Seven American Orchestras Will Serenade Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie
The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg has unveiled its tenth‑anniversary season, featuring seven premier American orchestras. Highlights include the Cleveland Orchestra with Golda Schultz, the New York Philharmonic’s debut under Gustavo Dudamel, and the Boston Symphony’s Beethoven‑Stravinsky dialogue. Composer Missy Mazzoli will present politically resonant works, while John Adams’ music marks his 80th birthday and commemorates 9/11. The program runs from October 2026 through January 2027, blending classic repertoire with contemporary voices.
Israel Phil Concertmaster Takes Job in Germany
Dumitru Pocitari, a concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic, has been named the first concertmaster of the Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen in Westphalia, Germany. He already holds the concertmaster chair at the Wiener Symphoniker, a position he assumed in April 2024. While...
Exclusive: The US Orchestra that Said, No
The Seattle Symphony was poised to announce a new CEO when music director Xian Zhang and 80 musicians sent a letter rejecting the board’s preferred candidate. Citing undisclosed concerns, the musicians forced the board to abandon the selection and restart...
Ruth Leon Recommends…. Sidney Nolan – Australian Artist
Sidney Nolan, born 22 April 1917, is hailed as one of Australia’s most influential modern artists. After deserting the army in 1944, he joined the avant‑garde Angry Penguins, editing its magazine and creating the iconic Ern Malley cover. Nolan’s Ned Kelly series, with its...
10 BBC Proms to Book
The BBC announced that tickets for its summer Proms are now available online, with sales opening on May 16. It highlighted ten must‑see concerts ranging from Yunchan’s Ravel concerto on July 17 to Martha Argerich with the Munich Philharmonic on September 5. The...
Sumi Jo Gets a Record Deal
South Korean opera legend Sumi Jo, 63, has signed an exclusive recording contract with SM Classics, the new joint venture between K‑pop powerhouse SM Entertainment and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Her debut release, "Continuum," commemorates her 40‑year stage career and...
A Nazi-Stolen Stradivarius Reappears in France
A 1719 Stradivarius violin, stolen by the Nazis from Warsaw in 1939, has resurfaced in France. The instrument, originally owned by Polish industrialist Henryk Grohman, was identified by music‑heritage activist Pascale Bernheim after being played at the Unterlinden Museum in...
Asmik Grigorian Lights up the Met’s Onegin
The Metropolitan Opera’s revival of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin spotlights Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian as Tatiana, delivering a luminous, emotionally charged performance that dominates the production. Grigorian’s nuanced portrayal—marked by a subtle vibrato and deep lyricism—reimagines the heroine as a solitary,...
Ruth Leon Recommends… Canaletto – Painter of Venice
Canaletto, the 18th‑century master of Venetian vedute, combined exacting perspective with luminous colour to create iconic cityscapes that defined the Grand Tour aesthetic. Trained by his theatrical‑scene painter father, he produced celebrated works such as the 1725 "Stonemason’s Yard" now...
Marie’s in the News. Here’s Her Recent Walton Concerto
French conductor Marie Jacquot has been named chief conductor of the Cologne Opera, taking the helm of one of Germany's leading musical institutions. Her appointment makes her the first female music director in Cologne’s more than two‑century history. Jacquot, celebrated...
Ruth Leon Recommends…. Mrs Warren’s Profession – George Bernard Shaw
Ruth Leon recommends the newly filmed West End production of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession, now streaming on the National Theatre’s NTAtHome platform. The play stars Vivie Warren, a forward‑thinking heroine, opposite her mother, whose fortunes were built on Victorian‑era prostitution....
Boston Concertmaster: Why Andris Nelsons Is a Great Conductor
Boston Symphony concertmaster Nathan Cole lauds Andris Nelsons as a transformative conductor, noting that the 2026‑27 season will be Nelsons' last with the orchestra. He argues that while the BSO could technically play familiar works like Dvořák’s New World Symphony...
Another World-Class Orchestra Shuns London
The Cleveland Orchestra announced a nine‑nation European tour for October 2026, marking the final season under music director Franz Welser‑Möst before his departure. The itinerary includes debuts in Slovenia and Greece and rare returns to Bratislava and Budapest, featuring a...
Cleveland Rolls Out Final Franz Welser-Möst Season
After 25 years and roughly 1,200 performances, Franz Welser-Möst will step down as music director of The Cleveland Orchestra in summer 2027. His final 2026‑27 season launches with Strauss’s Four Last Songs and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8, and includes rare works...
When Did Opera Stop Being Welsh?
Eighty years ago the Welsh National Opera launched with an all‑Welsh cast, three Welsh conductors and a venue named the Prince of Wales Theatre. Today the company is battling a severe financial crunch, having slashed its chorus from 120 singers...