY14.
In addition to ticket revenue, other revenue of $9 million was earned from tour fees, merchandise sales, space rentals, royalties, recording fees and miscellaneous activities.
Approximately 483,000 people attended CSOA performances and presentations at Symphony Center and in other venues in greater Chicago last season, including 235 free events such as concerts by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and small ensembles with Civic players, the CSO’s All-Access chamber music programs, education programs and open rehearsals for students and community groups, as well as the CSO’s free performance at Millennium Park.
The subscription renewal campaign undertaken during FY15 for the current season remains at 89%, one of the highest rates for a major U.S. orchestra.
* Figures exclude CSO concerts at Ravinia Festival or on tour anywhere outside the Chicago area.
Contributed Revenues for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015
During the 2014/15 season, overall contributed revenue totaled approximately $36 million.
General operating support to the CSO was $27 million. This total included more than $18 million in gifts from individuals, $5.2 million from corporate sponsorships and partnerships, and $3.4 million in grants from foundations and government agencies.
<Financial Information for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015
Operating revenues totaled $71.4 million.
Operating expenses totaled $72.7 million, resulting in an operating deficit of $1.3 million, or 1.8% of operations.
Another court hearing in New York has yielded no progress in the Stefan Arzberger case.
Seven months ago Stefan, leader of the Leipzig String Quartet, was arrested after a naked rampage in a boutique hotel and charged with the attempted murder of a fellow-guest. His defence is that he was drugged by a person he met in a bar.
Since then, Stefan has been barred from leaving New York and the quartet is touring without him. The latest hearing prolonged his bail. His next hearing is end-November. Friends have raised €43,882 towards his living and legal expenses on Fundraiser. In his latest post, Stefan writes:
Liebe Freunde und Unterstuetzer, leider kann ich Euch keine guten Nachrichten überbringen. Das heutige Hearing hat nur ergeben, dass es ein weiteres Hearing am 25.11.15 geben wird und ein Ende noch lange nicht in Sicht ist. Mir wird weiterhin das Recht – obwohl gegen Kaution auf freiem Fuss und noch nicht verurteilt – verwehrt, mit meiner Familie sein, reisen und arbeiten zu können. Dem Umstand, seit bereits 7 Monaten hier in den USA zu weilen und auszuharren, wird keinerlei Tribut gezollt. Es geht – wie es offensichtlich scheint – nicht mehr um den Fall selbst oder um mich – vielmehr um juristisches Geplänkel und Verzögerungstaktik. Es fällt zusehends schwerer, dafür weiterhin Verständnis aufzubringen. Ich bin mir sicher, Ihr alle wisst das für Euch zu werten. Ich danke für das Vertrauen in mich und für Eure Unterstützung! Herzlichst – Euer Stefan
The Salem Chamber Orchestra in Oregon has cancelled the rest of its season and is facing bankruptcy.
The executive director quit in the summer and ticket sales are $100,000 south of budget.
