At least, that’s what tenor Andreas Schager claims. “But his path to singing Siegfried at the Met … was unusual. Mr. Schager, who was born Andreas Schagerl in the small town of Rohrbach an der Gölsen, started his career in operetta (precursors to modern musical comedies) and lighter tenor roles.” – The New York Times
Category: music
Why Does Country Music Have Such A Race Problem?
So … Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” is sitting at number one in the UK – and in the US, but despite its utter yeehaw-ness, not on the country charts because Billboard claimed it didn’t “embrace enough elements of today’s country music.” Riiiiight. The genre has a bit of an issue with Black musicians (and other musicians of color), and women of any race as well. “The gravity of this discrimination really hits home when you consider that country is the biggest radio format in the US.” – The Guardian (UK)
The Chicago Symphony Strike Has Ended
The strike lasted for seven weeks and, though the musicians didn’t get everything they wanted in terms of gaining wages and pensions, at least they stopped losing. As one musician (and negotiator) says, “We were successful in changing the direction, the trend.” – Chicago Tribune
Should We Really Drop Kate Smith’s ‘God Bless America’ From Sporting Events Because Of A Couple Of Racist Songs She Sang 80-Odd Years Ago? Well, Yes
Last week, someone brought forward two now-embarrassing songs about black people that Smith recorded in the 1930s (we’ll spare you the titles), and teams in New York and Philadelphia that had been playing her version of the Irving Berlin anthem at games promptly dropped her. Anne Midgette wondered if this was an overreaction — until she talked to two black opera stars who’ve done a lot of singing at sports events themselves. – The Washington Post
Beyond The Met’s Live In HD: Opera Companies All Over Bring Their Performances To Cinemas And The Web
“Since the Metropolitan Opera began broadcasting live to movie theaters, in 2006, companies from the Bolshoi to the Komische Oper Berlin have seen digital distribution as crucial to positioning themselves internationally. Only a handful of players have the standing and resources to create for cinema, and many organizations in Europe turn to free web streaming, but never before have opera houses had such freedom to produce their own content.” – The New York Times
Fitness Companies Are Becoming Entertainment Companies. Publishers Have Sued Peloton Over Music And Customers Are Noticing
It may seem silly to lament over music selections in an exercise class, but it’s an issue that fitness companies may increasingly face as they transform from traditional health companies into media publishers. Let’s face it: working out can be boring, and people are willing to pay top dollar to have someone yell at us while sweating to the latest Migos track. – The Verge
Surviving Auschwitz By Playing Jazz
Writer Amanda Petrusich recounts the story of trumpeter Eric Vogel and the Ghetto Swingers, a band that played for officers and the Red Cross at Theresienstadt and, for a time, Auschwitz. Vogel later came to New York and became a design engineer and a jazz critic for Down Beat magazine. – The New Yorker
There’s Only One City Where You Can See Four Brand-New Full-Scale Operas In Four Months
“No place on earth rivals Berlin for the volume and variety of opera on offer, from Georg Frideric Handel to Hans Werner Henze. The city has three world-class companies, which this season have combined for a total of 85 fully staged productions. And they are investing in new works to run alongside the old war horses.” – The New York Times
Rahm Emanuel Offers To Mediate The Chicago Symphony Strike
“None of us want to see that jewel tarnished. After speaking with both parties, it appears that we should be able to achieve an end to this seven-week strike. Therefore, I am offering the services of my office to serve as a forum where both parties can work in good faith.” – Chicago Tribune
How “Go Down Moses” Became Part Of A Passover Tradition
The song is thought to have been written by African-American slaves in about 1800, inspired by the story of Jewish slaves in the Bible. So a double cultural appropriation? – WBUR