BACKPercussionist Fang Zhang wins BBC Young Musician
The final of the BBC Young Musician competition was broadcast this Sunday, presented by BBC Young Musician regular Josie d’Arby, organist and conductor Anna Lapwood, and saxophonist Jess Gillam. The winner, 17-year-old percussionist Fang Zhang, is a member of China Youth Percussion Orchestra, and thanks to this scheme has been performing around the world since he was 11 years old.
Fang Zhang impressed the judging panel with a performance of Prism Rhapsody by Japanese composer and marimba innovator Keiko Abe. He was accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.
«Kultur ist teuer» – Bayreuther Festspiele gehen auf volles Risiko
Überall in Deutschland sind Theater und Opernhäuser derzeit geschlossen – doch die Bayreuther Festspiele sollen im Sommer stattfinden. Koste es, was es wolle. Es soll auch ein Zeichen an die Kulturwelt sein – doch es bleibt ein Risiko.
Theater und Opernhäuser in Deutschland sind seit Monaten geschlossen, unter Künstlern und Musikern macht sich Verzweiflung breit. Die Kultur ist eine der am schwersten gebeutelten Branchen in der Corona-Krise. Doch auf einem gewissen Hügel gibt man sich trotz alledem optimistisch. Die Bayreuther Festspiele sollen in diesem Jahr stattfinden – koste es, was es wolle.
Bayreuth Festival takes high risk
Across Germany, theatres and opera houses are currently closed – but the Bayreuth Festival is to take place in summer, no matter the cost. It is supposed to be a signal to the cultural world – but it also remains a risk.
Theatres and opera houses in Germany have been closed for months, and despair is spreading among artists and musicians. The pandemic has hit the cultural sector particularly hard. But on a certain hill there is optimism. The Bayreuth Festival is to take place this year – at all cost.
2021-2022 à La Monnaie de Bruxelles: de l’audace !
Après des mois de douloureuse fermeture, Peter de Caluwe, le patron de la première scène lyrique belge, a présenté sa prochaine saison. « Ces longs mois quasiment sans opéra ont une incidence sur notre programmation pour la saison 2021-22. Ils ont aussi mis sens dessus dessous toutes les saisons restantes de mon mandat à la Monnaie » , déplore Peter de Caluwe en avant-propos de sa prochaine saison.
Ce qui ne l’empêche pas de présenter « une programmation qui respire l’optimisme et la confiance. Car nous ne craignons pas de poser l’hypothèse qu’à partir de septembre, nous pourrons à nouveau vous offrir dix mois d’opéra live sans interruption. »
La Monnaie in Brussels presents a daring programm for 2021-22
After months of painful closure, Peter de Caluwe, the head of Belgium’s leading opera house, has presented his next season. “These long months without opera have had an impact on our programming for the 2021-22 season. They have also turned all the remaining seasons of my mandate at La Monnaie upside down”, says Peter de Caluwe in the introduction to his next season.
This does not prevent him from presenting “a programme that exudes optimism and confidence. We are not afraid to assume that from September onwards we will once again be able to offer you ten months of uninterrupted live opera. “