MILAN—By the midpoint of the first of La Scala’s two full Ring   cycles (March 1-7 and 10-15), it was clear audiences were witnessing something special. As mentioned in the review of Das Rheingold and Die Walküre , the cast … » Read

The traditional 19 th -century model for presenting opera—spectacular productions featuring elaborate sets and sumptuous costumes staged in lyric theaters—has led to an existential crisis for the art form. “It’s just not … » Read

Each year the Berkeley-based West Edge Opera’s “Snapshot” selects pairs of composers and librettists to workshop new pieces with a team of experienced advisers, a strong cast, and musicians over a two-week period.  This … » Read

Something old, something new. In February, the creative team for a fresh  Pelléas et Mélisande  at Opéra Monte-Carlo reunited, likely for the last time, colleagues who have shared a long history there. For … » Read

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department touted a tentative settlement of its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaste r and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Monday as a victory for consumers that would end an illegal monopoly over … » Read

Temple University’s $18 million purchase of Terra Hall in central Philadelphia’s arts district may save Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts (POEA) around $100 million and provide a major new arts education resource for … » Read

In 2019, pianist Jeffrey Biegel began thinking about two major anniversaries on the horizon: The Centennial of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in February 2024 and the Semiquincentennial of the United States in July 2026. He approached … » Read

Harvey Kertzman has sold gas at his independently-owned gas station Quincy (MA) Gas since 1978, and regularly attempts to make a customer’s experience special. He gives out free bottled water—“Not the small bottles. Pure 100 … » Read

NEW YORK (AP) — When Gustavo Dudamel first walked into the New York Philharmonic music director’s office, he noticed black-and-white photos that included Leonard Bernstein, Gustav Mahler, and Willem Mengelberg. Ready to succeed them … » Read

Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled on March 6 that the appointment of Kari Lake as acting head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Voice of America’s (VOA) oversight agency, was invalid. … » Read