LONDON—Every new year brings a fresh crop of reasons to mark musical anniversaries, especially when a composer’s birth (or death) day happened either *00 or *50 years ago. Thus 2025 sees the 100th birthday of Boulez, the 150th of … » Read

LONDON—Once upon a time El Sistema was the gold standard in international music education. The gilt, however, started to peel off years ago amid accusations of corruption and abuse. In the same week that the U.S. announced a $25m reward for … » Read

ST. LOUIS—Exciting things are afoot at the St. Louis Symphony. Next fall, the orchestra will unveil its $150 million renovation of Powell Hall, turning 100 this year . The construction has chased the St. Louisans to different local halls, … » Read

LONDON—For the London Symphony Orchestra, 2025 is a double red-letter year. Not only is it Antonio Pappano’s first season as chief conductor—and already looking like a match made in heaven—but it’s the year Simon … » Read

In the digital program for the new opera Eat the Document , the creative team—librettist, composer, stage director, musical director––offers a piece of advice: “If you haven’t already read the book, we highly … » Read

The Met’s new production of Aida , seen at its New Year’s Eve premiere, registered as an admission of defeat in the face of Verdi’s dramatic conventions. If director Michael Mayer had had any insights into the workings of the … » Read

A conductor, pianist, and bassist, Rotterdam and Israel Philharmonic Music Director Lahav Shani has many talents. Enlivening a weary Chicago Symphony appears to be one of them. In June, Shani powerfully closed out the CSO subscription season, a … » Read

LONDON—As the new chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano has made British music a key component of his opening season. This December 15 concert at the Barbican Centre—a program of major works by Vaughan … » Read

Asmik Grigorian, the Lithuanian soprano who made a stunning debut at the Metropolitan Opera last spring as Madama Butterfly , returned to New York on Dec. 12 with an all-Russian program of songs by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff in Zankel Hall, … » Read

Barbara Hannigan and Bertrand Chamayou’s December 12 recital, at the Park Avenue Armory’s Veterans Room, lasted just 75 intermission-less minutes but was so thoroughly satisfying that it felt like the most sumptuous of feasts. The … » Read