“At the end of 2017, US hip-hop star Nelly played a men-only concert in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; US country singer Toby Keith headlined a similar gig earlier in the year. These shows were flagged as landmark progress, in a strict Gulf state where music was apparently deemed ‘haram’. It’s certainly surreal to watch clips of Nelly pumping up a party where females are banned; in fact, pop culture has long reigned in this Kingdom – and its 1980s powerhouse was the Saudi bootleg cassette shop.”
Category: music
Vladimir Jurowski Will Step Down From London Philharmonic
Just days after the news arrived that the Russian conductor will become music director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in 2021, the London Philharmonic revealed that Jurowski will step down as its chief conductor when he starts in his new position.
Italy’s Largest Opera House (By Far) Defines Itself As Opera Of The People
The Teatro Massimo is not nearly as well-known internationally as those other theaters, but it is an opera house with a back story that few artistic venues can match. That in turn has contributed to bold experimentation in bringing high culture to a troubled community.
Le Figaro Music Critic: How Music Criticism Is Changing
Christian Merlin: “What to make of the Internet? We tried to determine criteria, but it was difficult because, broadly speaking, none of the approaches worked. A press card? Even I’ve never had one. Remuneration? Most of the music criticism websites don’t pay their authors, so one might say that this isn’t a professional activity. The problem is that today, there are some really competent people writing on those sites. Some things have come out in the wash and the most serious and solid sites have come out in front, even if others are only moderately professional.”
As One Might Expect, The iHeart Radio Awards Are Just About The Opposite Of The Grammys
These awards happened this weekend, and yes: “If the Grammys are out of touch, the iHeartRadio awards are almost too in touch, celebrating the most popular of popular music and rejecting stuff that’s unnecessarily hip or cool.” (Er … unnecessarily?)
A Nun Pleads One Last Time For Katy Perry Not To Buy An Abandoned Convent, And Then Dies
“‘Katy Perry, please stop,’ [Sister Catherine Rose Holzman] said on Fox 11 in Los Angeles. Please stop trying to buy the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary’s convent, even though the nuns had gone to court to block the sale. ‘It’s not doing anyone any good,’ Holzman said, then walked into a courtroom, collapsed and died.”
What BBC3 Did For Women Composers On International Women’s Day
This is what happened between March 8, 2017, and this year: “A group of trailblazing academics has spent the last 12 months tracking down the lost music of five forgotten women composers, who range from an 18th-century Viennese child prodigy to an award-winning African-American symphonist. All five women enjoyed recognition for music-making during their lives, but their achievements were often downplayed during their lifetimes and in some cases forgotten after their deaths. … The music has now been edited and professionally recorded by the BBC Orchestras and Choirs.”
After 50(!) Years Singing At The Met, Paul Plishka Retires
The voice is a fragile thing, and few singers end up with 50-year careers at the Metropolitan Opera. The bass Paul Plishka is one of them.
Marina Abramović Is Going To Play Maria Callas In An Opera
“Almost 30 years after she first conceived the idea, Marina Abramović is to finally realise her Seven Deaths project. The Belgrade-born artist has turned the work into an opera, which she will direct herself. The production is due to debut at the Munich Opera House in 2020, with plans for it to tour to Covent Garden in London. The project will see Abramović play her lifelong hero Maria Callas dying in seven operas”
English National Opera Hires Former Sky TV Exec As New Director
At Sky, Stuart Murphy was responsible for channels including Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Arts. In his post, he spearheaded Sky’s increase in investment in original productions, tripling the budget during his tenure. Murphy joins artistic director Daniel Kramer and music director Martyn Brabbins on ENO’s leadership team.