CHICAGO—When audiences walk into safronia at the Harris Theater, the first thing they see onstage is an urn. Inside is the family patriarch who set this Lyric Opera commission, written and composed by poet avery r. young (who prefers to … » Read

Two string quartets with deep German roots have added new musicians to their foursomes. The Nerida Quartet has welcomed cellist Raphael Zinner and the Vision Quartet has announced Danish violinist Adam Koch as the ensemble’s new first … » Read

The discussions surrounding the threats that AI poses for the creative industries, in particular opera, are frequent but inconclusive. Writing for Opera America’s in house magazine, Douglas McLennan, founder of Arts Journal , argues that … » Read

The U.S. war on Iran is being blamed by the Saudi Arabian government for its withdrawal from a $200 million deal with the Metropolitan Opera, reported to be in its worst financial shape ever. Announced last fall as the Met’s savior , the … » Read

The current contract for the musicians of the Boston Symphony expires at summer’s end. Given that management’s decision to fire Music Director Andris Nelsons was made, they affirm, without their substantive input, they have issued a … » Read

LONDON—The inaugural Southbank Centre Multitudes festival turned out to be one of London’s 2025 cultural highlights. The idea of pairing each of the venue’s resident orchestras with practitioners from other disciplines threw up … » Read

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) has renewed Rafael Payare’s contract as music director for five years following the conclusion of his current agreement in the spring of 2027.  OSM has also expanded Payare’s … » Read

An open letter signed by more than 1,000 musicians and cultural workers is calling for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna between May 12 and 16. Organized by the group "No Music for Genocide," the letter urges artists, … » Read

Michael Tilson Thomas, leading American conductor for over a half-century who headed orchestras in Buffalo, Miami, London, and San Francisco while also composing, died Wednesday. He was 81. Tilson Thomas had surgery for a brain tumor in 2021 and … » Read

Soprano Asmik Grigorian has fashioned a portrayal of Tchaikovsky’s Tatiana that is hers and hers alone. The Lithuanian singer, starring in the Met’s current Eugene Onegin , never falls into routine; her performance brings surprises … » Read