Michael Haefliger will step down as executive and artistic director of Switzerland’s Lucerne Festival, one of the most important in Europe, at the close of the 2025 season. “Naturally, this decision was not easy for me” he … » Read

American composer Ned Rorem, known almost as well for his diaries as for his 500 art songs, died this morning at his home in Manhattan. He was 99. Winner of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for his Air Music , an orchestral suite, he was highly regarded … » Read

English National Opera Chair Harry Brünjes [pictured] has seemingly called Arts Council England’s bluff. Contrary to its recommendation that ENO relocate to Manchester, as a way of coping with being defunded by ACE, he says, simply, … » Read

That was quick. Barely a month ago, Fort Worth Opera (FWO) announced that its third general director in five years, Afton Battle, had resigned . One former trustee has been quoted as saying she was too much of an activist (Battle is Black). Not … » Read

Sheri Notaro has joined the Minnesota Orchestra as its first vice president of people and culture. Her charge—to provide “strategic direction and tactical support” for human resources and lead anti-racism initiatives. Although … » Read

NEW YORK (AP) — A representative for Roberta Flack announced Monday that the Grammy-winning musician has ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and can no longer sing. The progressive disease “has made it impossible to … » Read

British conductor Jonathan Cohen is to succeed Harry Christophers as artistic director of the Boston-based Handel and Haydn Society. Christophers stepped down at the close of 2021. Cohen, at age 44, becomes one of the youngest of the 14 past … » Read

Sarah Caggiano, recent executive director of continuing and expanded education at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), has joined the New England Conservatory with a mandate to expand its Preparatory School (NEC Prep) offerings as well as … » Read

American conductor Joshua Weilerstein , London-based, is to be the new chief conductor of the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble in Northern Denmark founded in 1943. He first led the orchestra in 2011 and, in 2023-24, will be stepping into a … » Read

There are prodigies, and then there is 17-year-old Alma Deutscher. When Opera San Jose presents her opera Cinderella on Nov. 12, she will be on the podium for the return of a work presented five years ago,  first in Vienna and then in San … » Read