BACKDame Fanny Waterman dies at 100
One of the piano world’s most revered figures, Dame Fanny Waterman, has died at the age of 100. In an extraordinary career, Dame Fanny became the piano tutor to millions through her iconic series of tuition books ‘Piano Lessons’, and made the Leeds Piano Competition one of the most coveted prizes in all of music. Radu Lupu, Murray Perahia, Sunwook Kim and most recently Federico Colli and Eric Lu all won ‘the Leeds’, as it became known, catapulting them to musical stardom.
Born in Leeds in 1920, Waterman went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London, with performances including an appearance at the 1942 Proms with Henry Wood. Teaching remained her passion, giving masterclasses across the world and releasing Piano Lessons with Fanny Waterman/Marion Harewood, a series of publications which included 30 volumes and has sold over three million copies.
Bayreuth: Hausverbot für Wagner-Experte Stefan Mickisch
Der Pianist Stefan Mickisch hat im Zusammenhang mit einem Beitrag in sozialen Medien Hausverbot in der Villa Wahnfried erhalten. Sven Friedrich vom Richard-Wagner-Museum forderte gleichzeitig, “sogenannten Querdenkern entschieden entgegentreten”.
Der Musiker und Wagner-Experte, der in der Vergangenheit bei den Bayreuther Festspielen häufig Einführungsvorträge hielt, hatte in seinem Text politische Entscheidungen und gesellschaftliche Zustände kritisiert. Unter anderem sprach er sich gegen Entscheidungen von Bund und Ländern während der Corona-Pandemie aus, forderte eine Demokratie nach Schweizer Modell und machte seinem Ärger über den öffentlich-rechtlchen Rundfunk und die deutsche Bürokratie Luft. Darüber hinaus verglich er sich mit Widerstandskämpfer Hans Scholl und zog eine Parallele zwischen der Bundesregierung und dem Dritten Reich.
Bayreuth: House ban for Wagner expert Stefan Mickisch
The pianist Stefan Mickisch has been banned from the Villa Wahnfried in connection with a post on social media. At the same time, Sven Friedrich of the Richard Wagner Museum demanded that “so-called lateral thinkers should be resolutely opposed”.
The musician and Wagner expert, who often gave introductory lectures at the Bayreuth Festival in the past, had criticised political decisions and social conditions in his text. Among other things, he spoke out against decisions made by the federal and state governments during the Corona pandemic, called for a democracy based on the Swiss model and vented his anger at public broadcasting and the German bureaucracy. He also compared himself to resistance fighter Hans Scholl and drew a parallel between the federal government and the Third Reich.
Cet été aux Chorégies d’Orange
Mercredi dernier, à la Salle Gaveau, Jean-Louis Grinda a présenté la nouvelle édition des Chorégies d’Orange. La programmation complète est donc désormais disponible en ligne sur le site du Festival.
Le cru 2021porte d’abord les saveurs de l’année passée compte tenu du report de certains spectacles tels que Samson et Dalila avec Roberto Alagna et Marie-Nicole Lemieux et Il Viaggio Italiano de Cécilia Bartoli avec les Musiciens du Prince. Le festival sera également l’écrin de surprises comme la venue des choeur et orchestre de la Scala de Milan dirigés par Ricardo Chailly fin juillet pour une Grande Nuit Italienne dédiée à Giuseppe Verdi.
This summer at the Chorégies d’Orange
Last Wednesday, at the Salle Gaveau, Jean-Louis Grinda presented the new edition of the Chorégies d’Orange. The complete programme is now available online on the Festival website.
The 2021 vintage first of all carries the flavours of last year given the postponement of certain shows such as Samson et Dalila with Roberto Alagna and Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Il Viaggio Italiano by Cécilia Bartoli with Les Musiciens du Prince. The festival will also be the setting for surprises such as the arrival of the choir and orchestra of La Scala in Milan conducted by Ricardo Chailly at the end of July for a Grand Italian Night dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi.