BACKWigmore Hall celebrates 120th anniversary
The Wigmore is emerging from its most recent crisis with aplomb. As an early adopter of livestreamed concerts at the beginning of the pandemic, it won large dividends of good will and public donations. Whereas many small performing venues in Britain are reopening nervously after six months of forced closure, the Wigmore Hall is confidently poised to celebrate its 120th anniversary with an ambitious program, starting Sunday.
The hall has occupied a special place in music lovers’ hearts since 1901, when it was opened as a recital hall by the German piano manufacturer Bechstein, which had a showroom next door. The discreet wooden doors under an art nouveau canopy that lead into the 540-seat hall, with its red plush seats, marble, gilt and dark wood panels, are a portal to another era.
Berliner Philharmonie ab Juni wieder für Publikum geöffnet
Die Berliner Philharmonie soll ab Juni wieder für Konzertpublikum geöffnet werden. So planen die Berliner Philharmoniker vorbehaltlich einer positiven Entscheidung des Senats am 1. Juni, ab dem 5. Juni wieder vor Publikum zu spielen. Die Konzerte sollen unter den derzeit geltenden Vorschriften (Platzierung des Publikums im Schachbrettmuster, Tragen von FFP2-Masken sowie Testung aller nicht-geimpften und nicht-genesenen Zuschauer) stattfinden.
Die Juni-Programme bieten laut Intendantin Andrea Zietschmann ein breites Spektrum von Antonio Vivaldi über Beethoven, Brahms bis Unsuk Chin und präsentieren bekannte Künstler wie Herbert Blomstedt, aber auch Debüts mit Jean-Christophe Spinosi und Philippe Jaroussky.
Berlin Philharmonie to reopen in June
The Berlin Philharmonie will reopen to the public in June. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra plans to play to the audience again from 5 June, if the Senate makes a positive decision on 1 June. The concerts will take place under the current regulations (placement of the audience in a checkerboard pattern, wearing a FFP2 mask, and testing of all non-vaccinated and non-recovered audience members).
According to artistic director Andrea Zietschmann, the June programmes offer a broad spectrum from Antonio Vivaldi to Beethoven, Brahms to Unsuk Chin as well as well-known artists such as Herbert Blomstedt and debuts with Jean-Christophe Spinosi and Philippe Jaroussky.
Jonathan Fournel, jeune pianiste français, a gagné le Concours Reine Elisabeth !
Jonathan Fournel, 27 ans, étudiant à la Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, a été proclamé 1er Lauréat du Concours Reine Elisabeth 2021 consacré cette année au piano. Le jeune pianiste français s’est imposé face à 5 autres finalistes qui se sont succédé toute la semaine sur la scène du Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles.
Chacun des candidats, accompagné par le Belgian National Orchestra dirigé par Hugh Wolff, a interprété un concerto de son choix ainsi qu’une œuvre inédite, D’un jardin féérique, écrite spécialement pour cette session par Bruno Mantovani.
Jonathan Fournel wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
Jonathan Fournel, 27, student at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, has been proclaimed winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition 2021, this year’s edition being dedicated to the piano. The young French pianist won the competition against five other finalists who performed on the stage of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels throughout the week.
Each of the candidates, accompanied by the Belgian National Orchestra and conducted by Hugh Wolff, performed a concerto of their choice as well as an unpublished work, D’un jardin féérique, written especially for the competition by Bruno Mantovani.