BACKIndoor music, theatre and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that live indoor performances will be able to resume in England from Saturday, as lockdown rules are eased.
It comes as the government introduces bigger fines for failing to wear a mask in places where it is compulsory.
The easing of lockdown rules is now due to come into force on Saturday, after being postponed from 1 August due to concerns about a slight increase in the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in England.
The new guidance will not apply in areas where local lockdown measures are in place, the government said.
The prime minister said that plans to open up more of the economy this weekend “will allow more people to return to work and the public to get back to more of the things they have missed”.
Schutzschild gegen den Ausverkauf: Die BR-Symphoniker auf Chefsuche
München – Seit dem Tod von Mariss Jansons ist das Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks auf der Suche nach einem Nachfolger. Von den möglichen Kandidaten wird mehr erwartet als brillantes Musizieren.
Eigentlich hätte Mariss Jansons in diesen Wochen bei den Salzburger Festspielen seine Karriere krönen können. Erstmals wollte er Modest Mussorgskys große Choroper «Boris Godunow» dirigieren, am Pult der Wiener Philharmoniker, mit denen er drei legendäre Neujahrskonzerte im Wiener Musikverein gestaltet hatte. Doch sein plötzlicher Tod im Dezember 2019 vereitelte dieses von Musikfreunden in aller Welt mit Spannung erwartete Musiktheaterereignis. Seitdem ist Jansons’ Stammensemble, das Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (BRSO), auf der Suche nach einem Nachfolger. Gute Karten könnte ein in Deutschland wohlbekannter Brite haben: Sir Simon Rattle.
Doch noch ist das alles nicht viel mehr als Spekulation. Sicher scheint nur, dass der neue Chef des BRSO noch während der 2021 zu Ende gehenden Amtszeit von BR-Intendant Ulrich Wilhelm bestimmt werden soll. Potenzielle Kandidaten für das Chefdirigenten-Amt würden derzeit intern ermittelt, verlautet offiziell aus dem Sender.
Aus dem Orchester ist zu hören, dass die Zusammenarbeit mit Rattle sehr gut funktioniere. Pluspunkte sind auch Rattles Faible für Kinder- und Jugendprojekte zur Generierung eines jüngeren Publikums sowie seine mediale Präsenz. Dass Rattle bislang immer nur ein einziges Orchester leitete, mag kein entscheidendes Hindernis für sein Engagement in München sein. Er müsse ja nicht Chefdirigent werden, heißt es. Das Amt eines ersten Gastdirigenten wäre ja auch denkbar.
The BR-Symphony Orchestra is looking for a boss
Ever since the sudden death of Mariss Jansons, the symphony orchestra des Bayerischen Rundfunks has been looking for a successor. It has taken so long as much more is expected of its next leader than just brilliant music-making.
A British conductor who is well known in Germany could have good cards: Sir Simon Rattle. Whilst no regular concerts are possible at the moment because of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Rattle was on duty in Munich three times during the past trunk season, which observers interpreted as a sign that the former principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is the likely candidate of the coveted BRSO role. In recent years he has performed regularly with the Munich orchestra, and even began a concert cycle with Richard Wagner’s tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen” – “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung” are still to come.
But all this is still not much more than speculation. The only thing that seems certain is that the new head of the BRSO will be appointed by BR director Ulrich Wilhelm during the term of office that ends in 2021. Potential candidates for the position of Chief Conductor are currently being investigated internally, according to official reports from the station. For Wilhelm, who is an avowed fan of classical music, careful coordination with the musicians of the symphony orchestra is important. It can, however, be assumed that a decision will be made in the course of the next few months.
Undoubtedly, the orchestra seems intent on underscoring its international significance with a globally active media star. After all, the pressure to cut costs, which is becoming more acute in the wake of the pandemic, is also affecting public broadcasting. The new boss must be a shield against the sell-out.