Andrew Lewinter: “What things do I want to incorporate from that music into my own music, to make something that’s both intellectually satisfying and emotionally satisfying? … That’s the goal with every piece: to make it fun to listen to, enjoyable, and to not take myself too seriously.” - Oregon ArtsWatch
She’s always in the studio, she says - and in addition, “I play and I sing, probably annoying people around me,’ she added. When I suggested that people around her were probably more than happy to hear her voice, she smiled. ‘I hope so.’” - The New York Times
Opera Carolina and its business director are embroiled in a lawsuit with the former production director amid a leadership shakeup that’s as dramatic and intense as an opera performance itself. - Charlotte Observer
Being based underground enhanced the atmosphere in the clubs. Attendees were simultaneously part of an underground movement and also literally hidden from view from the adult world. - The Conversation
“Originally scheduled for July 5-6, the (free) festival, which attracts more than 50,000 attendees annually to San Francisco’s historic Fillmore district, will not take place this summer due to ongoing financial challenges. Tim Omi, president of the association, said in a statement, ‘2025 is not financially viable.’” - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
The three-time Oscar nominee will direct Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the Paris Opera. (He played the title role in a 1999 film adaptation of the Pushkin novel on which the opera is based.) The production runs from Jan. 26 through Feb. 27, 2026 at the Palais Garnier; Semyon Bychkov will conduct. - AP
For 2025-26, the company will again offer all seats at $11 each (or higher if the buyer chooses). There are twice as many performances as this season, and five works scheduled rather than this season’s three — but only one of those works is a conventional opera. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
“He’s actually a replica of what we see in the tech industry,” Yuval Sharon said. “There’s a messianic belief that we must transcend our own humanity and that AI is making up for all the terrible ways we behave. People really do believe that the future of humanity is robotic.” - APNews
Initially, there was a lot of excitement in the press—the first American at the helm of one of the great orchestras! But the tone soon became hostile, even acrimonious. Audiences loved Bernstein, but his full-bodied manner on the podium—arms, head, hips, shoulders, eyebrows, groin in motion—caused embarrassment and even anger. - The Atlantic
Work on the 998-seat George Weston Recital Hall will begin in the summer of 2026; the project will include upgraded seating, refreshed paintwork, and restoration of the hall’s original flooring. - Ludwig Van
“What has been lost is a sense of decency. It’s a new system of values or rather of a lack of values. We no longer seem to know what is right or wrong. For example, being a liar used to be considered a vice.” - Classical Voice North America
The order directs the Federal Trade Commission to more rigorously enforce existing law governing the use of bots that help scalpers scoop up hot tickets, including by issuing fines. Trump said the FTC, along with the Treasury and Justice departments, will deliver a report within 180 days summarizing what they have done. - The Wall Street Journal
Charles MacKay, who was general director of the summer company from 2008-2018, was arrested in March in Powell, Wyoming after having allegedly solicited two teenagers for sex. - Santa Fe New Mexican
Michael Bublé handed Canadians a heartfelt dose of patriotism at the Juno Awards on Sunday, setting the tone for a night of not-so-subtle references to Canada's current tensions with the United States. - CBC
