MILAN—From Vienna to Bayreuth, several of Europe’s leading opera houses are mounting full Ring cycles to mark this year’s 150th anniversary of the tetralogy’s premiere. At La Scala, performances of the four-opera epic are … » Read

The news that the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) would  not renew Music Director Andris Nelsons’ s contract at the end of the 2026-27 season came suddenly and without sentiment. It arrived while Nelsons was touring with the Vienna … » Read

CHICAGO—Every moment ought to be Kurt Weill’s, but especially this one. Whether working in cabaret or opera, the exiled German–Jewish composer was one of music theater’s great truthtellers: a craver of complexity, an ally … » Read

NEW YORK (AP) — In his book on reinventing opera, director Yuval Sharon describes Tristan und Isolde as “the single hardest work in the traditional repertoire to stage.” Yet here he is, about to make his Metropolitan Opera debut … » Read

On March 3 Elise Arancio, an American composer and Juilliard alumna, was named winner of the 4 th annual  Pisar Prize, Juilliard’s annual composition award in partnership with Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Villa … » Read

Andris Nelsons will exit as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra following the 2027 Tanglewood season, which marks the conclusion of his current contract. A statement from the orchestra reads: “The decision to not renew his … » Read

Jean Davidson, who succeeded Gary Ginstling as executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra in 2023 , is moving back to Los Angeles to become executive director and CEO of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The Wallis … » Read

Between its designate and emeritus-for-life music directors, the Chicago Symphony has carved out a mostly want-to-be-there 2026-27 season. The former, Klaus Mäkelä, spends five subscription weeks on the podium plus an eight-city … » Read

Thor Steingraber, executive and artistic director of Los Angeles’ Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, is to succeed 15-year veteran Gary Dunning as president and CEO of Vivo Performing Arts (formerly Celebrity Series … » Read

Bernard Rands, the British-born composer of nearly 100 works, died in Chicago on March 4, 2026, at the age of 92. A native of Sheffield in northern England, he studied composition first in Wales before moving to Italy. There he became a student … » Read