A fire in Europe’s biggest musical instruments factory – at Reghin, in Romania – has wiped out much of its stock, including a estimated 4,000 violins.
Damage is assessed at quarter of a million Euros. About half the stock was saved.
Report here.
Sophie Koch has pulled out of the entire run.
Her replacement is Clémentine Margaine, unknown to New York.
The devoutly Christian group, recovering from a recent bereavement, have turned a deaf ear to the mood music.
Here’s the official announcement.
We hear that their label, Sony, had been urging certain artists to participate.
Here’s the Piano Guys’ statement:
Our desire as The Piano Guys has always been to spread hope, love and joy through our music and videos. We accepted the invitation to perform at the Inauguration with this objective in mind. We would have been honored at the opportunity no matter who was being sworn in. We strive to make all vital decisions a matter of serious soul searching and prayer. We felt very strongly that we needed to accept this invitation.
We, too, are distraught over how divisive this chapter in our nation’s politics has been, but we have hope for the future! When Jon’s daughter went missing people came to our aid in incredibly unselfish, loving, caring, and nonjudgmental ways. It reaffirmed our hope that it’s gonna be okay. As the pendulum of politics swings one way or another, let us all pray for understanding and for goodwill to win in the end.
Il Volo, Dudamel’s New Year’s concert and Pretty Yende are outselling all else this week, according to Nielsen Soundscan.
The German bass-baritone Gerd Grochowski died yesterday in Mainz of a heart attack at the age of 60.
He sang Klingsor in last summer’s Parsifal at Bayreuth.
After 15 years at Bonn Opera, Gerd Grochowski enjoyed an international Wagner career, singing Kurnewal at the Met and Kurwenal and Gunther at La Scala. He sang Teleramund at Covent Garden.
Patrice Chereau chose him for the celebrated Vienna Festival production of From the House of the Dead.
Our sympathies to Gerd’s family.
UPDATE: He died the day after singing Wotan.
We hear that Ed Yim, Vice President, Artistic Planning, at the NY Phil is out.
Word is, he’s going to be president of the American Composers Orchestra.
At last, something to run on his own.
Apparently, it’s an amicable parting (unusual for the NY Phil).
There has been no official announcement but we have first-hand confirmation.
Message from the World Jewish Congress:
Thank you to world-renowned Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich for being part of our #WeRemember campaign.
The Institut Polonais in Paris reports that a Swiss enthusiast, Alain Kohler, has come up with a hitherto unknown photograph of Frederic Chopin.
The Daguerrotype portrait was taken in or around 1847 in the Paris workshop of Louis-Auguste Bisson.
Chopin looks less haggard that usual, and rather annoyed.
Dr Kohler was previously responsible for discovering a lost Chopin piano.
The BBC were offered a Proms visit last summer by the Bavarian State Orchestra conducted by Kirill Petrenko. The Proms team declined on the grounds that the conductor was unknown in this country.
Petrenko was then elected music director of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Now the Barbican has announced a visit next season by Petrenko and his orchestra. Good for them.
Sad for the BBC.
Sir Nicholas Kenyon, the Barbican’s director, is a former head of the BBC Proms.
Other orchs visiting the Barb next season are: Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons; Orchestra of La Scala conducted by Riccardo Chailly; Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Herbert Blomstedt.
From the LSO’s season announcement this morning:
| – Sir Simon Rattle’s inaugural season launched with ten-day musical celebration
– Young people and new audiences at the heart of future plans – new ticket schemes announced – Stockhausen masterpiece to be staged at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall – 2017/18 season highlights announced – British composers a major focus – LSO digital partnerships bring the orchestra to the world The London Symphony Orchestra today unveiled the first stage of ambitious plans for the future under its new Music Director, Sir Simon Rattle, who will take up his post in September 2017. The plans will unfold over the next three years, developed by Simon Rattle in close partnership with the musicians of the Orchestra, and in collaboration with the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, as Artist in Association. In his words: “The London Symphony Orchestra, over a century, has an extraordinary heritage and history. At its core is an orchestra that is always looking forwards, accepting no limitations on what it can achieve. The programme we are announcing today gives a glimmer of things to come. Together we intend to explore the great masterpieces, build our community, and inspire a new generation to join us in the belief that music is for everybody.” Plans announced today include: A ten-day celebration to mark Sir Simon Rattle’s first season as Music Director running from 14 – 24 September 2017 Young people and new audiences are at the heart of the plans for the future New staging of Stockhausen at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall |
A member of the Berlin State Opera from 1987 until illness enforced her retirement in 2009, Rosemarie Lang was a regular performer in a highly competitive ensemble.
He roles included Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sesto in La clemenza di Tito by Mozart, Romeo in I Capuleti od I Montecchi by Bellini, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini, Octavian in Rosenkavalier and Clairon in Capriccio. Kurt Masur selected her for several recordings.
Rosemarie died on January 12, aged 69.
We reported last September that Brisbane Baroque was not paying its artists.
That statement is now definitive. The festival went into voluntary liquidation last night after losses in successive years mounted to half a million Aussie dollars.
The founders said they will try to pay some of the artists some of the money they are owed. One of them reportedly checked himself into a psychiatric ward.
The creditors include: Mahan Esfahani, Vivica Genaux, Brett Weymark, Erin Helyard, Ulrike Schneider, Carlo Vistoli, Russell Harcourt, Joao Fernandes, Owen Willetts, Keri Fuge, Kiandra Howarth, Morgan Balfour, Nicholas Tolputt, Brenton Spiteri, David Greco, Kristian Winther and Ioana Tache; as well as Latitude 37, Orava Quartet, Camerata of St. John’s, and Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
