James Levine News

Met Music Director James Levine conducts the first Live in HD performance of Mozart's barbed romance Così fan tutte, a comic masterpiece about the romantic complications that ensue when a pair of friends decide to test their fiancée's fidelity. Lesley Koenig's sleek production features a cast filled with rising Met stars, including Susanna Phillips and Isabel Leonard as the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella; Matthew Polenzani and Rodion Pogossov as their fiancés, Ferrando and Guglielmo; and Danielle de Niese as their feisty maid Despina. Maurizio Muraro is the cynical Don Alfonso.

Bernard Haitink will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct two weeks of performances highlighting works by Austrian composers - Berg, Webern, and Mahler - and Beethoven, who spent much of his career in Austria. In the first program, Mr. Haitink will conduct Webern's Im Sommerwind, Berg's Violin Concerto with Leonidas Kavakos, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, Eroica, on Thursday, May 8, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, May 9 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, May 10 at 8:00 p.m. Bernard Haitink's appearances are part of an international, season-wide celebration of the 60th anniversary of his conducting debut with the Netherlands Radio Union Orchestra (now the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra) and his 85th birthday.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival will present a concert open to the public for the first time in New York this evening, April 8, 2014 at 7:45 p.m. at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, Cary Hall, 450 West 37th Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues.

Guest conductor Juraj Val?uha returns to BNY Mellon Grand Classics to lead the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and violinist Stefan Jackiw in a program of romantic-era favorites - as well as a premiere of a new work - today, April 4 and 6 at Heinz Hall.

Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic in the New York Premiere of The Marie-Josee Kravis Composer-in-Residence Christopher Rouse's Requiem with baritone Jacques Imbrailo, the Westminster Symphonic Choir directed by Joe Miller, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun-Menaker.

Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic in the New York Premiere of The Marie-Josee Kravis Composer-in-Residence Christopher Rouse's Requiem with baritone Jacques Imbrailo, the Westminster Symphonic Choir directed by Joe Miller, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun-Menaker. The concert, Monday, May 5, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., will open the Spring For Music festival at Carnegie Hall, for which North American orchestras are invited to present one-night-only performances of unusual programming.

Ticket holders may enjoy a special $45 prix-fixe menu at Bernard's (20 West Lane, Ridgefield), or a free glass of wine with dinner, the day of this event when tickets are presented; reservations suggested. The Live in HD Series are underwritten by Jeanne Cook, Anita and Nicholas Donofrio, Liz and Steven Goldstone, Marilyn and Joe Kreitz, Joanne and John Patrick, Starbucks Coffee, Sabina and Walter Slavin, Taylor Zemo Foundation, The Ridgefield Press and Whistle Stop Bakery.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival will present a concert open to the public for the first time in New York on Tuesday evening, April 8, 2014 at 7:45 p.m. at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, Cary Hall, 450 West 37th Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. A special orchestra-the Cape Cod Gala Orchestra, conducted by Liam Burke-has been assembled for this occasion. Noted WQXR radio announcer Jeff Spurgeon will host the evening and Nancy B. Barry, First President of the Festival, as well as Honorary Artistic Chair Charles Hamlen, V.P. of Orchestra of St. Luke's and Co-Founder of IMG Artists, will be on hand for the event.

Guest conductor Juraj Val?uha returns to BNY Mellon Grand Classics to lead the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and violinist Stefan Jackiw in a program of romantic-era favorites - as well as a premiere of a new work - on April 4 and 6 at Heinz Hall.

One of the world's leading Wagnerians, Maestro Donald Runnicles, returns to lead the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the BNY Mellon Grand Classics program this weekend, March 21 and 23.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Edo de Waart open the 2014 Beethoven Festival with Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 today, March 21-23, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

When the Vienna State Opera visited New York at the end of February, it brought Alban Berg's WOZZECK to Carnegie Hall as part of the “Vienna: City of Dreams” festivities. With the big sound of the Vienna Philharmonic central to the concert performance, it set out to show what a quintessentially Viennese opera sounded like played by the hometown band. Sorry, boys [and it's still mainly a male bastion], but the Met Orchestra, conducted by James Levine, could show you a thing or two.

Thomas Hampson will be at Manhattan School of Music today, March 19th to give a vocal master class. This master class, a free event and open to the public, takes place at 4:00 p.m. in the School's Greenfield Recital Hall, and will be streamed live by going to http://dl.msmnyc.edu/live. The master class will be given in collaboration with MSM's world renowned Distance Learning and Recording Arts Department, headed by Christianne Orto, Dean of Distance Learning and Recording Arts at Manhattan School of Music.

Nathan Gunn has made a reputation as one of the most exciting and in-demand baritones of the day. He has appeared in internationally renowned opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Paris Opera, and Teatro Real in Madrid.

Daniel Sutin will sing the title role in tonight's performance of Berg's Wozzeck, replacing Thomas Hampson, who is recovering from bronchitis. Hampson's illness also forced him to withdraw from the March 6 performance of Wozzeck, which was sung by Matthias Goerne. Hampson expects to be ready in time for the next scheduled performance of Wozzeck on March 13.

Puccini's enduring favorite, starring an exceptional trio of singing actors in the leading roles, returns to Great Performances at the Met today, March 9 at 12 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

Thomas Hampson will be at Manhattan School of Music on Wednesday, March 19th to give a vocal master class. This master class, a free event and open to the public, takes place at 4:00 p.m. in the School's Greenfield Recital Hall, and will be streamed live by going to http://dl.msmnyc.edu/live. The master class will be given in collaboration with MSM's world renowned Distance Learning and Recording Arts Department, headed by Christianne Orto, Dean of Distance Learning and Recording Arts at Manhattan School of Music.

One of the world's leading Wagnerians, Maestro Donald Runnicles, returns to lead the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the BNY Mellon Grand Classics program on March 21 and 23.

Matthias Goerne is stepping into the title role in tonight's opening night performance of Berg's Wozzeck, replacing Thomas Hampson, who has withdrawn due to illness.

Puccini's enduring favorite, starring an exceptional trio of singing actors in the leading roles, returns to Great Performances at the Met Sunday, March 9 at 12 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).