The December issue of the German magazine Das Orchester presents three contrasting viewpoints on the prospects for subscription series. In the US, the model is on its last legs as concertgoers shift to last-minute purchases.

In Europe, according to Das Orchester, it has always been resented as an American gimmick and is now dying in many cities, except for Berlin where late tickets can be hard to land.

So what’s next?

You’ll have to buy a copy of Das Orchester. The content is not online.

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Figures just in from Universal show that ‘Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition’ has sold 1.25 million CDs globally in just 5 weeks since it was released – more than releases by Drake, Rihanna and David Bowie.

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Weighing 12kg, ‘Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition’ is believed to be the biggest ever box set dedicated to a single composer. It features two books – a new biography by Professor Cliff Eisen and a work-by-work commentary from Mozart experts worldwide – plus a series of high-quality collector’s prints and a special app to access digital libretti for each of Mozart’s operas and sacred works.

UPDATE: Decca have clarified that the box shifted 6,250 sets, each containing 200 CDs.

Alexei Maslennikov sang Lensky at the Bolshoi in September 1956 and was still singing lead roles forty years later. He was the embodiment of Bolshoi tradition.

Although popular in Moscow and widely recorded, he does not appear to have travelled much abroad.

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He sang in the tense, 1955 world premiere of Shostakovich’s From Jewish Poetry.

Maslennikov died on November 30, aged 87.

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The orchestra sneaked out a good-news annual report just before the weekend.

A projected deficit of C$4 to C$6 million has been turned into an operating surplus of C$831,540.

Apparently, all they had to do was scrap former CEO Jeff Melanson’s extravagant schemes.

Details here.

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A statement from his management, AskonasHolt:

Having sung four very successful performances of La Traviata in Vienna, Dmitri is back in London.

Following an MRI scan, Dmitri has been advised by his doctors to remain in London for further treatment and rest. As a result, Dmitri must unfortunately withdraw from two performances of Don Carlo at the Bolshoi, which would have marked his operatic debut with the company.

Dmitri deeply regrets the situation but remains optimistic about his recovery and grateful for the support from his family, friends, colleagues, and fans. He looks forward to returning to the stage for the 10th anniversary of Hvorostovsky and Friends with Marcelo Álvarez on December 14 at Moscow’s State Kremlin Palace and on December 18 at St. Petersburg’s Oktyabrskiy Great Concert Hall. Further concert engagements include December 22 in Krasnoyarsk and December 28 in Ekaterinburg.

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It has been alleged that one of the academics who cast doubt on a Beethoven manuscript that failed to sell at Sothebys had previously tried to buy it himself on the cheap.

In a separate development, the world’s leading authority on Beethoven graphology – Professor Otto Biba, Director of the Archive, Library & Collections of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde – has declared the Allegretto manuscript to be authentic and is seeking to buy it for Vienna.

Full story here.

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The cellist Desmond Neysmith is going to Calais on 7th December to deliver donations to refugees. He has set up collection points at London concert halls and rehearsal venues. The Royal Opera House, Barbican and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are also on board.

Here is the list of needed items:

stephen roe refugees

Non-food item needs: – Tents, sleeping bags blankets – Men’s warm waterproof jackets, sizes Small and Medium – Men’s underwear, socks, hats, gloves and scarves. Food item needs:– Vegetables that you can keep like squash and pumpkin – Courgettes, onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes – Spices, especially chili flakes – Big tins of tomato, pureed tomato – Lemon juice – Sea salt, Olive oil, Cooking oil – Milk, Tea

Message from Des: We all lead busy, London based, sometimes hectic lives and our attention can be absorbed with our own life situation and responsibilities. Just getting from one gig to the next and finding the time of have a sandwich in between can be challenging enough! With the best will in the world remembering to “check that suitcase in the loft that may or may not contain my old walking boots and jacket”  can be forgotten and not thought of again in days or weeks.

Having the Convenient Giving Station set up in a high visibility location for at least two weeks gives us all time to forget and be reminded on a daily basis to do what comes naturally to us all. Help others.

We are also supporting a grass roots organisation on the Greek island Lesbos, where around 50,000 people  areliving in tents. These people have given up their lives to move and teach the violin to kids on the island and they need supplies! We are uniquely placed to help this organisation and i particularly hope to see lots things fro the violin list. Anyone can give blankets and socks. Only we have access to this kind of equipment: Violin stuff….. Strings old or new all sizes Cases all sizes Bows all sizes Rosin in no more than three pieces please!! Violins all sizes.

The cellist has accepted the title of Marquis de Corberon Visiting Professor of Cello at London’s Royal Academy of Music.

He joins Daniel Hope, Tasmin Little, Colin Carr, Steven Doane, Sung-Won Yang, Matthew McDonald and Joel Quarrington as visiting profs.

The Swedish pianist Bengt Forsberg has signed on as Visiting Professor of Ensemble Piano.

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Both sides at the Fort Worth Symphony say they have reached agreement.

No details have yet leaked and the deal is sudden. It is reported by the local paper, whose owner sits on the symphony board. The deal needs to be ratified in a musicians’ vote on Wednesday.

As of last Thursday, there had been no contact for weeks between the warring parties.

The musicians had refused to accept an imposed wage cut, walking out on strike in September. The board had cancelled all concerts for the rest of the year and the players faced a hungry holiday season.

Here’s all that’s out so far.

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Gisela May died on Friday December 2 at the age of 92.

The epic Brecht actress and singer in East Berlin was perhaps the closest in spirit to Lotte Lenya, embracing not only the Weill songs but many of Eisler, Dessau, Hollander and … Jacques Brel.



Texas Classical Review is none too sure about Houston’s world premiere of Jake Heggie’s opera adaptation of a deathless movie.

Sample:

It’s a Wonderful Life makes an effective stage piece, as far as it goes. Yet it stops short of transforming the story’s emotions and drama into arresting music theater. For all its liveliness and theatrical impact, HGO’s production can’t make up for an emotional depth that is missing.

Full review here.

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Last night’s premiere of the funeral music Stravinsky wrote for Rimsky-Korsakov has been uploaded.