CHICAGO—Lyric Opera of Chicago rarely makes anyone’s list of most innovative opera companies. But with the 2019-20 season, announced Thursday at the Lyric Opera House downtown, the company makes it clear that, going forward, new work … » Read

Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni, principal conductor of Opéra National de Lyon and Orchestra della Toscana, is to be chief conductor of the Ulster Orchestra as of next September. He succeeds Rafael Payare in September; Payare has been … » Read

The ripple effect of the Trump administration’s government shutdown has reached California’s cultural community. On Jan 23, California Humanities (CH) CEO Julie Fry announced that no grants would be fulfilled until the shutdown ends. … » Read

Nicola Benedetti is putting her money where her mouth is when it comes to music education. Long a vigorous advocate for “building discipline, professionalism, concentration and perseverance . . . through the act of conscientious music … » Read

In announcing its 2019-20 season, its 205 th , the Boston-based Handel and Haydn Society has said that its artistic director of ten years, Harry Christophers, has decided to make the following season, 2020-21, his last, and that a search is … » Read

NEW YORK - The Metropolitan Opera hasn’t presented Debussy’s sole completed opera, Pelléas et Mélisande (1895), since Sir Simon Rattle conducted it in 2010. The company’s new music director, Yannick … » Read

The Houston Grand Opera (HGO) continues its remarkable recovery from the ravages of 2017’s Hurricane Harvey with the recent announcement of its 2019-2020 season. The company will present 42 performances of seven operas in the Wortham … » Read

The Kimmel Center has shelved its ambitious plans to demolish the office building portion of the adjacent Merriam Theater building and construct a cantilevered residential tower as high as 32 floors. Nine developers expressed initial interest, … » Read

Bass-baritone Alan Held , a onetime a regular on the stages of The Metropolitan Opera, The Vienna State Opera, The Paris Opera, and others of kind, is  the new artistic director the Wichita Grand Opera. Held, current artist in residence for … » Read

Chicago-based WFMT, which specializes in classical content, including Chicago Symphony Orchestra broadcasts and such syndicated shows as Exploring Music with McGlaughlin, has a new VP and general manager. He is George Preston, current general … » Read