In a recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) column, critic Terry Teachout argues that opera’s survival in America requires “fresh thinking” that is unlikely to come from large companies like the Metropolitan Opera. He points to what … » Read

As the strike by its orchestra enters Day 3, the Lyric Opera of Chicago is being forced to cancel its own performances and change venues of those by other groups, such as DaBu’s “Choir Choir Choir” on Friday. That sold-out … » Read

NEW YORK — The Stradivarius stolen from late violinist Roman Totenberg and miraculously found more than three decades later has a new life—under the chin of a budding 18-year-old virtuoso. On Tuesday in New York, Totenberg’s … » Read

MILAN--The Teatro Regio in Turin has plunged deeper into financial crisis, prompting scenes of chaos at the Italian theater. Incumbent and ex-administrators have accused one another of mismanagement, while workers until yesterday  threatened … » Read

An email this morning from the musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra indicates they have gone on strike. It reads, in part: "[General Director]Anthony Freud and Lyric Management are demanding radical cuts that would decimate the Orchestra and … » Read

SALT LAKE CITY — The famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir will be singing the same tune but under a new name. The choir was renamed Friday to strip out the word Mormon in a move aimed at ending shorthand names for the religion that have been used … » Read

An application to use the instantly recognizable sails of the Sydney Opera House as a projection screen to advertise an upcoming horse race has set off a war of words stoked by a right-wing radio shock jock. On Oct. 6 Clover Moore, the lord mayor … » Read

The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) kicked off its centennial season on Oct. 4 with a celebration that owed more to the Beach Boys than to such hoary classical greats as Bach, Beethoven, or Brahms. Declaring that “art does not have … » Read

Within months Pittsburgh will join a select group of cities—Burlington, VT, Boston, Atlanta, and Portland, OR—with an orchestra composed of musicians suffering from mental illnesses. The Me2/Orchestra movement, the inspiration of … » Read

MILAN — A fire in Venice's rebuilt La Fenice opera house was swiftly brought under control Monday, 22 years after a blaze had destroyed the famous theater. It is expected to reopened tonight, with Il barbiere di Siviglia. Italian news … » Read