Classical Music

British art historian Norman Rosenthal has a theory about Dionysian references in the history of art. Valérie Duponchelle spoke to him about it for an article (Sir Norman Rosenthal : «De Dionysos à Picasso», June 19) for Le Figaro (my translation): LE FIGARO. - Art and wine, is it a long, loving marriage? Seated in my library, I see all my art history books which are filled with endless

Ionita Andrei Ionut, 19, a student in Berlin, has won the Khatchaturian Competition in Yerevan with a $15,000 prize and a Moscow concert.

This is the young Andreas Reiner, in 1978. He was using a borrowed, precious bow. Years later, he saved up enough to buy the owner a replacement. The pianist is Jean-Yves Thibaudet with Hilversum Radio Orchestra in the Mendelssohn double concerto. The footage is from Dutch television.

Taking a leaf from the authoritarian Greeks, the Turks are shutting down an opposition TV station over its coverage of the Taksim protests. An open letter from the Turkish Hayat TV, to be closed down because it broadcast Taksim   Hayat TV to close down Hayat TV, a progressive Turkish TV channel of the working [...]

They’re changing the ancient name of the Musicians Benevolent Fund. Also changing chairman. New guy is our old Barbie chum Graham Sheffield. Good call, on both counts. Press release below. Graham Sheffield CBE, Director Arts for the British Council will become Chair of the Musicians Benevolent Fund in April 2014. Sheffield will succeed The Hon [...]

The things you learn from local newspapers…. Nottingham, birthplace of D H Lawrence, is getting all excited about local girl Catherine Foster. This summer, Catherine will be singing Brünnhilde in the Wagner bicentennial Ring at Bayreuth. She used to be a midwife at the Nottingham city hospital. She tells the Nottingham Post:   ‘In 1993, [...]

Who’s that other pres sitting next to Shimon Peres? ‘I’ve never sung this before live,’ says Barbra.

We’ve heard from the Greek national orchestra and chorus that were disbanded when the Government shut down state broadcasting. They will perform Mozart’s Requiem at 9pm local tonight in the courtyard of the broadcasting centre. Michalis Economou will conduct. If you’re in Athens, be there. If you’re in media, report it. Slipped Disc will try [...]

Forget Cardiff singers for the moment. Up in the Scottish highlands, they’ve picked a 12 year-old as musician of the year. Watch.

The Duisburg conductor Armin Klaes is giving a free performance of Carmina Burana this Sunday to drum up regional solidarity for one of Germany’s oldest football clubs, which faces relegation and loss of its playing licence. MSV Duisburg has to show proof of financial stability before it is allowed to play next season. Klaes, a [...]