An analysis of strands of his hair has upended long held beliefs about his health. The report provides an explanation for his debilitating ailments and even his death, while also raising new questions about his genealogical origins and hinting at a dark family secret. - The New York Times
An exceptionally rare Guarneri violin—so fabled that it has its own name, the Baltic—sold for $9.44 million (premium included) at auction on March 16, just shy of its $10 million estimate. The final sale price smashed the $3.6 million auction record for a Guarneri instrument. - Artnet
"After a three-year search, seven finalists' concerts; and extensive surveys of musicians, audiences and board members, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra finally has a new music director: Andrew Crust, 35, a native of Kansas City. … He follows Jaime Laredo, whose tenure lasted 20 years." - Seven Days (Burlington, VT)
Spotify says it's not been able to reach an agreement with the owners of the tracks after the old one expired. Soundtracks with millions of plays were among the deleted hits. - BBC
"What could be more pressing than an operetta about the housing crisis? This is something that everybody in Australia is grappling with at the moment. What was funny in adapting it from corrupt Soviet bureaucrats to greedy Melbourne landlords was that it was hilariously, disturbingly easy." - The Age (Melbourne)
Or at least not the We Out Here fest, founded by the BBC's Giles Peterson, expecting about 25,000 people during the event. The Dorset police said the music event "will likely undermine the licensing objective to Prevent Crime and Disorder and ensure Public Safety." - BBC
An arbitrator "in a decision issued last month that has not been previously reported, ruled that the Met should compensate Netrebko for 13 canceled performances," which means the opera company owes the Russian soprano more than $200,000. - The New York Times
It's not their first meet-up. Before the pandemic, when he was merely the crown prince, Charles summoned Webber to fix the problem "that there wasn’t enough access for young people to go and learn how to play the church organ." - Washington Post
Samara Joy "possesses an innate ability to take an old standard and make it seem like the lyrics were torn from her diary. It's an approach that causes confusion for fans who aren't well versed in the jazz repertoire." - BBC
Half of the composers commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for its flagship new music program, 50 Fanfares, are women. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will premiere 17 new Australian works in its 2023 season. More than half have been composed by women. - The Guardian
It made international headlines when Pensacola Christian College cancelled a performance by the famed vocal sextet two hours before curtain time because of some members' "lifestyle." The group's two countertenors recount how they got the news, what they did next, and what they heard from students afterward. - Classic FM (UK)
“It gave people a different way into what I was talking about, other than just showing slides. The sound conveyed what it was like to be there.” - The New York Times
The frustration of conductors and orchestra musicians was at times quite palpable. One of the instrumentalists, a principal player from a major orchestra, recounted a recent music director search in his orchestra that revealed some of the very tensions occurring at the meeting. - Nightingale Sonata
