American conductor Kent Nagano has been awarded the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In a statement, Hamburg’s Senator for Culture Carsten Brosda said “Kent Nagano stands for classical music at the highest level and conveys musical enthusiasm far into society.” Brosda also praised Nagano for his many music education initiatives {…}
(Photo: Monika Rittershaus) To mark the 700th anniversary of Dante Aligheri’s death in September 1321, the Aix-en-Provence festival staged the world premier of French composer Pascal Dusapin’s opera “Il Viaggio, Dante,” based upon the poet’s iconic narrative poem “The Divine Comedy.” To say that this is an ambitious undertaking is an understatement, especially as the work has been compressed into {…}
With the pandemic came innovation, particularly in using video to present works. Renowned conductor Kent Nagano and the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra explored the medium to create Micro concerts—bite-size, half-hour audiovisual performances that take their cue more from pop music visuals than from staid, traditional concert films. The videos are available for viewing for free until October 22, 2022. Five {…}
This November, Concerto Köln alongside conductor Kent Nagano will present historically-informed performances of Wagner’s “Das Rheingold.” The performances come as part of their “Wagner Readings” project, which was started in 2017 and began to develop this artistic/scientific approach to the tetralogy, bringing together scholars of multiple disciplines. The first concert will be held on Nov. 18 at the Kölner Philharmonie, {…}
(Credit: Henry Fair) Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal has announced the appointment of Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare its new Music Director. Payare will start his five-year tenure during the 2022-23 season. The Venezuelan conductor will replace the famed conductor Kent Nagano, who has held the position since 2006. Payare graduated from the famous musical education program “El Sistema.” He won the {…}
(Credit: Harald Hoffmann / Felix Broede) The Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg has announced a special Christmas concert, which will spotlight the famed soprano Dorothea Röschmann. Röschmann will perform Johan Sebastian Bach’s “Laudamus te” from the Mass in B minor. Kent Nagano will conduct the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg in a program that will also include Schäfer’s “Yamaga” for Violin and String Orchestra, {…}
(Credit: Emelie Kroon) When COVID-19 struck a few months back, one of the final “live” performances to take the stage was a rendition of Wagner’s “Die Walküre” in Sweden. Among the performers in that production was dramatic soprano Elisabet Strid, who took on the role of Sieglinde. Strid, who has performed in such opera houses as the Teatro Real, Lyric {…}
In late May, the COVID-19 pandemic relented for a spell, enticing parts of the United States to reopen after weeks of lockdown. Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer in the States, was in full swing. 2020 had a disastrous start, but big cities like New York had the virus somewhat contained. Worldwide, the insidious threat of sickness and {…}
(Credit: Felix Broede) Kent Nagano is set to lead the Ring Cycle under very unique circumstances. The conductor will make history by leading the Concerto Köln in a performance played on early-19th century instruments with gut strings. Performances will begin in 2021 with each opera presented in a semi-staged version at the Kölner Philharmonie. The operas will also be performed {…}
The Hamburg State Opera’s supervisory board has announced on Oct. 4 its decision to extend conductor Kent Nagano’s contract by five years. As the contract now stands, Nagano will serve as General Music Director until 2025, a role he began in 2015. No stranger to directing, Nagano served as General Music Director for Bayerische Staatsoper from 2006 to 2013, where he commissioned {…}
Nowadays, performing Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” exactly as the composer intended is looked down upon. In fact, in today’s opera climate, historically accurate performances are far from the norm and somewhat of a lost, if not dead, art. But Kent Nagano doesn’t care and alongside the Concerto Köln, he is looking to exhume that past and give it new life. That {…}