NEW YORK – In a tersely worded statement issued late yesterday afternoon, Suzanne Ponsot, executive director of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic, denied reports that the Israel Philharmonic’s eight-city August U.S. tour had been … » Read

HAVANA (AP) - Cuban Latin Grammy nominees who planned to attend Wednesday night's awards ceremony in Los Angeles didn't get their visas in time because of new U.S. security rules, American officials said. Cuban officials had complained on Tuesday … » Read

by Keith Clarke Conducts LSO last night and wins prestigious biennial Donatella Flick LONDON -- Christophe Mangou from France has won the 2002 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, held in London's Barbican Hall last night, scooping a cash … » Read

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