MILAN (AP) — Soprano Lisette Oropesa was to be the first American to sing a title role in the gala season opener at La Scala since Maria Callas in the 1950s. Then Italy’s virus cases surged. An outbreak in both La Scala’s chorus … » Read

La Jolla Music Society, as of January 4, will have its fourth new president and CEO in two years. He is Todd Schultz, 54, whose last, year-long job was senior VP of development for the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. Previously, he served as … » Read

Ott Maaten is to be the new director of the Estonian National Opera (Rahvusooper), succeeding Aivar Mäe, who resigned in late August after having been accused by staff of sexual harassment. (The charges are under investigation.) … » Read

Canadian director Michael Cavanagh, who lays claim to staging 150 opera productions in 32 international houses, is to succeed Birgitta Svendén as artistic director of the Royal Swedish Opera, starting in summer of 2021. Svendén, who … » Read

In a year burdened with far too many deaths, some from Covid-19, many not, one that seems to have escaped notice is that of Jay K. Hoffman, onetime powerhouse impresario and promoter and, later in life, public relations executive. Hoffman died on … » Read

While it may seem that there is nothing new to say about the iconic jazz singer Billie Holiday, a new documentary written and directed by James Erskine suggests otherwise. Billie , which begins streaming on Dec. 4 , interweaves Holiday’s … » Read

The Hong Kong Philharmonic has appointed a resident conductor, a practical move with Music Director Jaap van Zweden back home in the Netherlands and unable to travel or conduct his HK band without quarantining for two weeks on either end. The new … » Read

Remember when Daniel Harding announced he would step down from a highly successful international conducting career to become a  commercial airline pilot with Air France? That was in January 2020, before Covid-19 threw all plans to the winds. … » Read

Life is sometimes what happens when you’re making other plans. For John Holiday, a 35-year-old countertenor from Texas, 2020 began with him singing the role of Orpheus’ Double in the world premiere of composer Matthew Aucoin’s … » Read

British pianist Stephen Hough has a question for classical music concertgoers. “Who,” he asks in The Guardian , “decreed that a concert of orchestral music should last roughly two hours with a gap in the middle in order for us … » Read