Andrew Davis News

Fresh from a memorable, ambitious tour of Israel and Europe, the intrepid musicians of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) jump back into action. The TSO's 95th season is coming to an end, but the month of June is bursting with highly anticipated events, such as the new, semi-staged production of Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins; William Walton's mighty Belshazzar's Feast; and Carl Orff's epic Carmina Burana-all part of this season's final instalment of The Decades Project, in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Highlighting the 100th birthday of Ella Fitzgerald, the TSO pays tribute to one of the greatest singers of all time. And the Orchestra presents a nostalgic journey through memorable music from Canadian stage and screen.

The Cleveland Orchestra has announced that renowned choral director Robert Porco will step down from his position as the Orchestra's Director of Choruses with the conclusion of the 2017-18 season.  At that time, he will be the longest-serving Director of Choruses and Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus in the ensemble's history, he began his tenure with the 1998-99 season.

Music Director Manfred Honeck leads the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, guest vocalists and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh in Gustav Mahler's groundbreaking Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," as part of the BNY Mellon Grand Classics at Heinz Hall on June 2-4.

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that single tickets are on sale now for Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein, a musical event honoring the legendary composer, conductor, and pianist Leonard Bernstein. Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein is part of Lyric's 2017/18 season, but in anticipation of high demand for this special evening, single tickets are being made available early. 

Beginning on Saturday, May 20, and continuing every Saturday through July 22, The Lyric Opera Broadcasts of the 2016/17 Lyric Opera of Chicago season will air nationally and internationally by The WFMT Radio Network and locally on 98.7WFMT. The opera broadcasts may also be streamed on WFMT.com.

Celebrating the third season of its successful Opera Residency Program, The Solti Foundation U.S. continues to offer young conductors hands-on opera experience with distinguished opera companies throughout the United States. Penny Van Horn, Chair of the Solti Foundation's Board of Directors announced that the organization will have completed 10 residencies by the end of this season, with more to take place in 2017-18.

Celebrating the third season of its successful Opera Residency Program, The Solti Foundation U.S. continues to offer young conductors hands-on opera experience with distinguished opera companies throughout the United States.

In recognition of its global thought leadership, Lyric Opera of Chicago has been chosen to receive the 2017 British-Consul General Award.  Dr. Stephen J. Bridges LVO, Consul General, stated that “on behalf of the British-American Business Council in Chicago, we are exceedingly happy to recognize the long-standing and ever- increasing thought leadership of Lyric Opera.  Its impact is manifest in Chicago, the United States, and internationally.”  The Award will be presented to Lyric Opera during the Gala Dinner of the 2017 Transatlantic Conference on 11 May at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Lyric Opera of Chicago will hold auditions for dancers with strong technique and significant stage experience for its upcoming production of the opera The Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet on Monday, June 5, 2017.

An elite group of nineteen of the most talented young opera singers in the country competed this weekend for prestige and prizes in the 29th Annual Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition.

The high-profile creative team behind People's Light's upcoming world premiere of Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole will workshop the developing piece at San Diego's prestigious Old Globe Theatre from April 20-23, 2017.

In the third of Alan Gilbert's final four subscription weeks as New York Philharmonic Music Director, he will lead an enhanced concert production of Wagner's Das Rheingold. Soloists include bass-baritone Eric Owens as Wotan, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton as Fricka (in her New York Philharmonic debut), baritone Christopher Purves as Alberich (debut), tenor Russell Thomas as Loge, mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor as Erda, bass Morris Robinson as Fasolt (debut), bass Stephen Milling as Fafner (debut), soprano Rachel Willis-Sorensen as Freia (debut), tenor Brian Jagde as Froh (debut), bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Donner (debut), tenor Peter Bronder as Mime (debut), soprano Jennifer Zetlan as Woglinde, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano as Wellgunde, and mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford as Flosshilde. The enhanced concert production will be directed by Louisa Muller with costume design - featuring character-based treatment of modern concert attire - by David C. Woolard. The performances will take place Thursday, June 1, 2017, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 3 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m.

On April 28 and 29 at 7:30 PM, guest conductor Jun Märkl leads the Utah Symphony and guest violinist Karen Gomyo in Barber's Violin Concerto. The orchestra will also perform Barber's “Adagio for Strings” and Arnold Schoenberg's arrangement of Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1. Tickets start at $21 ($15 for students), and can be purchased at www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

After a couple of preview concerts at home on May 3 and 4, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and its Music Director, Peter Oundjian, embark on a momentous Tour of Israel & Europe. The Canadian orchestra—touring Israel for the very first time—performs in Jerusalem at Sherover Hall, Jerusalem Theatre, Israel's largest centre for art and culture; and at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, home to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Next, the Orchestra travels to Vienna, Regensburg, Essen, and Prague, as part of the famous Prague Spring International Music Festival, which is celebrating its 72nd year. Over the course of the seven-concert, five-city tour, distinguished Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov, celebrated Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki, and dazzling Canadian soprano Carla Huhtanen will join the TSO as featured soloists.

TV and film star Richard E. Grant (Logan, Jackie, Girls, Game of Thrones) appears at the Music Box Theatre on Monday, April 24 for a special one-night-only 30th anniversary screening of the cult classic film Withnail & I, which launched Grant's career in 1987. The British black comedy follows two unemployed young actors during what is supposed to be a relaxing getaway weekend to a country cottage. The film will be screened on 35mm, and immediately following Grant will participate in a Q&A with the audience about the film, his career, and first time performing in Chicago for Lyric Opera's My Fair Lady.

Music Director Alan Gilbert begins his final weeks by leading the New York Philharmonic in Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. The program juxtaposes the tragedy and optimism of human experience through Schoenberg's depiction of the horror of the Holocaust and the message of hope, brotherhood, and joy in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw will feature Gabriel Ebert as narrator (in his Philharmonic debut) and the men of the Westminster Symphonic Choir, directed by Joe Miller. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony will feature soprano Camilla Tilling, mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack (debut), tenor Joseph Kaiser (debut), bass-baritone Eric Owens, and the Westminster Symphonic Choir, directed by Joe Miller. The performances will take place Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, May 5 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 6 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. The program will be presented without intermission.

The Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct the New York Philharmonic in the U.S. Premiere of Tansy Davies's Forest, the New York Premiere of Stravinsky's recently rediscovered Funeral Song; and Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra. 

???????Edinburgh International Festival today unveiled its 2017 programme which marks the event's 70th anniversary. This year's International Festival runs from Friday 4 to Monday 28 August, welcoming 2,020 artists from 40 nations to perform in Scotland's capital city.

n anticipation of high ticket demand, Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that the initial block of tickets for its Spring 2018 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar will be available for sale a year in advance, starting Today, March 9, 2017 at 10 a,m. 

n anticipation of high ticket demand, Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that the initial block of tickets for its Spring 2018 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar will be available for sale a year in advance, starting Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 10 a,m.