Anna Netrebko has withdrawn from her planned role debut in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos at the Vienna State Opera and been replaced by [ Musical America 2024 Artist of the Year ] Lise Davidsen in a switch of star sopranos. “Ill health this … » Read

Herewith, in chronological order, our second annual end-of-the-year roundup of Musical America’s New Artists of the Month, from sopranos to sackbut and saxophone players, all fresh on the path to major careers. Ben Goldscheider . Listening … » Read

Pierre Boulez died on January 5, 2016 at age 90 in Baden-Baden. Now the German city in which French-born composer, conductor, and writer had lived and worked for over 60 years is planning the centenary celebration of his 1925 birth. “Pierre … » Read

Tenor Jonas Kaufmann sits at the pinnacle of today’s opera world. As he recently recalled for an interviewer, his 2006 debut at the Metropolitan Opera with Angela Gheorghiu in Verdi's La traviata “radically changed my career.” … » Read

As the Year 2024 closes, we remember those we lost and their milestone contributions. A list follows: Arlene Croce , December 16 at age 90. Most revered and most feared dance critic at The New Yorker from 1973 to 1996. Balanchine was the ideal, … » Read

Twelve of the most challenging minutes in all of opera are the two coloratura arias sung by the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute . And these days no one seems to sing them better than Kathryn Lewek, as evident in her recent … » Read

The role of the organ as an integral part of most Protestant church services is today taken for granted. But such was not the case for the two centuries after 1517, when Martin Luther issued his Ninety-five Theses taking the Catholic Church to … » Read

BOSTON—This city, with one of the “top-five” American orchestras, remains a rich center for classical music, attracting homegrown and imported artists, though its celebrated orchestra isn’t always at the top of the heap. … » Read

A December 13 update on the PacerMonito r indicates that the Syracuse Opera, which has been dormant since the cancellation of its 2023-24 season , has filed for Chapter 7 liquidation. The last opera on its stage, in October of 2023, was I Am a … » Read

NEW YORK (AP)—If she has the voice of an angel, and the face of an angel, she must be an Angel. American soprano Angel Blue [Musical America’s 2025 Vocalist of the Year], one of the most admired singers of her generation, is … » Read