LONDON—Joyce DiDonato, shrewd diva that she is, has carved a useful niche in her résumé out of playing one character. That’s Dido, of course, the Carthaginian queen whose name is encoded within her own. As a sequel to … » Read

LONG BEACH, CA—The world premiere of Alyssa Weinberg’s opera Isola took place February 3 in a site called Compound, a small performance space (Laboratory) attached to a hip-looking art gallery/cafe/bar located on a tiny side street in … » Read

Anna Handler is to be an assistant conductor for the BSO as of September 2024, when she will join Samy Rachid, appointed in 2023; the two assistants serve two-year terms. Handler succeeds Earl Lee, whose tenure will conclude at the end of the … » Read

The Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras have announced that Peter Whelan [pictured] and Dinis Sousa will be conducting  upcoming programs, stepping in for Sir John Eliot Gardiner, who stepped aside from his podium duties last August after … » Read

On February 1 at Carnegie Hall, Lise Davidsen reaffirmed her status as a once-in-a-generation vocal phenomenon. Singing the Wesendonck Lieder , with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra led by its music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, … » Read

By today’s standards a 50-year relationship between an orchestra and a  conductor—25 of them as music director—is “an extraordinarily rare one.” One has to hark back to such podium legends as Serge Koussevitzky … » Read

Thomas Coesfeld took over as CEO of the Bertelsmann company last July and is already redefining the company’s strategic outlook. In short order he has: placed the exclusive distribution of BMG’s digital business in the hands of … » Read

Alondra de la Parra has been chosen as artistic director and head of the Orchestra and Choir of the Community of Madrid, beginning in the 2024-25 season and extending for a four-year term. The 43-year-old Mexican succeeds Marzena Diakun, in the … » Read

Simon Rattle is to be the new principal guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, taking the title of “Rafael Kubelik Chair” as of 2024-25 for a five-year term. He and his wife, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, served as the … » Read

Henry Timms, whose leadership as president of Lincoln Center has been controversial among the classical music community, is leaving the position after five years. He is credited with diversifying the staff, which underwent a huge turnover on his … » Read