No images? Click here May 6, 2024 A crowd gathered outside a town in Germany to protest a recital by the soprano Anna Netrebko due to her pro-Russian political views. A local police spokesman estimated the crowd was at 400, though Netrebko’s agent said it was far fewer. In this week’s email:
CLASSICAL CHARTZ Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear! For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST! THE BIG IDEA Disgraced Musicians Sue New York PhilharmonicMatthew Muckey, associate principal trumpet, and Liang Wang, principal oboist, have taken their legal battle to federal court, filing lawsuits against the New York Philharmonic and their union, Local 802. Their lawsuits, filed in the Southern District of New York, are based on sexual misconduct allegations that first emerged 14 years ago. The two musicians were initially dismissed in 2018 following the misconduct allegations, but they were reinstated in 2020 after an arbitration favoured by Local 802. Despite this, an article published in New York Magazine reignited interest in the case, leading to their dismissal once again in April. The orchestra's players' committee has expressed solidarity with the alleged victims, emphasizing the importance of a safe workplace culture. Muckey and Wang are now fighting to reclaim their positions, citing breach of contract, and are seeking unspecified damages. Steven Hyman, Muckey's attorney, emphasized that the case has already been resolved and should be closed. Meanwhile, Wang's lawyer, Alan Lewis, criticized the union for failing to support his client. CEO Gary Ginstling reiterated the Philharmonic's commitment in an email to members. “Nothing is more important than the culture of our orchestra and the safety of our musicians and staff, and it is only through this process that we will build the kind of vibrant and inclusive culture we all want.” Watch this space as the story continues to develop. — MV TOUR DE HEADLINES Associate Principal Trumpet Matthew Muckey and Principal Oboist Liang Wang Artists Call for Emergency Funding for Welsh National Opera in the Face of Cuts ‘Imposed by England’ — Prominent artists urge emergency funding for the Welsh National Opera to prevent its dismantling due to severe cross-border budget cuts from Arts Councils in Wales and England. | Nation CYMRU Rhapsody in Bluey: Everyone’s Favorite Kids’ Show Does Classical Music Right — Explore how the beloved children's show "Bluey" incorporates classical music into its episodes, enhancing the emotional impact for both kids and adults.| Slate Artistic Director Resigns at St Paul Chamber Orchestra — Kyu-Young Kim resigned as the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's artistic director, citing organizational changes, but will remain as principal violin amid criticism of venue cuts and a shortened season. | Slippedisc Actor Anthony Hopkins to Play Handel in New Biopic — Anthony Hopkins is set to portray composer G.F.
Handel in a new biopic titled "The King of Covent Garden," which focuses on the creation of Handel's masterpiece, "Messiah." | The Violin Channel OPERA The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC. (Courtesy photo) Washington National Opera Launches Award for Nonbinary and Transgender SingersOn May 1st, the Washington National Opera (WNO) recognized the tenor Katherine Goforth as the recipient of their inaugural award for transgender and nonbinary singers. Goforth will receive career training and mentorship as a part-time member of the Cafritz Young Artists program. She also took part in a performance at the Kennedy Center. The backstory: The WNO’s new award was created in 2022 by the creative team behind As One, an opera about a transgender person's search for self-identity. The team approached the WNO’s head, Francesca Zambello, with the idea for the award, who gave it the green light. Why it matters: Being a transgender singer in the opera world is riddled with complexity. From the outset of their training, singers are categorized by their vocal physiology into the Fach—a German word meaning “compartment”—system. Within this system, singers are placed in stereotyped, gendered categories of roles, which they will be cast as throughout their careers. For lower voiced singers, this often means jealous, misogynist murderers while treble voices perform as angelic ingenues, witches, or fragile, victimized characters. This system is so full of baggage that some transgender singers like Goforth don’t even identify with the term opera singer. VENUE Royal Opera House (Courtesy photo) London’s Royal Opera House Announces Name ChangeAfter 130 years of being known as the Royal Opera House, the London institution announced this week that it will now be called the Royal Ballet and Opera. Sporting a snazzy new logo, the Covent Garden-based company made the announcement while unveiling their 2024/2025 season. Driving the news: On April 30th, the Royal Ballet and Opera’s communications team ushered in a new era for the legendary theatre. Oliver Mears and Kevin O’Hare, the two heads of the Royal Opera and Ballet respectively, called the dubbing “long overdue.” They noted that the name change demonstrates the two art forms’ equality within the Covent Garden theatre. The gossip: Over the years, Mears intimated that the Royal Ballet and Opera companies’ relationships with one another have been a touch adversarial. They’ve at times competed for stage time and programming considerations in the London theatre. However, the two company’s leaders agreed that they now have an exemplary relationship. The Royal Opera, like many other UK arts organizations, has struggled in recent years, experiencing a 20% loss in income. The new announcement, as well as the company’s bold and ambitious programming for 2024/2025, hopes to bring in new audiences and excite the public about opera once more. GAMES Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword. AROUND THE WEB 📅 On this day: In 1937, the German dirigible Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its first transatlantic landing of the year at Lakehurst, New Jersey, resulting in the deaths of 36 out of 97 passengers. 🏠 Cure boredom: Find a random house. 💀 Interesting: Researchers look at Viking women who reshaped their skulls and ponder why they might have done it 🦓 Funny: A zebra broke loose to live its best life in the foot hits of Washington. LAUGH OF THE WEEK How did you like today's email? |