Category: music

“Nearly two decades of fakes, frauds and charlatans are not exactly a great advertisement for a style of music which once was touted as the future of pop.” But the Buena Vista gang seems about to change all that. – Sydney Morning Herald

London Symphony Orchestra, which has claimed to be “the most recorded orchestra in the world,” sets up its own recording label. – The Independent

Opera about Julius and Ethel Rosenberg by American composer has successful premiere in Berlin. – Die Welt

Chicago Lyric Opera takes the initiative on renewing American opera with an ambitious multi-year plan of new work. The company’s leadership sits down for a conversation with the Chicago Tribune. – Chicago Tribune

An evolving relationship gets a jolt of imagination. – Los Angeles Times

• And: Another take on the subject – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12/12/99

Seven years after its “official” groundbreaking, construction finally begins on Los Angeles’ new $200+ million Disney concert hall. – Orange County Register

Chicago’s Lyric Opera has had a major influence on other companies with its commissions of new work. Now an ambitious 10-year plan to help reinvigorate the artform. – Chicago Tribune

The New York City Ballet musicians strike is over, but the issues were legitimate. Says a former board member on the state of the music: “Ugly sound, wrong notes, missing notes have become increasingly familiar. The musical direction has grown slacker and slacker – it’s no secret that the company has been unable to hire a strong new musical director because of the absurd rules and attitudes that have come to govern the orchestra’s performance.” It was time to confront the issue. – New York Observer

You could be forgiven for thinking you’d wandered into an uber-thrash heavy metal convention. But look, oh, up there on the stage behind the heavy metalers – it’s none other than the Berlin Philharmonic. It was loud. Bloody loud. – Irish Times

A newly-discovered manuscript of a string quartet by Beethoven lasting only 52 seconds, sells for £180,000 at auction. – BBC