(Image Source: sueddeutsche) On April 19, 2023, German tenor Martin Petzold died suddenly at the aged of 67. The cause of death is not known at this time. Born on June 25, 1955 in Leipzig, Germany, Petzold was a member of the Thomanerchor from ages 10 to 19, alongside his father, theologian Ernst Petzold, as well as his brother. After {…}
The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University has announced that seven-time GRAMMY winner Terence Blanchard will receive the George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music and Dance in America. He will receive the award on May 24, 2023 and will speak at the Peabody Conservatory’s graduation ceremony. The George Peabody Medal is the Institute’s highest honor, recognizing artists and {…}
(PC: JP Maurin) Émilie is a 75-minute, nine-scene opera by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho which takes its plot from the historical figure Marquise Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749), polyglot and mistress to famous French philosopher François-Marie Arouet (or Voltaire). The work, while its own opera, is to be considered related to Saariaho’s 2006 oratorio La Passion de Simone. The work {…}
Distinguished Concerts International New York is set to present Mozart’s “Requiem” at Carnegie Hall on April 29, 2023 as part of a three-act performance. The showcase, entitled “A Performance of Life and Death,” will also feature Bradley Ellingboe’s “A Place Called Home” as well as “The Music of Russell Robinson.” During this latter segment of the program, Robinson will lead {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced the programming for its 2023-24 Liceu+ slate. The company will live stream “Eugene Onegin.” The opera stars Svetlana Aksenova, Audun Iversen, and Alexey Neklyudov. Josep Pons conducts. Streaming Date: Oct. 8, 2023 / Special Edition in November 2023 Next up is “Antony and Cleopatra” with Julia Bullock and Gerald Finley. John Adams conducts. {…}
The Spanish streaming platform Filmin has announced a partnership with the Gran Teatre del Liceu’s platfrom Liceu+. In a statement, Filmin announced that subscribers will be able to access titles from the Liceu. Additionally, Liceu+ subscribers will be able to access films from Filmin curated by the platform. Filmin is the premiere Spanish subscription video-on-demand streaming service, primarily dedicated to {…}
Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu has unveiled its 2023-24 season. Operas The season opens with “Eugene Onegin” in a production by Christof Loy. The cast stars Svetlana Aksenova, Kristina Mkhitaryan, Audun Iversen, Iurii Saoilov, Alexey Neklyudov, and Jose Bros, among others. Performance Dates: Sept. 27 – Oct. 8, 2023 Elkhanah Pulitzer directs John Adams’ “Antony and Cleopatra.” The composer conducts {…}
The Royal Danish Opera has announced its 2023-24 season featuring opera productions and concerts. Opera Bassem Samir Akiki conducts “Don Juans Inferno” with Fanny Soyer, Palle Knudsen, Damian Pass, Fredrik Bjellsäter, and Geoffroy Buffière. Performance Dates: April 20-May 9, 2024 Paolo Carignani conducts Verdi’s “Aida” with Anna Nechaeva, Miriam Clark, Nora Sourouzian, Hovhannes Ayvazyan, Samuele Simoncini, Jens Søndergaard, Musa Ngqungwana, Kyungil Ko, and Daniel Giulianini. {…}
Poland’s NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra has announced that musician Alexander Sitkovetsky will become Artistic Director of the ensemble from the 2023-24 season. The British Violinist, a Graduate of the famed Yehudi Menuhin School, The Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Kronberg Academy, is in demand worldwide as a soloist, orchestra director, and chamber musician. In a statement, Sitkovetsky said, {…}
Photo Credit: Kevin Condon Gil Rose has taken on the role of Conductor-in-Residence with Opera at Artpark. Rose begins his charge in Opera at Artpark’s 50th season. With the help of La Fura dels Baus, a Barcelona-based performance troupe, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and over 220 performers, Rose will lead Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.” This production will take place on July {…}
Photo credit: Jakub Kabeš Czech conductor František Babický died unexpectedly at age 84 on April 17. Babický began his career as a professional pianist after graduating from the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts. There he studied conducting under Bohumír Liška. In 1964, he was named choirmaster and later conductor at the South Bohemian Theatre. Babický went on {…}
