Somehow, two major U.S. orchestras have managed to announce new music directors within mere days of one another. Perhaps it’s a California game of one-upmanship, but today, the Los Angeles Philharmonic announces British conductor and … » Read

At the May 23 final concert of the 2026 Cincinnati May Festival, Director Julia Bullock announced her successor for 2027 would be Marin Alsop. The May 17 to 30, 2027 program will be highlighted by women composers, including a new work by Anna … » Read

GLYNDEBOURNE—It has taken Glyndebourne over 90 years to put Tosca on stage, and it chose American director Ted Huffman to do so. The production opened the 2026 Festival on May 21. Huffman’s first encounter with the work was as a … » Read

On July 5 at Tanglewood, the BSO will premiere Philip Glass’s long-awaited Symphony No. 15, a meditation on Abraham Lincoln and the fragility of American democracy. Originally intended for a Kennedy Center first performance in June, the … » Read

Lang Lang is partnering with TikTok on a classical music campaign that will offer performances, conversations, and interactive experiences on the platform. “Lang Lang LIVE: Beyond the Keys” launched on May 19 at The University of … » Read

The Negaunee Foundation will bestow $20 million on the Lyric Opera of Chicago, half of it to endow education, half of it to guarantee a Mozart opera will be staged every season, including the Da Ponte trilogy. Funds will cover the costs of both … » Read

The Black Orchestral Network (BON) released the third in a series of biennial “Dear American Orchestras” letters on May 19, calling on American orchestras and funders to fundamentally restructure fellowship programs for early-career … » Read

Composer Thomas Adès has long been known to conduct when his own works are on a program, but he has never held a formal conducting title. That will change in September when he becomes principal guest conductor of the Hallé Orchestra … » Read

The orchestral world in North America is undergoing a sea change that seems certain to usher in consequential transformations of purpose and cultural expectations. There are more than 2,000 orchestras throughout North America, a considerable … » Read

From her inaugural performances in 2022 and fall 2023, Elim Chan and the San Franciso Symphony appear to have connected with a jolt, with Chronicle critic Joshua Kosman declaring the 5- feet-1-inch conductor “the real deal.” Today, … » Read