BBC Music Magazine

Aung San Suu Kyi becomes honorary ambassador for Leeds Piano Competition

Competition’s top prize to be named after the Burmese opposition leader.

NY Times

Budget Woes Prompt Cuts at Seattle Opera

The Seattle Opera says an anticipated $1 million budget shortfall this season will mean cuts in salaries and staff and a reshaping of its programming, with a four-opera season instead of five beginning in 2014.

Arts Journal – Slipped Disc

Berlin Philharmonic swoop for the BBC’s chief horn

Martin Owen, principal horn of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, is being passionately wooed by the big band from Berlin.

The Guardian

A guide to Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s music

His work required orchestra and conductor to perform star-jumps while shouting out the darkest parts of the Bible and Dostoevsky.

Bryn Terfel: ‘I’d like to sing Citizen Kane’

Opera star Bryn Terfel is everywhere this summer, launching his Welsh music festival and kicking off the Proms.

(Written on June 28, 2012 )

The Telegraph

Opera world hits back over criticism of cinema screenings

A claim by John Berry, the artistic director of the English National Opera, that opera is harming itself by screening live performances at cinemas has been queried by other arts organisations.

The Guardian

George Benjamin: a life in music 

Benjamin talks about his career and what might lie behind this lack of public appetite for anything resembling contemporary music.

Jessica Duchen

Friday catch-up and Friday historical

Some of Duchen’s highlights of days past and the weekend ahead.

Slipped disc – Norman Lebrecht

Why do conductors collect all those awards?

Jiri Belohlavek has been made an honorary Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony these past seven years. That’s fairly low down the honours list as these things go.

Which world famous conductor was middleman for jailed violin dealer?

Dietmar Machold, the Austrian violin dealer with a taste for fine castles, had his bail application rejected again this week.

Plan to merge two German opera houses

Düsseldorf Opera has run out of cash and faces closure. Cologne has sacked its artistic director after he threatened to suspend the next season.

Gramophone

Awards for Sir Antonio Pappano and Jiří Bělohlávek

Conductors receive honours in Italy and UK respectively.

(Written on May 11, 2012 )