BERLIN -- After only two years of a seven-year contract, the Senate of this city-state has just "dumped" (to use his own term) Udo Zimmermann as Intendant of the largest of Berlin's three opera houses, the Deutsche Oper, with only one of those … » Read

Soothing ruffled feathers pays off LONDON – The Royal Ballet has apparently opted for the safe route in promoting its acting director, Monica Mason, to the top position, bypassing such luminaries as ABT’s artistic director, Kevin McKenzie. Mason … » Read

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A landslide of Russian art and culture is settling down near the shores of the frigid Chesapeake Bay this winter for one of the world's largest celebrations of St. Petersburg's 300th birthday. For three weeks, the romantic, … » Read

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A landslide of Russian art and culture is settling down near the shores of the frigid Chesapeake Bay this winter for one of the world's largest celebrations of St. Petersburg's 300th birthday. For three weeks, the romantic, … » Read

In classical: RCA Victor (re)joins Erato, Teldec LONDON – BMG is exploring with the European Commission the possibility of a merger with Warner Music. In the classical realm, among other interesting ironies, that would bring back together Erato … » Read

MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- Richard Wagner has been dead for 120 years, but the legacy of his monumental operas glorifying Teutonic myths and his deep anti-Semitism remain as contentious as ever. As a new German exhibit on Adolf Hitler's favorite … » Read

Jun Märkl succeeds David Robertson in 2005 PARIS – German conductor Jun Märkl is to succeed David Robertson as music director of the Orchestre National de Lyon, effective in Sept. 2005 on a three-year contract. Robertson, recently named music … » Read

LONDON -- English National Opera is to cancel the entire run of John Adams' "Nixon in China" that was due to reopen the company's London Coliseum home following a $76 million refurbishment. A statement today from the company revealed that the … » Read

LONDON -- In an impressively erudite article, tenor Ian Bostridge discusses his role as Caliban in Thomas Adès's forthcoming opera-zation of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," scheduled to open Tuesday at the Royal Opera House. Adès and librettist … » Read

The case against the proposed £2.7 billion merger of music companies BMG and Sony Music will be outlined by the European Commission within weeks. Its competition commission, headed by Mario Monti, is expected to publish a statement of objections … » Read