LONDON—The three items on the bill at the London Philharmonic’s March 26 concert—by Kaija Saariaho, Carl Nielsen, and Prokofiev—share no great connection, although two of the three composers were Scandinavian, as is the … » Read

The Israeli Philharmonic is sure to attract protesters, and its March 26 performance at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, CA., the last stop on its U.S. tour, proved no exception. But unlike an earlier concert in San Francisco, where … » Read

LONDON—Two musical behemoths, of comparable duration and employing near-identical forces, filled London’s Barbican Hall with sound March 23. As well as the healthy economics of engaging four singers for an entire evening rather than a … » Read

Nonesuch Records has championed Steve Reich for four decades with a slew of first recordings, many of them definitive. They form the bedrock of a 27-disc set of Reich’s “Collected Works,” released this month. A handful of … » Read

LOS ANGELES—Over the past decade or so, the Mozart/Da Ponte opera cycle— The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni , and Così fan tutte— has established prominent beachheads in California. First, Gustavo Dudamel and the Los … » Read

LONDON—Founded by Iván Fischer and the late Zoltán Kocsis in 1983, the Budapest Festival Orchestra has been a guarantee of artistry for decades. Its regular BBC Proms performances are invariably sold out, which was why a … » Read

EVANSTON, Ill.— After Sir Andrew Davis was diagnosed with leukemia, the conductor and his son Ed Frazier Davis began to discuss end-of-life plans. Rather than a funeral, the elder Davis wanted a musical “celebration of life” … » Read

LOS ANGELES—Given the current administration’s predilections, this might seem a dangerous time in which to launch a festival celebrating the music of two late Black and/or homosexual avant-gardists. But the first-time consortium of LA … » Read

CHICAGO—The world needs more tenors like Karim Sulayman. Sulayman, 48, showed uncommon grace, levity, and nuance in a Feb. 27 recital hosted by the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC). Sulayman was born and raised in Chicago; … » Read

LONDON—The adrenaline was flowing at this February 28 Barbican Centre concert with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBCSO) and Elim Chan. Not only was the Hong Kong-born conductor—a rapidly rising star and the first woman to win the … » Read