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The Board of Trustees of the New World Symphony (NWS) announces the appointment of Stéphane Denève as its new Artistic Director. Mr. Denève begins his commitment in the 2022/23 season and will be the second Artistic Director in the 35-year history of the organization. He will succeed co-founder Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) who will continue his leadership of NWS as Artistic Director Laureate.
Not an obvious choice.
The Dutch violinist has called off three Boston Symphony dates ‘due to illness.
Here replacement in Bernstein’s Serenade next weekend is Jennifer Koh.
Hugh Kerr of Edinburgh Music Review offers a first response to Nicola Bendetti in James MacMillan’s new violin concerto:
‘An Ayrshire triumph reviewed by an Ayrshire critic,’ is what I told Nicola Benedetti at the interval reception after her triumphal performance of the new violin concerto by James Macmillan. Nicola was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, and James Macmillan was born nearby in Kilwinning but grew up in Cumnock. A gratifying coincidence to this Kilmarnock critic!
Macmillan wasn’t at the Usher Hall tonight, but he had been present the night before in Perth for the first of three Scottish Chamber Orchestra concerts featuring the world premiere of his second violin concerto. He would have heard a superb rendition by Nicola and an ecstatic reception from a sold out Usher Hall. There were a lot of young people in the audience, compared to normal classical concerts. It’s “the Nicola effect”; she appeals to young people in Scotland, something that bodes well when she takes over the Edinburgh Festival directorship next month. The last Edinburgh Festival had no Scottish composers in its classical programme. Macmillan’s violin concerto played by Nicola would make a great opening work for next year’s festival.
The concerto is dedicated to Nicola and to the memory of the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, who died in 2020. It is melodic yet challenging, reflective yet at times martial, at times loud but ending quietly. Nicola’s performance is at once melancholy, reflective and resolute. It is a very fine though difficult work and I think it will become a standard of the repertoire.
photo: Benedetti, with conductor Emilyanchev
Stefan Dohr is principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, has been since 1993.
But Covid-19 provoked second thoughts.
In his mid-50s, he took up conducting. He booked lessons with Paavo Järvi. He’s still beating. On the other hand, he keeps commissioning new horn concertos.
Stefan mentions that he never finished school. He’s looking for new challenges. ‘“I definitely don’t overthink things,’ he says, ‘I’m a horn player.’
Watch.
The Toronto Symphony has wiped out an accumulated deficit that goes back over four decades.
Successful fundraising for its centennial season has yielded an unexpected surplus of C$901,000.
Things are looking up under new management.
Statement here.
The French conductor François Xavier Roth is being announced this morning as the next Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the SWR Symphony Orchestra in Stuttgart.
He replaces the controversial Teodor Currentzis whose financial connections with the Russian energy non-supplier Gazprom are causing increased discomfort in German households.
Roth, 50, is presently GMD in Cologne. He is officially due to succeed at SWR in 2025, but he may take up the baton a lot sooner.
The age of Currentzis is over.
Franz Welser-Möst will conduct a programme of multiple asterisked novelties:
Teil 1
1. Eduard Strauß Wer tanzt mit? Polka schnell, op. 251 *
2. Josef Strauß Heldengedichte. Walzer, op. 87 *
3. Johann Strauß Zigeunerbaron-Quadrille. op. 422 *
4. Carl Michael Ziehrer In lauschiger Nacht. Walzer, op. 488 *
5. Johann Strauß Frisch heran! Polka schnell, op. 386 *
Teil 2
6. Franz von Suppè Ouvertüre zur komischen Operette Isabella *
7. Josef Strauß Perlen der Liebe. Concert-Walzer, op. 39 *
8. Josef Strauß Angelica-Polka. Polka française, op. 123 *
9. Eduard Strauß Auf und davon. Polka schnell, op. 73 *
10. Josef Strauß Heiterer Muth. Polka française, op. 281 (*) mit den Wiener Sängerknaben
11. Josef Strauß For ever. Polka schnell, op. 193 * mit den Wiener Sängerknaben
12. Josef Strauß Zeisserln. Walzer, op. 114 *
13. Joseph Hellmesberger Glocken-Polka und Galopp aus dem Ballett Excelsior *
14. Josef Strauß Allegro fantastique. Orchesterfantasie, Anh. 26b *
15. Josef Strauß Aquarellen. Walzer, op. 258
Last night’s opening of a staged opera confected from Mahler song cycles was poorly received – if you can see the video below.
The one person heard cheering admitted to being a friend of the conductor.
This is not to be confused with a Vienna scandal. It’s just a Vienna disgrace.
UPDATE: The video we have is incompatible. Apologies.
The Spanish violinist Maria Duenas, winner of the last Yehudi Menuhin Competition, will make her DG debut with a Vienna recording of the Beethoven concerto.
She has written her own cadenzas.
No pressure, then.
Yukine Kuroki, 24, from Japan, won the revitalised Liszt Utrecht competition around midnight.
She takes home 25,000 Euros and a career development package.
The jury comprised Suzanne Bartal, Frederic Chiu, Janina Fialkowska, Nino Gvetadze, Michael Lewin, Mūza Rubackytė, Wibi Soerjadi and Mariangela Vacatello.
A few weeks ago, the isolated St Petersburg conductor was bragging that a western boycott would not affect his massive demand in Asia, specifically China and Japan.
Well, yesterday Japan let it be known that November and December concert tours by Gergiev and his friend Denis Matsuev have been cancelled. Both have close connections to Vladimir Putin.
A Kremlin official attending the funeral of former prime minister Abe said this was ‘not a wise decision’.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, special representative of the Russian president for international cultural cooperation, said that supporting Putin’s policies did not mean having less talent as a musician. He added that Russian culture is an integral part of global culture.
For Gergiev this is a severe blow – not just for himself and the Mariinsky company but, more intimately, for his plans to launch his teenaged son Abisal as an international pianist.
Those plans are now on ice.
In order to capture the demonic element in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Giuseppe Verdi stuck close to the text and experimented with new timbres. In a remarkable stage design by Henrik Ahr, which resembles a huge cauldron, Michael Thalheimer focuses his production on Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the witches. Verdi specialist Antonino Fogliani conducts a stellar production, in which the opulent choruses repeatedly provide musical highlights. Macbeth is sung by Hrólfur Sæmundsson, Lady Macbeth by Ewa Płonka, Banco by Bogdan Talos, Macduff by Eduardo Aladrén and Malcolm by David Fischer. The opera is streamed by Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision.
The Plot: After a victorious battle, the witches predict a crown for the Scottish commander Macbeth. In response to the witches’ prophecies, Macbeth’s thirst for power is fuelled dangerously by his wife and they decide to murder their king Duncan in his sleep. With this act of blood, they unleash an unprecedented spiral of violence that will lead them straight into the abyss.
Available from Friday 30th September at 1900 CET/ 1800 London/ 1300 New York
