San Francisco-based Seldy Cramer has pruned her small list back to just the Takacs Quartet and the conductor Carlos Kalmar.
Of the remaining artists, the Canadian pianist Louis Lortie has found representation with Jenny Vogel at Opus 3, violinist Karen Gomyo is with Linda Marder at CM Artists, while conductor Larry Rachleff and French pianist Jean-Philippe Collard can be contacted at their own websites.
Here’s Seldy’s statement:
About 4 months ago, I informed the artists on my roster that as of January, 2019, I will only manage the TAKACS QUARTET and CARLOS KALMAR. I’ve done this work continuously for 43 years (no time off even when my children were born!). It has been challenging, fun and rewarding. This is a huge decision for me but I think it is the right decision. My office WILL be contracting and servicing all artist engagements booked by me from now through the 2019-2020 season, but you will be hearing from new managers starting on January 1, 2019 about all future bookings, mainly for the 20/21 season and beyond. Here is information for you:
I have loved managing KAREN GOMYO. Her career is coming along brilliantly. She will be managed as of January 1, 2019 by the incomparable and excellent LINDA MARDER. I am thrilled about this. Linda and I were business partners for 6 years and so I know first hand just how fabulous Linda is as a manager. She is just what Karen needs now, and I’m sure you will be hearing from her soon about Karen in 20/21. Her email is lymarder2@gmail.com and her phone number in New York is 212-864-1005. Linda will handle North America for Karen, and Europe, Asia and Australia/New Zealand will be handled by Etta Morgan at Askonas-Holt: etta.morgan@askonasholt.co.uk.
Since almost the beginning of my career, I have managed LOUIS LORTIE. We’ve been through so much together – what a great artist he is. He will always be a close friend. I am very happy to tell you that the great JENNY VOGEL of Opus 3 Artists, will be, as of January 1, managing Louis in North and South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia. She is SO good at what she does. We all know this. You will be hearing from her about Louis! Her email is jvogel@opus3artists.com and her phone number in Los Angeles is 323-954-1776. Victoria Rowsell is Louis’ manager for Europe: vr@victoriarouwsell.co.uk.
The legendary JEAN-PHILIPPE COLLARD can be reached through his Paris office: Brigitte Pellott: bp@jeanphilippecollard.com.
LARRY RACHLEFF will go back to managing himself. He was VERY good at this before he came to me…sometimes I think he was more effective managing himself than I ever was managing him! His email is lrach@rice.edu and his phone number is: 713-206-7070.
You will be hearing from me to finish negotiating all 2019/2020 engagements, and from me and my new assistant, Ray Capiral, about all servicing matters related to the rest of the 2018/19 season and all of the 2019/20 engagements that I have booked.
Thanks for all the fun we’ve had over all these years.
The Latvian soprano has pulled out of her ex-husband’s Boston performance of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.
Here’s why, she says:
I loved singing Suor Angelica at the Met earlier this season and I very much look forward to revisiting this gorgeous and heart-breaking role with the incredible Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons, and Violeta Urmana on February 21 & 23! • I also want to share with you that I have decided to withdraw from the performances of Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with the BSO following Angelica. Dvořák’s music is of course very close to my heart, but as I continue my journey through different repertoire my voice is changing and this work is no longer a perfect fit for me vocally. After thoughtful deliberation, I decided to remove it from my repertoire and very much look forward to Suor Angelica.
Ms Opolais will be replaced by Rachel Willis-Sørensen.
Anne Midgette has written a thoughtful, timely and deeply penetrating set of observations in the Washington Post on what happens when well-meaning orchestras take their product to neighbourhood schools.
In two words: not much.
Anne went with Gianandrea Noseda and other musicians to CHEC on 16th Street NW. They might have descended from another planet for all the kids understood what the maestro was saying to them, or for the impact it might leave on their precious minds.
She writes:
How do you reach people who are new to classical music and make them want to come back? One answer is to give them the very best you can and hope something sticks, and that, Noseda is doing to the utmost. Orchestras across the country are experimenting with this kind of outreach program, but you don’t always see your marquee music director leading the concerts…
She continues:
Connecting with people isn’t rocket science, but it’s an area in which classical music consistently struggles…
Very true. I have seen Mariss Jansons achieve something in the boondocks of Pittsburgh, putting a scratchy school orchestra through its paces, and I had exactly the same thought as Anne’s: will this make a difference to any of their lives?
I have gone with Baltimore players to a school under lockdown after the third shooting in a week. Again, I wondered: is this the best way? What do we have to offer in such dire circumstances?
It is, at best, a word in progress. Read Anne’s article here and reflect.
The Broadway veteran won a Tony Award for Best Actress in the 1964 musical ‘Hello, Dolly!’ – only to see the film role go to Barbra Streisand.
The movie proved a disaster.
The only child of newspaper editor George Channing, she grew up in San Francisco and made her Broadway debut in 1949 in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’.
She married four times.
Wexford Festival Opera has named Rosetta Cucchi as its next artistic director, succeeding David Agler after this year’s festival.
From the press release:
Rosetta brings with her a wide range of opera experience, musically, directorially and as a general manager. She began her career as a concert pianist having studied at the Rossini Conservatoire in Pesaro and DAMS University in Bologna, receiving her degree in both Piano and Music History. She later received her Master’s degree from Scuola di Alto PerfezionamentoPianistico di Imola.
Early on she took up a parallel career as an opera director, debuting at Teatro Bellini in Catania. Since then she has directed with many opera companies throughout the world including Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Teatro Comunale di Modena, Opera di Tenerife, Lubeck Theater, St. Gallen Theatre (Swiss) Teatro Pergolesi, Baltimore Theatre, Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Boston Lyric Opera,Teatro La Fenice Venice, Opera Las Palmas Spain and the Rossini Opera Festival. Future engagements include the Grange Park Festival, London. www.rosettacucchi.com
From 2001 to 2015 she was appointed Artistic Director of Lugo Opera Festival and also began an intense collaboration with Teatro Comunale di Bologna. From 2005 – 2018 she served as Artistic Director of the Arturo Toscanini Foundation (FAT) in Parma where, among her many accomplishments, she brought the Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic Orchestra on tour throughout Italy, China, Germany and Bulgaria.
Her association with Wexford Festival Opera began in 1995 where she initially acted as a répétiteur. Her WFO directorial debut came in 2004 with Braunfels’ Prinzessin Brambila. She has since directed three other operas at Wexford, most recently Alfano’s Risurrezione in 2017 and will direct Adina by Rossini and La Cucina by Andrew Synnott as part of the 2019 Wexford Festival Opera, a co-production with the Rossini Opera Festival. Rosetta was appointed the Associate to the Artistic Director in 2005.
Commenting on her appointment, Rosetta remarked, “I am happy and honoured to be appointed Artistic Director of the Wexford Festival Opera. I have a great passion for the Festival and the people who make it possible. My vision will be to preserve its great tradition while at the same time, bring a touch of new breath to it. To quote Jonathan Swift, “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”
Welcoming the appointment Dr Mary Kelly, Chairwoman of Wexford Festival Opera said, “I am really looking forward to working with Rosetta in her new role as Artistic Director as I begin my own position as Chairwoman of this world-renowned Festival.”
Wexford Festival Opera is supported by grants from the Arts Council, Wexford County Council and Fáilte Ireland/Ireland’s Ancient East.
Anomalies at Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra have been exposed by the country’s audit office.
It is reported that the music director Carlos Miguel Prieto and his manager Claudia Hinojosa agreed in 2015 to pay 5,219,312 pesos (US275,000) for two concerts by the veteran US cellist Lynn Harrell, a sum way out of line with cellist fees anywhere on earth.
Prieto is also found to have booked the Venezuelan trumpeter Pacho Flores in March 2016 for two recitals at $220,000 and the young US violinist Eric Silberger for two million pesos ($100,000).
Prieto, who has been music director since 2007, has faced recent protests from unhappy musicians.
Marta Gardolińska, 30, has been signed by Askonas Holt.
Marta is presently Leverhulme Young Conductor in Association at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and doing very well by all accounts.
Marta says: ‘It is indeed like a dream come true. I am incredibly thankful to everyone that has supported me in my journey so far. Especially my dear family, friends, teachers and the lovely musical family here @bsorchestra.’
One day, let’s dream, AskonasHolt and HarrisonParrott will sign young conductors of ethnic diversity with the same diligence and social conscience as they are presently signing young women.
Wichita Grand Opera has appointed Alan Held as its artistic director, effective immediately.
Held, 59, has sung leading roles at all the world’s major opera houses.
