Israel Chamber Orchestra Plays in Bayreuth, Germany
The Israel Chamber Orchestra played Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll in Bayreuth for an audience of 700 on July 26, according to Agence France-Presse. Since Wagner’s music is not allowed to be played in Israel, the orchestra did not rehearse it until its arrival in Germany. After beginning the concert with the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva, the ensemble of 34 musicians played music by Gustav Mahler and Felix Mendelssohn that was not allowed to be presented in Germany during the Third Reich.
Although Holocaust survivors have denounced the visit, the orchestra’s chief executive, Eran Hershkovitz, said, “To be here is a victory for us.” He further stated that the concert demonstrated the Nazi’s failure to exterminate Jews and their culture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN72K6A5q-A
www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=israeli-orchestra-wows-wagner8217s-bayreuth-2011-07-27
Music from the Sky
Performance artist Luke Jerram and composer Dan Jones have combined their efforts to serenade London with music broadcast from seven hot air balloons. The tunes were orchestrated to include the sounds of flutes, oboes, bird calls, and whale sounds. With the help of volunteer balloonists, Jones’ music was wafted at sunrise and again at sunset on several mornings and evenings.
The performances celebrated the 30th anniversary of the London International Festival of Theatre and also served as a reminder to listeners that the 2012 London Olympic Games are only one year away.
www.skyorchestra.co.uk
www.lukejerram.com/live_art
African American Teen Sings Chinese Opera
Ten years ago Tyler Thompson started kindergarten in a 90 percent Asian school in Oakland, Calif. Along with all the other children, Tyler learned to sing opera songs in correct Chinese. Tyler soon became a participant in the Purple Silk Music Program, which teaches immigrant and low-income children how to sing and play Chinese music. Now, at age 15, he has been captivating audiences on tour as a soloist with the program’s Great Wall Youth Orchestra and Chorus.
He is seriously studying theater and intends to keep on performing. He explained that he finds the music both beautiful and passionate. He also stated that this experience has encouraged him to learn more about the wide world outside of Oakland.
oaklandlocal.com/article/tyler-thompson-oakland-school-arts-student-wows-world-singing-mandarin
www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Teen-crosses-cultural-lines-sings-Chinese-opera-1607513.php
greatwallofchina101.com/black-teens-unusual-talent-singing-chinese-opera.html
Singing Competitions Announce Winners
The names of winners have recently been announced by several major organizations that give awards to singers. Opera News 2011 winners are baritones Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Peter Mattei, sopranos Karita Mattila and Anja Silja along with stage director Peter Sellars. The artists will be feted at a formal gala performance in April of next year.
Operalia’s prizes went to soprano Pretty Yende of South Africa and tenor René Barbera of the United States, who also won the Zarzuela and Audience Awards. American Rachel Willis-Sorenson won first prize at the 30th Hans Gabor Belvedere Contest in Vienna.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/deb-peterson/article_bd988956-b8b1-11e0-bef7-001a4bcf6878.html
www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2011/8/News/2011_Opera_News_Awards_Honorees_Announced.html
operatoonity.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/american-tenor-wins-operalia-2011/
Spotify Is Now Available in the United States
The Swedish online music site Spotify wants to build the world’s largest music catalog. “Our goal is to have all the world’s music,” says Chief Executive Daniel Ek. The site already offers 15 million tracks for listening on computers and mobile phones. Spotify hopes to attract 50 million users within a year. It already has 10 million in Europe.
Launched in Sweden in 2008 and in other European countries in 2009, Spotify can now be used by Americans via three options: a free service, which has advertising; an ad-free, $4.99/month plan for computer listening; and a $9.99/month plan that allows subscribers to download an unlimited number of tracks to an iPhone or Android device. Ek says that most of the revenue goes to the artists. He declined to say whether or not he is making a profit.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/spotify-sets-sights-on-all-the-worlds-music-2319667.html
