Archive: international
Another New Step in China
Conductors in China: Michel Plasson becomes the first foreigner to serve as music director of an orchestra in mainland China, while the 80-something Xiaoying Zheng leads her Xiamen Philharmonic in its North American debut in Richmond.
By Anne Midgette | October 8, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (2)
Eschenbach's Energy
Christoph Eschenbach, the NSO's music director designate, is offering a punishing range of concerts this season, leading one to wonder how one man can possibly keep so much music straight - and yet this is par for the course for a conductor on his level.
By Anne Midgette | September 16, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (3)
In Performance: Tweet Melodies at ROH
A (belated) link to Karla Adam's review of the Twitter opera at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.
By Anne Midgette | September 9, 2009; 05:22 AM ET | Comments (0)
Shanghai I Shall Adore
A fascinating-sounding Chinese co-production of Handel's "Semele" opens tonight in Brussels before going on to be the first-ever Baroque opera performed in China.
By Anne Midgette | September 8, 2009; 07:28 AM ET | Comments (0)
Snapshots from Germany
A roundup from Germany: "Moses und Aron" opens Willy Decker's first season at the Ruhr Triennale; Christof Loy's "Louise" leads a critic's poll of best German stagings last season; and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra comes under scrutiny from government accountants who say it costs too much. Also: the Berlin Philharmonic's Digital Concert Hall is open for business.
By Anne Midgette | August 31, 2009; 07:15 AM ET | Comments (4)
Prom Night
The BBC announces that it will send the Last Night of the Proms to movie theaters on September 12. Are Americans going to care?
By Anne Midgette | August 14, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (6)
The Russians Are Coming
Russian singers sweep Domingo's Operalia competition this past weekend; a Russian was also this year's Cardiff Singer of the World. These competitions don't always mean much, but I do remain partial to elements of the traditional Russian style.
By Anne Midgette | August 7, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
Next: a "New" Debussy Sonata for Accordion?
More in the ongoing list of "world premieres" by canonic composers: Mozart's childhood piano pieces unearthed, a "new" Brahms piano concerto that's actually a transcription of the concerto for violin.
By Anne Midgette | August 5, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (3)
Estival Festivals: V. Salzburg
The Salzburg Festival opened last weekend; today, it offers a live broadcast (via the Web) of its new "Cosi fan tutte," which will remain up for 7 more days.
By Anne Midgette | July 30, 2009; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (0)
Bay(reuth)watch
The Bayreuth Festival manages to open on schedule with an old "Tristan" and a new children's version of "Flying Dutchman." See it live on the Internet -- for a price -- on August 9.
By Anne Midgette | July 28, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
Estival Festivals: I. The Munich Opera Festival
Summer Festivals: the Munich Opera Festival under Kent Nagano, and links to reviews of its new "Lohengrin" with Jonas Kaufmann.
By Anne Midgette | July 10, 2009; 06:44 AM ET | Comments (3)
Link: Next Stop, Korea
Link to reviews of the NSO's final concerts in China on its ongoing Asian tour.
By Anne Midgette | June 17, 2009; 07:35 AM ET | Comments (0)
Xi'an: Fischer and the Warriors
Ivan Fischer visits the terra-cotta warriors of Xi'an, China, with the National Symphony Orchestra.
By Anne Midgette | June 16, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (6)
NSO Tour: Beijing, Days 3-6
Notes from Beijing, the second stop on the National Symphony Orchestra's Asia tour.
By Anne Midgette | June 15, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (0)
The NSO in Macau
Notes from Macau: the National Symphony Orchestra's second day out.
By Anne Midgette | June 10, 2009; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (0)
China Bound: NSO Tour, Day One
Link to my first article on the National Symphony Orchestra's Asia tour (June 6-20); Day One report from the road.
By Anne Midgette | June 8, 2009; 12:45 PM ET | Comments (1)
Weekend Roundup: Notes from All Over
A link to Philip Kennicott's review of "Salome" at the Opera Theater of St. Louis; acknowledgment of Robert Wilson's "Freischütz" in Baden-Baden; and a look ahead at this year's "June in Buffalo" festival, which starts today.
By Anne Midgette | June 1, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
The End of Turandot
Franco Alfano: is the composer who finished Puccini's "Turandot" underappreciated, or justly forgotten?
By Anne Midgette | May 22, 2009; 03:04 PM ET | Comments (1)
Salzburg Festival Names New Director
Alexander Pereira, whose contract at the Zurich Opera runs out in 2012, will be the next Intendant, or director, of the Salzburg Festival. It's high time he had a new assignment to take on.
By Anne Midgette | May 20, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
In Performance: Local Reviews
A link to my review of Teddy Tahu Rhodes at the Vocal Arts Society; in other publications, Charles Downey on Till Fellner, and Zurich's new "Agrippina."
By Anne Midgette | May 14, 2009; 06:26 AM ET | Comments (0)
Weekend Roundup
The Washington National Opera's "Siegfried" has an unexpected but successful opening; my review is posted here. On the same night, the Vienna State Opera premiered "Das Rheingold," the last opera in Sven-Eric Bechtolf's "Ring" cycle; according to one report it...
By Anne Midgette | May 4, 2009; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
Weekend Roundup
News and reviews from the weekend, in the Washington Post and around the world.
By Anne Midgette | April 27, 2009; 06:25 AM ET | Comments (0)
Weekend Roundup
Weekend Roundup: the Tokyo and Brentano quartets play Washington; advanced opera students take on Handel's "Xerxes" and Monteverdi's "Poppea;" other headlines from around the globe.
By Anne Midgette | April 20, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Weekend Roundup
A roundup of the Washington Post's classical music reviews from the weekend past, plus a few other noteworthy events.
By Anne Midgette | April 6, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (7)
