Category: music

“Commanding listeners’ attention with the intensity of a dominatrix,” German cabaret singer Ute Lemper is reinvigorating cabaret with confrontational energy and nontraditional tunes by pop songwriters like Elvis Costello, Nick Cave, and Tom Waits.  – New York Magazine

Acquiring music over the internet is about to be a more corporate experience. The giant BMG conglomerate has signed deals with a group of tech firms to help it begin offering secure downloadable versions of current hits and catalog product this summer. The company plans to significantly increase the number of titles available in time for the holiday season. Expect similar announcements from other major music manufacturers in the near future. – Variety

Some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most overplayed anthems still bring listeners to tears. “Rock ‘n’ roll is frequently caricatured in the popular media as both mindless and soulless…But there’s one emotion that rarely gets talked about when we talk about rock: empathy.” – Chronicle of Higher Education

The NAACP announced a boycott against South Carolina’s tourism industry earlier this year to try to force the state to stop flying the Confederate flag over its capitol. At first it seemed that the boycott might affect this spring’s Spoleto Festival. But, “no artists or musicians have canceled performances, said Marie Lawson, director of marketing and public relations for Spoleto Festival USA, and ticket sales are doing well.” – MSNBC

After complaints that a poster advertising the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s new production of “Salome” was too revealing, the image has been altered. The company “stapled four (not seven) red chiffon veils over the biblical temptress’s nipples and crotch in the poster put up recently outside the Academy of Music.” – Philadelphia Inquirer

New operas are sprouting all over the landscape, and prestigious companies are debuting them. But landing more performances after the initial production is still a problem. “Opera companies would rather bask in the glory of a world premiere than revive a work that another house has launched.” Mark-Anthony Turnage’s “The Silver Tassie” is breaking the truism, though. It’s well on its way to becoming part of the international repertory, and already enjoyed successful runs in England and Germany. Plans are underway for stagings in Dallas and Ireland. – The Guardian

Researchers at Syracuse University are developing a new playback system that will help them finally play and preserve some of opera history’s oldest surviving sound recordings without damaging or destroying them – including one 19^th-century wax cylinder believed to be an 1895 recording of opera legend Adelina Patti. – The Age (Melbourne) (AP)

– names new artistic director. – Denver Post

Last month Pinchas Zukerman was quoted as saying that the period music movement is “disgusting” and “complete rubbish.” The director of Tafelmusik, Canada’s Baroque Orchestra, took offense. “I am very in favor of dialogue. I am not in favor of people just… saying things like, ‘you know, it’s all shit. They’re all rubbish, the people who play it [Tafelmusik.]’ I don’t think that’s very constructive. I don’t think it’s very intelligent and I don’t think it’s very musical.” – CBC

The British government has to make it easier for consumers to buy music over the internet, a new report warns. The study suggests that otherwise people will buy from pirate sites and foreign competitors if they cannot get quicker and easier online access to music. Global online sales are expected to account for 8% of the total music market by 2004. – BBC