Arts Council England published its annual report yesterday [Aug. 22], painting as positive a picture as possible in uncertain times. But hidden on page 63 is a stark warning: “A reduction in our Grant-in-Aid income from 2020 would result in … » Read

The Baltimore Symphony musicians yesterday said they would not go back to work in September without a new contract, despite management’s indication earlier in the summer that the lockout would end as of Sept. 9 . In a statement, they … » Read

SALZBURG--The Grosses Festpielhaus was the venue for Simon Stone’s new production of Cherubini’s Médée ( Medea ), a less successful exercise in updating (seen on August 16) than the previous evening’s Simon … » Read

It might take more than practice, practice, practice to get to Carnegie Hall. A new study concludes that natural talent plays a bigger role in differentiating between good and excellent violinists. The study sought to reassess a similar 1993 … » Read

Representatives from 52 major orchestras have gathered in Park City, Utah, for the three-day annual meeting of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM). They have a lot on their menu. Foremost, perhaps, is the need to … » Read

Abigail Rollins is to be the executive director of the Berkshire (MA) Opera Festival as of September 3. She succeeds Claudia d’Alessandro, serving as interim; previously, cofounders Artistic Director Brian Garman and Director of Production … » Read

SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles Opera said Tuesday it had hired Debra Wong Yang from the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to lead a “thorough and independent investigation” of the charges against its general director, opera … » Read

SALZBURG--The summer Salzburg Festival has not had much experience with Simon Boccanegra. Prior to this summer, the opera—one of Verdi’s most noble, moving, and serious—was staged here only once, in a 1961 production by Herbert … » Read

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is to celebrate its 70 th anniversary with an eight-concert U.K. tour under Yan Pascal Tortelier. The orchestra made its Britain debut at the BBC Proms five years ago but has never toured the U.K. before. The … » Read

Murray Perahia has withdrawn from his August 24 concert in Latvia with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, and from concerts at the Salzburg Festival (August 30 and 31), BBC Proms ( Sep. 3), and the Lucerne Festival (Sept. 6), citing ill … » Read