Category: music

The New York Philharmonic is out of luck, at least as far as executive directors are concerned. After six rejections, whom should the Phil next court?

Mark Swed: “Stravinsky gave us a certain cultural credibility that the presence of no other artist in any field could match. He was our art icon.”

Repeating one of the best moments in opera. And repeating it. And repeating it – live, for 12 hours.

“Boston Lyric Opera has completed a record fundraising year, exceeding its goals and raising more than $5 million in one year.”

Describing the decision as due to “circumstances beyond the control of the Kentucky Opera,” a letter to patrons from the company’s general director said that the pit band for this weekend’s performances of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro will be two pianos and a harpsichord.

“The Salzburg Festival has embarked on an ambitious program to commission contemporary work under new artistic director Alexander Pereira. New operas will be coming from composers György Kurtág, Marc-André Dalbavie, Thomas Adès and Jörg Widmann, Pereira announced Thursday.”

Composer Michael Finnissy: “Supposing Mozart was alive now in 2011 and he was looking back at himself in 1791 – what would he have to take account of musically, because we are in a completely different musical period? I imagined Mozart in the present day, working to complete the Requiem, looking back across the centuries which have passed since his death.”

“Looking to extend its reach as a hub for entertainment and social networking, Google introduced a set of music features on Wednesday, including a download store to compete with iTunes.”

The endangered company’s orchestral players and singers had offered to give up their pay for this season in exchange for maintaining health insurance and other benefits and a say in management. Administrators say that the company cannot afford even that proposal and can only pay per hour of labor.

“The musicians voted last night on the most recent proposal and unanimously rejected it, according to a statement. In the statement, musicians say they cannot accept an offer that restricts them from performing elsewhere, provides limited job security and includes a pay cut.”