The incoming intendant of Bavarian State Opera has settled his unfair dismissal case against Dresden’s Semper Oper.
Serge Dorny, you may recall, was fired before he could even start work.
He sued for 1.7 million Euros and won. He has now settled for a fifth of that amount.
Who pays? The long-suffering taxpayer.
Let’s hope he gives it to charity.
The question is raised bilingually risk week on VAN, the irreverent classical magazine:
Ist Slipped Disc das Breitbart der Klassik? Oder die einzige Plattform, die über klassische Musik so schreibt, wie innerhalb der Szene über sie gesprochen wird? Jeff Brown traf den Gründer Norman Lebrecht in Berlin.
You can read our interview in English here.
In German here.
Some differences between Slipped Disc and Breitbart:
1 Slipped Disc is not funded by Texan billionaires.
2 Slipped Disc does not support the far right, alt right, new right, or any other kind of right, except human rights.
3 Slipped Disc deplores Trump.
4 Er, whatever.
Thanks, VAN!
Classic FM, which loves lists as much as it loves music, has put out a list of top 10 women conductors.
Here are some of the pacemakers it overlooked. Most have achieved major career leaps in the past year. Click on links below to read the latest news.
1 Elim Chan, Antwerp Symphony
2 Speranza Scapucci, Opera Liege
3 Karina Canellakis, Netherlands Radio
4 Anu Tali, Nordic Symphony
5 Han-na Chang, Trondheim Symphony
6 Joana Carneiro, Berkeley Symphony
7 Nathalie Stutzmann, Kristiansand Symphony
8 Gemma New, Hamilton Philharmonic
9 Joanna Mallwitz, Nuremberg
10 Oksana Lyniv, Graz Oper
And more besides.
The ClassicFM list includes Mirga, Simone Young, Susanna Mälkki, Marin Aslop and Xian Zhang. The rest are less topical.
From the Cleveland percussionist, Chester Englander:
I am writing this as a warning to those of us who ship large instruments for engagements or auditions (i.e. timpani): DO NOT use Airways Freight for shipping your valuable gear!
I have used Airways Freight for many years to ship my cimbalom to orchestral engagements all over the country, and there have been three separate incidents where the cimbalom case (ATA-300 rated) arrived damaged: twice with forklift holes, once with the caster board completely destroyed by being dropped down hard by a forklift. The last incident damaged the case in such a way that it was declared unrepairable by my local case company.
I have always had the instrument shipped insured by Airways for the total value of the cimbalom and case, and after the first two incidents of damage Airways Freight acknowledged their responsibility and paid for the repairs. Now that my case has been ruined and needs to be replaced, they have elected to abdicate this responsibility.
Airways Freight cannot be relied upon to cover insurance claims if your shipment arrived damaged, and they feel no loyalty to long-time customers. DO NOT use them if you want peace of mind while shipping your valuable instruments.
William Norris, who resigned weeks ago from Tafelmusik, Canada’s leading period instrument ensemble, has joined Southbank Sinfonia as managing director.
The Sinfonia is a training orchestra, offering low-paid internships each year to 33 promising graduates.
Denis Matsuev’s enthusiasm for a Russian World Cup – watch here – has not gone unnoticed.
Yesterday, Matsuev was awarded the Order of Honour by President Putin.
The classical wing of Columbia Artists, led by Doug Sheldon and Stefana Atlas, are showing intent by beefing up a somnolent roster.
They are about to announce the signing of German cellist Maximilian Hornung.
Two weeks ago, Atlas signed the Heidelberg music director Elias Grandy.
We hear there are more to come.
It’s hotting up out there.
Putin’s World Cup, where he played a promo role, has left the star pianist with a problem.
He was supposed to play two Rachmaninov concertos, 1 and 2, in the same July concert at Baden-Baden.
But, says the festival, because ‘he has just recovered from a leg injury (he) would prefer not to perform both piano concertos by Sergei Rachmaninoff on a single evening.’
Trifonov has substituted the Scriabin concerto for the 2nd Rachmaninov, involving less leg work, apparently.
From Bavarian Radio:
Unfortunately, Yannick Nézet-Séguin had to hand over the leadership of the concerts this week due to illness. Thankfully, the American conductor John Axelrod stepped in for him at short notice, making his debut with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The program was slightly modified for this reason.
With commitments as music director to Philadelphia, Montreal, Rotterdam and the Met, it’s hardly surprising that Yannick has a lengthening cancellation record.
Boston Globe today reports ructions in the Tanglewood chorus as a new British director, James Burton, culls ‘a large swath’ of singers.
Burton asked the entire chorus to reaudition. An estimated 39 members refused and are considered to have resigned.
‘I feel very close to the chorus over this first year and a half as their conductor,’ wrote Burton. ‘Though we are still in the early period of getting to know each other, going forward, I’m sure we all share the same goals — to take the ensemble to ever higher levels of performance as the Boston Symphony’s premiere chorus.’
Read on here.
The Kalamazoo Symphony conducted a through search when its Raymond Harvey retired after 18 years.
Out of a strong field of five, it has picked Julian Kuerti, represented by IMG Artists.
Kuerti, 41, is the son of one of Canada’s iconic musicians, the Austrian-born pianist Anton Kuerti.
Press release:
KALAMAZOO – June 27, 2018 – The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors and President & CEO, Peter H. Gistelinck, are pleased to announce that internationally renowned conductor Julian Kuerti has been appointed as its new Music Director. Mr. Kuerti will assume the title of Music Director beginning with the 2018-2019 season, succeeding Raymond Harvey, who ended his eighteen-year tenure with the orchestra in 2017, and has since then become the Orchestra’s first Music Director Emeritus.
Quickly establishing himself as a significant interpreter of orchestral and operatic music, Canadian conductor Julian Kuerti combines a confident style, artistic integrity and a passion for collaboration to position himself at the forefront of the international music scene. Having been Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montreal and Principal Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Concepción in Chile, he has made a reputation for himself both in the Americas and abroad.
Kuerti was chosen following a year-long search by a 12-member committee chaired by Steven Kreider, KSO Board of Directors Chair, and comprised of musicians, board, and staff.
Dr Leslie B. Dunner has been named Conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra.
Dunner has been music director of the South Shore Opera Company in Chicago since 2014. He has also been MD of the Joffrey Ballet and the symphony orchestras of Annapolis, Dearborn, and Nova Scotia.
