Category: music

William Theisen, the former artistic director of Skylight Opera Theatre whose June firing ignited controversy and protests, has canceled his agreement to direct four shows in the company’s upcoming season. “Theisen backed out because the company’s managing director, Eric Dillner, fired two of his cast members,” who had “supported Theisen and criticized Dillner in comments on Facebook and on blogs.” Theisen’s withdrawal was followed by a cascade of artist departures.

“After redding up the George Westinghouse Air Brake factory in the Strip District for its new headquarters, the Pittsburgh Opera today will announce plans to ‘green’ its new home enough that it be considered for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Operations and Maintenance Certification.”

“It’s impossible to prove definitively, but a strong case can be made that Colorado is the country’s best place during the summer — qualitatively and quantitatively — to see and hear conductors.”

“Research suggests the industry grew last year and is finding new ways of making money. Music brought in £3.6bn to the British economy last year, growing by 4.7%, according to a report from PRS for Music, the payment collection body for musicians, songwriters and publishers.”

“Possessing a legendary charisma that his musicians often say allows him to conduct more with his eyes than with his hands, Gergiev is a one-man musical power station. He’s not only the director of the entire Mariinsky Theatre, but also chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and a devoted guest-conductor of the New York Metropolitan Orchestra and the mighty Vienna Philharmonic.”

“Over the past year, as sales of CDs have continued to fall and paid-for downloads from services like Apple’s iTunes have fallen short of hopes, record companies have moved to embrace casual file-sharers. Legal services offering free, unlimited streaming of music, rather than downloads, are proliferating. According to a survey published last week, they are taking some of the wind out of the pirates’ sails.”

“A recent MusicWorks survey asked 2,000 people in offices, warehouses and factories about how music affected their jobs. Seventy-one per cent said they’d prefer music at work, 77% say they are more productive with good tunes on in the background and a whopping 84% say it improves morale.”

“Bavaria’s annual celebration of Richard Wagner has likely avoided what would have been its first-ever strike. The tension has now been diffused – and the new directors spared major embarrassment. Marathon pay talks between the union and the festival management collapsed early Tuesday, but a new round of negotiations has now been scheduled for July 22.”

“When Soviet officials organized an athletics spectacle in 1939 to mobilize youth, complete with 30,000 ‘physical culturists,’ Sergei Prokofiev composed music for the event. But when the event’s choreographer, Vsevolod Meyerhold, vanished before the premiere, Music for Athletes went unheard. Tonight marks its first performance.”

With Daniel Barenboim as conductor, the Milan company has celebrated Tel Aviv’s 100th anniversary with a staged Aida at the city’s Performing Arts Center and a free performance of Verdi’s Requiem for thousands at Yarkon Park.