The next conductor of the Czech Radio symphony orchestra will be the Alexander Liebreich.
The former head of the Munich chamber orchestra was previously with the Polish Radio orchestra in Katowice.
The conductor, who underwent shoulder surgery at the end of last year, is not yet fit to return.
His Vienna Philharmonic tour of northern Europe this month and next is being taken over by Daniel Harding, outgoing chief of the Orchestre de Paris, and Andres Orozco-Estrada, incoming head of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
We wish Zubin better.
press release:
Southbank Centre today announces (B)old, a brand new festival celebrating age and creativity, supported by The Baring Foundation. Championing new and established artists aged 65 years and over, (B)old features a week of vibrant programming from Monday 14 – Sunday 20 May 2018 taking place across Southbank Centre’s 17 acre site including the newly reopened Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room.
(B)old explores and challenges cultural perspectives of age and the role it plays in arts and society, as well as the impact of creating and experiencing art at a later age. The new festival offers something for all ages and showcases work from artists across dance, music, theatre, visual art and literature. The programme features free events and activities, and an array of engaging workshops, talks and debates bringing the idea of ‘age’ into discussion.
Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre said: “(B)old is just that, a bold new festival showcasing the work of older artists, and celebrating age as a powerful force in arts and culture. We’re looking forward to exploring and challenging cultural perceptions of growing older – both in the arts and in modern society.
Artists include: Germaine Acogny, Richard Alston, Alfred Brendel, Cheryl Campbell, Lavinia Co-op, Christopher Green, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Judith Kerr OBE, Zandra Rhodes, Nawal El Saadawi, Valda Setterfield.
As someone who is over 65, I find this ghettoisation of old age both gruesome and patronising.
Your views?
Han Zhongjie has died in Biejing, aged 97.
He once said: ‘How I wish I could have pursued my music career in an environment that was free of political interference.’
In 1980 he conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra, one of many thaws that followed Seiji Ozawa’s 1978 China tour.
Han went on to tour the Central Philharmonic in various countries and to teach two generations of Chinese conductors.
Full life story here.
From the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra:
With regret, Sheku Kanneh-Mason is unable to perform with LACO in May due to a scheduling conflict.
This should have been his LA debut.
A Passover event from Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco:
Tomorrow I will hand-deliver two manuscripts by the Dutch composer Sim Gokkes to the Netherlands Music Institute in The Hague. We found these manuscripts a few years ago in some archives my grandfather had left in Italy when he emigrated to the US.
In 1936, Gokkes asked Mario to write a Lecha Dodi for the Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam, where Gokkes was choirmaster. He wrote: “I will be very happy if you can dedicate some time to be able to help me. It’s very necessary that important Jewish composers give their attention to this art.”
Gokkes sent Mario several of his own compositions as a guideline. This was Mario’s first work for synagogue, and he went to it with his usual enthusiasm. As far as I know Mario’s Lecha Dodi was performed at the Synagogue in 1936.
A few years later, Gokkes and his family perished at Auschwitz. Much of this composer’s music has been lost. It brings me great joy and emotion to be able to return these manuscripts to the composer’s archive where, I hope, they will begin a new life.
The orchestra has unrolled its first Semyon Bychkov season.
The season will open and close with Mahler – 2nd and 9th symphonies – with Berio’s Mahlerian Sinfonia in between.
The Czech Phil has long shed the Mahler reputation it acquired under Ancerl and Neumann in the 1960s. This season marks a return.
The diva booked three tickets for the Disney musical Aladdin for a little over £500 – or thought she did.
But five minutes before the show, she was told to vacate the seats for herself, Yusif and Tiago as they had been double-booked.
She has gone on Instagram to vent some rage.
Watch here.
‘There was also another family with double tickets and little girl was crying…,’ she reports.
There has been no response from the Prince Edward Theatre.
We hear that the Portuguese Chamber Orchestra (OCP) and Portuguese Youth Orchestra (JOP) have lost their state funding for 2018 to 2021.
This means imminent extinction.
The JOP are fighting the decision on social media.
One of the foremost contests has cleaned up its act.
Read here.
‘He had a complicated rider, a list of requirements – as most celebrities do – because these things progress as they get through their levels of fame….’
Read on here, if you must.
This week’s segment, just released online.