Category: music

“The Austrian federal government’s decision to eliminate entirely its support, which constituted half of the company’s governmental subsidies (the other half coming from the city) [had] effectively put the Kammeroper out of business.” The company’s white knight (to stick with the corporate merger metaphor) was the innovative Theater an der Wien.

“Working on a borrowed PC in his uncle’s Massachusetts office, sleeping in a nearby utility cupboard in order to conduct days-long programming sessions, Fanning had a finished product by the spring of 1999.”

“We have Glenn Gould, we have Oscar Peterson, we have Anton Kuerti, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Arcade Fire, Ginette Reno … I mean wow, man, we have an amazing story and nobody knows about it. Or not enough people know about it. … And, boom! A light went on: Let’s build a national music centre.”

“William Bennett, was standing on stage before the orchestra and performing when he passed out. … Mr. Bennett, 56, suffered a brain hemorrhage and was in the hospital in ‘guarded condition’ on Sunday.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants, which in their case includes a partner supportive of highly nontraditional work schedules and an ability to look past the thick sideburns Handler grew for ‘Die Meistersinger.'”

“The joyful essence of Munich’s production is its ecological point of view, which makes a virtue of reducing the technology on stage. The first three operas in the cycle almost feel like a Zen ‘Ring.'”

“When you are a classical musician at a professional level there is no question about who or what you are, or what you do. Ever. Except that sometimes, oftener than any classical musician I know has ever admitted, it does eventually become a question.”

“Music was something you bought after protracted debate with friends in the aisles of Our Price, and then, suddenly, songs were accessible from home. They didn’t cost anything.”

“Given that corporate revenues are vital, it’s pretty hard for anyone to lash out at the corporate heads who write the checks. Still, there are other backdrop issues that would make it seem that the orchestra boards are simply playing contemporary hardball with the unions.”

“Dreary period pieces? Pricey tickets? Stuffy atmosphere? Not at the Kiez Oper! Aiming to bring opera to new audiences, the group behind the Berlin project is staging its latest production in an abandoned swimming pool.” The approach is similar to what Andreas Mitisek Has been doing in recent years at Long Beach Opera in California.