The singer is to be honoured on Saturday with the Premio Batuta of the Consejo de Honor in Mexico City.

He will receive the award together with the flautist Horacio Franco, the UK composer Michael Nyman, the conductor Enrique Bátiz and the soprano Irasema Terrazas.

Outside the United States, his reputation is untarnished.

A Japanese composer Aya Yoshida has won a major competition endowed by Alexander Zemlinsky’s widow at the University of Cincinnati with the aim of perpetuating his name.

Yoshida received $30k and a performance of her orchestral work, Double-Face.

Second-placed Pole Tomasz Skweres received $20k.

A Finn, Joel Järventausta, came third.

 

Placido Domingo has resigned as general director of the company that he co-founded and which he has led for 16 years.

His statement:

‘I hold Los Angeles Opera very dearly to my heart and count my work to create and build it as among my most important legacies. However, recent accusations that have been made against me in the press have created an atmosphere in which my ability to serve this company that I so love has been compromised. While I will continue to work to clear my name, I have decided that it is in the best interests of L.A. Opera for me to resign as its general director and withdraw from my future scheduled performances at this time.’

Aside from his leadership of the company, Domingo has sung 300 times in 31 roles.

Domingo, 78, was brought down by allegations from 19 women, all but two of them anonymous, that he pestered them in times past with unwanted sexual attentions. He denied any wrongdoing and challenged the factual basis of some of the claims against him.

LA Opera asked a law firm to investigate. It said tonight that, despite Domingo’s resignation, the investigation would continue until it reached resolution.

 

Outside of the US, Domingo’s career is unaffected.

 

The Barcelona composer Carles Guinovart died today.

A student of Messiaens in Paris, he was drawn to Ligeti and Stockhausen, only to pull back to more traditional forms, such as ‘Voyage au fond du miroir’, for twelve solo strings.

 

The blind tenor is having his say: ‘I find it a shameful and paradoxical situation. I’m not looking into the merit of the allegations, but as a graduate of law I know that it takes proof to reach a final sentence. In this case there are only prejudgments that led to an unqualified situation. The world today puzzles me in some respects. I’m not a judge, but I know Domingo and I don’t think he needs to harass anyone.’

Trovo sia una situazione vergognosa e paradossale. Non entro nel merito della questione, ma da laureato in legge so che ci vogliono prove e una condanna definitiva. In questo caso ci sono solo pregiudizi che hanno portato a una situazione inqualificabile. Il mondo attuale per certi aspetti mi sfugge. Non sono un giudice, ma conosco Domingo e non credo proprio abbia bisogno di molestare qualcuno.

And Maria Guleghina: ‘He did not attempt to take on the post of the Pope, neither that of a World President, even though, he and only he is the true KING of OPERA. Yes, he is nearly 80, but he is the KING, and there is no new one anywhere near him! He always behaves so correctly that there is a lot more doubt about the correctness on behalf of these ladies! During all the 30 years that I sang with him, he never once allowed himself a real kiss on the lips, because he is a professional and is mainly preoccupied with singing (or conducting)!

‘He brought me back on stage twice! And How!!! Not a single conductor would have allowed a soprano to sing the title role in a premiere at the MET when she was taken to the hospital DURING the Final Dress Rehearsal. Moreover not a single theater director would bother and support the singer, who cancelled her participation in the production because her mother was on her death bed. He waited for me 6 weeks !!! Rehearsals took place without me!!! Then, my mother died, and I called him and said that I couldn’t sing… he calmly said that only work heals and that he himself recently lost his mother and work was the only thing that saved him. I took his advice, flew to LA and immediately to the Theatre, and he told me to go to the the ocean … and on the eve of the final-dress I was shown the staging, then sang the general … 6 full weeks of illness and only a week after the funeral – it was a horror. I repeat, not a single director would let a singer go on stage in this condition! And only his faith in me, and the responsibility I felt due to his trust in me – did the trick! I sang in MEMORY AND FOR my mother! I will never forget this! He is a true colleague! I know and love his whole family! It pains me bitterly to see all this happen to him.’

Мерзкие «моралисты, а сами все белые и пушистые??? Он не на пост ПАПЫ РИМСКОГО претендовал, не на пост Президента Мира, хотя он и только он КОРОЛЬ ОПЕРЫ, да ему почти 80 но он КОРОЛЬ, и нового не наблюдается! Он всегда ведет себя настолько корректно, что возникает сомнение в правильности поведения этих дамочек! За все 30 лет что пела с ним, ни разу он себе не позволил настоящий поцелуй в губы, потому что профессионал и занят пением! Два раза возвращал меня на сцену! И как!!! Ни один бы дирижер не позволил бы петь премьеру, певице, которой накануне ( увезли с генеральной) делали чистку – потеря плода… ребенка… и ни один директор театра не стал бы возиться и поддерживать певицу, которая отменяла свое участие в постановке из- за того, что ее мать в реанимации. 6 недель он ждал!!! Репетиции шли без меня!!! Мама умерла, позвонила ему и сказала, что не могу… он спокойно сказал, что только работа лечит и что он сам недавно так поднялся… прилетела- бегом в театр, а он меня к океану послал… и накануне генеральной для меня прокрутили весь спектакль!!!!! Я спела генеральную, как могла… 6 недель болезни и неделя после похорон были страшными… и ни один директор бы не позволил певице выходить в таком виде! И только его вера в меня, ответственность за доверие перед ним сотворило чудо! Я спела в ПАМЯТЬ И ДЛЯ МАМЫ! Никогда это не забуду! Он настоящий коллега! Знаю и люблю всю семью! Мне больно и горько все это видеть!

 

In the second of my videocasts for Deutsche Grammophon’s complete Furtwängler set, out today, I talk about the uniqueness of this conductor and his inimitability. Only one maestro ever came close.

 

The eternally troubled English National Opera disgraced itself further last night by cordoning off one entrance channel for invited guests and shoving the mob in through the other.

As if that was not inept enough, ENO chiefs then offended the upper crust by pouring mock champagne. They can’t afford the real stuff.

In other ENO news, we hear they have appointed an artistic director, name tba.

 

The violinist and director has written us this reminiscence of a great composer who died today:

There are many creative personalities I was lucky to meet and cooperate with in my life. Giya Kancheli belonged to those rare friends whose spirit and music allowed-and will always allow us- to enter different dimensions of “messages”.

Kancheli’s scores -and this is audible- have a deep meaning for me. Each of his beautifully written manuscripts – his refined handwriting was itself a work of art – and the way he was able in the most sophisticated way to put together ideas, motives, “chords of kindness and hope” and statements differentiated him and his music from many strong craftsmen in the world of composition, who prefer to hide themselves behind thousands of masterfully arranged “dots” in an abstract world.

Giya Kancheli’s thoroughly sincere music will always remind us that, despite the tragedies around us, we must all preserve our human nature, our feelings, our honesty.

I was privileged for almost 30 years to be close to Giya as a friend and a musician. Many scores he did write for me, my colleagues and Kremerata Baltica – the orchestra he loved and felt very close to – were intensely performed by us around the world and (luckily) recorded.

Giya’s Kancheli shared with us through sounds the most valuable messages. In seemingly simple writing (but in fact very sophisticated scores) his music, often very sad, allows us to enter the world of ourselves with its wide range of emotions. His music appeals to us to make the world better and to remain truthful. Not many composers were and are able to express this in such a powerful way.

Let his soul rest in peace. My love goes to his wonderful family. We all will miss Giya’s presence, his humour, his voice and smile , but I am sure Giya Kancheli’s music will stay and- as long as we live -will be a source of consolation and inspiration.

 

Overcome by the occasion, he suffers a memory lapse at 2:29 and quickly recovers.

 

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has begun hearings into allegations concerning residential music and special schools.

Yesterday witnesses came forward about abuse they had experienced at Chetham’s, the Manchester music school.

One former pupil described being forced into sex with her tutor at 15.

Another said the music department was run as a separate fiefdom.

John Vallins, head teacher of Chetham’s from 1974 to 1992, said he was unaware of misconduct.

The inquiry heard that seven individuals have been either convicted, were likely to have been convicted if alive, or have admitted to sexual relationships with pupils while Mr Vallins was head teacher.

Summary report here.

You can read the day’s full transcript here.

The focus now turns to Wells Cathedral School, Yehudi Menuhin School and Purcell.

 

Eric Pleskow, a Jewish refugee from Vienna who went on to become president of United Artists, has died in Westport, Ct., aged 95.

Among his film credits are Amadeus, Dances with Wolves and The Silence of the Lambs.

He introduced millions of Americans to Mozart.