Guardian

Claudio Abbado dies aged 80

Claudio Abbado, one of the most acclaimed conductors of our age, has died aged 80. The Italian conductor has been in ill health for several months and has not conducted in public since last summer.

Daily Mail

Royal Opera House unveils rare collection of photos featuring Victorian dancers and singing stars of the early 20th century

A collection of pictures all dating from 1890 to 1914 and belonging to Gwladys Robinson, Lady de Grey, have been released by the Royal Opera House. She left the photos to the Opera House following her death in 1917.

Rocket News 24

Japan Airlines offers free guitar boxes to ease travelling musicians’ worries

As well as offering smaller cases for instruments such as guitars and flutes, Japan Airlines (JAL) has begun lending out a protective cases for guitars, to protect them in the hold as they are too big for the plane.

Telegraph

Vanessa Mae to ski for Thailand at the Winter Olympics

British violinist Vanessa-Mae has fulfilled her long-term ambiltion to qualify for the Winter Olympics. At this year’s Sochi games, she will be racing for Thailand, where her father was born.

The Belfast Telegraph

Lying music teacher defrauded children using fake piano exams

A music teacher who put children through fake piano exams has admitted 16 charges of fraud.

Neue Musikzeitung

Figaro und Ich – Ein Sänger und seine Rolle

Bart abrasieren, Perücke aufsetzen und Kostüm anziehen – das alles sind Dinge, die Sängerinnen und Sänger dabei helfen, in ihre jeweilige Rolle zu finden. Allerdings gehört hierzu noch viel mehr als solche bloßen Äußerlichkeiten…

The Guardian