‘The producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh has said that shows like Hamilton, Les Miserables, Mary Poppins and The Phantom of the Opera will not return to the stage before 2021.

He warned of ‘drastic steps’, including redundancies at the theatres.

Mackintosh said: ‘This decision is heart-breaking for me, as I am sure it is for my employees, as everyone who has worked with me over the last 50 years, on or off the stage, knows how much I care about what I do and how I do it.

‘Despite the Government engaging with the desperate pleas from everyone in the theatre industry, so far there has been no tangible practical support beyond offers to go into debt, which I don’t want to do.

‘Their inability to say when the impossible constraints of social distancing will be lifted makes it equally impossible for us to properly plan for whatever the new future is.

‘This has forced me to take drastic steps to ensure that I have the resources for my business to survive and enable my shows and theatres to reopen next year when we are permitted to. I have no investors or venture capital backing, everything is funded by me personally and already my companies’ considerable reserves have been massively reduced by the complete closure of our industry everywhere.’

This is the anthem of the musical Black Sea port, sung by the Soviet hero Leonid Utiosov.

And another by Mark Bernes.

Na zdravi.

We regret to report the death of John Goldsmith, founder of Unicorn Records and owner of The Record Hunter shop in Waterloo.

John made some epic recordings with Jascha Horenstein – notably Mahler 3 and 6 – and with the UK-Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik, both of whom are seen in this picture. John is the tall one standing behind.

The death has been reported of Hugh Fraser, pianist, composer, bandleader and drummer, a Vancouver-based giant of the Canadian jazz scene. Cause of death is unknown.

His son, Jimi James, survives him in the band.

We’ve been informed of the death of Marion Zarzeczna, concert pianst and cornerstone of the Curtis Institute since 1962.

Marion, raised in New Jersey, graduated from Curtis in 1954 and appeared as a soloist with orchestras in the US and Europe, before adapting to a teaching career, both at Curtis and at Westminster Choir College.

Alisa Weilerstein has insulin dependent type-1 diabetes. After coping for most of her life, she is coming out this week as global ambassador for JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity.

Here’s the event:

The conductor has told the FT he intends to stay in flight mode for the long term.

He says reports that his stint as a pilot would be limited to a one-year sabbatical were misleading. “It is true that after 25 years of conducting I decided it was time to take a break, to be at home, to read, to think, to let the lessons sink in. But my long-term plan was always to do both, and Air France has a tradition of pilots with interests in the arts or sport.”

A post by Hibla Gerzmava, the Russian-Armenian prima donna:

(from the Russian)

It’s time to tell my story of these months. I was ill with COVID-19, and most annoying, I had sat at home without a break from March 13, followed ALL safety precautions, but the virus still entered my house!

In mid-May, I felt weakness, malaise, fever, but there was no thought of the virus, until the second day the smell completely disappeared! This is a very strange feeling when you don’t feel the aroma of your perfume or freshly brewed coffee.

But the worst was to come! The most agonizing and difficult 10 days of struggle, when your body, veins, head is torn from pieces to pieces, even your skin hurt, there was a high temperature! Eyes burned, taste and smell were completely absent.

The biggest fear was for the lungs, CT showed bilateral pneumonia, but fortunately with minimal lung damage. Doctors diagnosed a mild form, without the need for hospitalization, with treatment at home. It’s scary to think, if I had a light form, then how do people suffer with severe and moderate severity ??? !!!

The virus exists, and I do not wish the enemy to survive this whole nightmare! I get angry people who are frivolous and scornful of everything that happens, do not believe and think that all this is fiction!

I want to thank my doctors from the bottom of my heart – Marina Nikolaevna Nefyodova, Elena Borisovna Kubareva, all the medical staff of Clinic No. 4 of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, for their sensitivity, professionalism and support!

I want to say a huge THANKS to all the doctors and paramedics who bravely fight to this day on the “battlefield” around the world!
I feel good now, the tests are negative! Thank God !
I ask you, my dear friends, colleagues and subscribers, take care of yourself and your loved ones!🙏❤️

Astana State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Kazakhstan has announced the death of the leading male dancer, Tair Gatauov, in a car accident. He was 35.

No further details have been released.

Asde from a training period at La Scala in 2007, he spent his entire career at Astana.

As the plague abates in North America, it is taking a toll in the south.

The Chilean set and costume designer Germán Droghetti died on June 16 of Coronavirus.

His last production was a Figaro early this year at Deutsche Oper am Rhein.

He taught at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chil

May he rest in peace.

Years after the demolition of a once-great British label, Universal Music are resurrecting EMI Records as an active brand, with Decca’s Rebecca Allen at its helm.

Becky is 2nd-gen record business. She knows the catalogue and she’s hot on nostalgia..

Not clear where she’ll go by way of artists and repertoire, but here are a few bones from the ress release:

London, June 16th, 2020: Universal Music Group has mapped out a bold new future for one of the most renowned British record labels of all time with Virgin EMI being renamed EMI Records with immediate effect. The music powerhouse will be led by Rebecca Allen who is appointed to President, EMI Records after a stellar 20-year career with UMG.

Allen will oversee the entire team and roster at the market-leading company, the label home of artists including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler, Florence + The Machine and Bastille, international repertoire from Justin Bieber, Lewis Capaldi, The Killers, Metallica, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Taylor Swift alongside the unstoppable Queen catalogue plus emerging talent from across the musical spectrum…

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group, says, “Growing up in London, EMI was the most iconic brand in British music.  When we acquired the company, we committed to new investment, innovation, creativity and, of course, leadership.  Not only have we delivered on that promise, but we continue to position EMI for the future.  

“The appointment of Becky Allen is a testament to our long-term commitment, and our adamance that the EMI name will mean as much to a new generation of artists and fans as it did for mine.  Becky is such a strong leader – creatively and commercially – and has the values, dedication and acumen to keep EMI as the unquestioned home for some of the UK’s greatest talent.”

Rebecca Allen says, “Being asked to reimagine one of the UK’s most important record labels is an incredible opportunity, as is the chance to work with some of the world’s biggest and most innovative artists.  Working with artists, and finding and developing the talent of the future, is what drives me and I can’t wait to get started with building on what the brilliant Virgin EMI team have already achieved.”

After studying at the Trinity College of Music in London, Allen started her career at the BBC before joining Universal Music’s UCJ division in 1999. She became General Manager of Decca Records UK in 2012 and was promoted to President in 2017.

Dame Sarah Connolly, off-stage for breast cancer treatment since November, will appear Live from Covent Garden on Saturday.

So good to have her back.

Toi-toi!

It’s a socially distanced, small-orchestra live-streamed performance of Das Lied von der Erde.