We have been notified of the death of Audrey Stottler, a formidable Turandot at the Met and elsewhere.

In recent years she has been a director and voice coach.

In the last few days, two violins have been stolen on the train from Vienna airport to the city centre, both late at night.

The first victim was Isabella Wagner. The second has not been identified.

Be especially careful with instruments in Vienna.

The Georgian pianist Nicolas Namoradze has won the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition.

Namoradze, 26, takes away C$100,000 and an Artist Development Program valued at a half-million dollars.

press release:

National Symphony Orchestra Music Director Gianandrea Noseda and Executive Director Gary Ginstling announce the appointment of six new musicians: Ying Fu, Associate Concertmaster; Hanna Lee, Jing Qiao, and Benjamin Scott, section violins; Harrison Linsey, second oboe; and Thomas English, Assistant Principal bassoon. Lee, Qiao, Scott, Linsey, and English join the NSO this week, while Fu will assume his role on January 28, 2019.

Ying Fu has served as Associate Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2013.

The #Metoo Swiss conductor, shunned by much of the music world, has been named principal guest conductor of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, starting immediately.

On Sunday he conducted his ex-wife Martha Argerich at the Septembre Musical in Montreux, Switzerland.