Iranian composer/conductor Alexander Ali Rahbari [pictured with Gergiev] , a self-proclaimed Putin supporter, has announced on Instagram that he is the new principal guest conductor of the Mariinsky Theater, and will conduct ten concerts there … » Read

Chicago Sinfonietta has received what it calls a “special award” of $1 million from the Mellon Foundation, whose granting practices among arts organizations continue to reflect the Foundation-wide focus on social justice. Sinfonietta … » Read

Tackling all five of Beethoven’s piano concertos in a series is not for the faint of heart. British pianist Paul Lewis is set to do just that in three concerts with the BSO and Andris Nelsons at Tanglewood on July 29-31. “It’s a … » Read

The Minnesota Orchestra has chosen another Scandinavian to succeed Osmo Vänskä, whose valedictory season concluded in June after 19 years at the artistic helm. He is Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, 52, who first led the … » Read

COVID-19 and its variants continue to spread their unwanted ills, and choristers singing without masks should take note: Because of a number of cases in its ranks, the Blossom Festival Chorus has cancelled its appearance with the Cleveland … » Read

The Detroit Symphony has appointed Robyn Bollinger, noted free-lance and former member of the Boston-based chamber group A Far Cry, to be its next concertmaster. After a successful audition in February, Bollinger sat in with the DSO for two weeks … » Read

AIX-EN-PROVENCE—There was a determination on the part of Artistic Director Pierre Audi and the city fathers of Aix to mount a full-on festival in 2022 after the difficulties of the last two years, and they more than delivered on their … » Read

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY—Operatic might-have-beens are a centerpiece of the Bard SummerScape’s annual season, the 2022 entry being Die Schweigsame Frau (The Silent Woman) in a brave production that makes an almost-best-possible case … » Read

The Melbourne-based Victorian Opera has named Stuart Maunder AM (Member of the Order of Australia) as its next artistic director. He will  succeed composer-conductor Richard Mills AM at the conclusion of 2023. Maunder began his career in … » Read

In recent years, patrons of the Nashville Symphony had come to dread the arrival of summer, when tens of thousands of purple martins chose to treat the elm trees surrounding the Schermerhorn Symphony Center as their favorite Airbnb stopover … » Read