The Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation has made a NOK 10 million ($960,000) gift to the Queen Sonja Singing Competition. Established in 1988, the biennial Norwegian competition provides an arena for aspiring singers from Norway and around the world to … » Read

Capping its annual conference, titled this year “Amplify,” the Sphinx Organization presented the finals of its senior division competition on January 27 in Detroit’s Fisher Music Center. Taking the $50,000 Robert Frederick … » Read

Singers and musicians at one of the UK's leading opera companies have called off a strike over pay and conditions, the performing arts union Equity said. Members of the English National Opera (ENO) chorus and orchestra had been due to walk out on … » Read

The five-note opening phrase of Ernst Krenek’s 1928 Little Symphony–– launched by the contrabassoon, then echoing through the orchestra––almost sounds like a question. Its two upward leaps are both followed by a … » Read

For the second year in a row, the Metropolitan Opera is dipping into its endowment s to cover operating expenses. Last year the company took $30 million; this year it will draw down as much as $40 million. While saying we “obviously … » Read

SAN FRANCISCO—Their mouths pulled in close to eight floor-mounted boom mikes arranged in a wide semi-circle, Roomful of Teeth set in right away making some strange and wondrous sounds from the Herbst Theater stage on January 25. Founded in … » Read

Apple Music Classical’s reach is growing, with the app now available in Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The company is calling on a starry roster of musical ambassadors from the region that includes, among others, 2022 … » Read

A recipient of the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award, with a repertoire that spans from Bach to Thomas Adès, Kirill Gerstein has a knack for imaginative programming. His recent recital at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall was anchored by three … » Read

Marie Jacquot is to succeed Cristian Macelaru as chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra as of the 2026-27 season. The Paris-born Jacquot, 33, is principal guest conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and designated chief conductor of … » Read

Ewa Podle s , the Polish contralto possessed of a three-octave-plus voice, died on Jan. 19 in Warsaw at age 71. Her voice, which she described as “like an alto in the lower range, like a soprano on top,” was likely more nature than … » Read