Keith Elder is to become the new president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony as of July 1, 2023. He succeeds Mary Tuuk Kuras, who retired in December 2022; Chuck Frayer has been serving as interim.   Elder joins the Grand Rapids ensemble … » Read

LONDON—English National Opera’s conceptualization of Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 was dreamily beautiful to behold. In a work that deals in pain and anguish, that may not necessarily have been a good thing. And yet… … » Read

When Ivo van Hove first discussed his “very dark” vision of Mozart’s Don Giovanni with his cast at the Metropolitan Opera, the leading man had doubts. “He said, ‘But is there no hope?’” the Belgian … » Read

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), which serves some 10,000 young musicians annually, both at its own facilities and in schools, has named a new executive director in Jennie Oh Brown. She succeeds Susan Lappe, who left in November after … » Read

Rumors of the death of the piano in the U.K. have apparently been greatly exaggerated. “It is a great time to be in the piano business,” reported one piano shop owner;  Matt Ash, membership and retail lead at the Music Industries … » Read

Michael van der Aa’s 70-minute chamber opera Blank Out is a case study in form trumping content. Presented by Cal Performances in its West Coast premiere April 28-29 at Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, the Dutch auteur’s work employs … » Read

Richard “Gus” Sebring has officially taken over as principal horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, in which he has served as associate principal since 1982; he is also principal of the Boston Pops. He succeeds James Sommerville, who … » Read

Puccini’s La bohème is a staple of the opera world, and it takes a very bold director to tinker around with it. Enter Yuval Sharon, a 2017 MacArthur Genius Grant awardee and current artistic director of the Detroit Opera who in  … » Read

Tchaikovsky’s symphonic writing is some of the most beautiful in the classical canon. And a recent performance of his Symphony No. 5 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic suggests that it might also possess considerable erotic potency. On April … » Read

TORONTO (AP)—Gordon Lightfoot, the folk singer-songwriter known for “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Sundown” and for songs that told tales of Canadian identity, died Monday. He was 84. Representative Victoria Lord … » Read