Classical music & opera
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Southbank Centre artistic director Jude Kelly to step downKelly, director of UK’s largest arts centre since 2006, wants to focus on Women of the World festival -
Schools music boost urged as Britons fail to make Menuhin violin finalsLack of government funding blamed as UK fails to make shortlist
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The Return of Ulysses – in-the-round Monteverdi doesn't quite hang togetherJohn Fulljames’s production is playfully staged and musically adept, with Roderick Williams the quietly assertive centre of attention, but as a whole it is unconvincing -
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conductor quits over abuse claimsCharles Dutoit’s position described as ‘untenable’ after six women accuse him of sexual assault
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Lawrence Brownlee on driving change in operaThe US-born tenor has gone from singing in church to the International Opera awards. Now he’s tackling something personal: the issue of race in America
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Jacob Obrecht: Missa Grecorum & motets CD review – a Renaissance revelationThe Brabant Ensemble/Rice
(Hyperion) -
Kodály: Concerto for Orchestra, etc CD review – lush, colourful and richly wovenBuffalo Philharmonic Orchestra/Falletta
(Naxos)
People
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Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky dies aged 55The Russian singer, hailed as one of the world’s greatest, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015 -
Paul BrownProlific opera and theatre designer renowned for his inventive staging and exquisite costumes -
Examination of Chopin’s pickled heart solves riddle of his early deathScientists diagnose rare complication of tuberculosis following analysis of heart stored in jar of cognac for 170 years -
The low-key maestro who's taking French opera to new heightsThe Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris is to take on a prestigious role at Vienna State Opera. In the week that he brought a Verdi masterpiece back home, we profile a prodigiously hard-working conductor
You may have missed
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Debussy abounds, Ulysses returns and Rattle debutsMonteverdi’s masterwork is given new life, two opera titans take on Verdi, and the London Sinfonietta launches a gender-fluid game show -
Andrew Clements' top 10 classical CDsFrom some delightful Debussy to a bewitching Berlioz opera, via a scintillating set of Schubert sonatas, here are the recordings that stood out this year -
The top 10 classical shows of 2017A magisterial Monteverdi cycle, Oliver Knussen’s adventures in haiku – and a hero’s return for Simon Rattle. Our critic picks his highlights -
The female composers taking music into intimate placesA soundtrack to an erotic feminist film, the crunch of crisps in your own mouth, a composition for ‘strap-on and electric guitar’ … meet the women who are making music and telling stories on their own terms
Guides
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A guide to contemporary classical musicTom Service introduces 50 composers from the contemporary classical music scene -
Tim Ashley's introduction to operaIn the last of his series, Tim Ashley selects five great works that explore what happens when they didn’t live happily ever after -
Stephen Moss's guide to the music of Europe's great cities: BerlinOur series ends in Berlin, the classical music lover’s dream destination, with Berg, Busoni, Bowie and Bernstein. -
Tom Service's survey of the 50 symphonies that changed musical historyTom Service's survey of the 50 symphonies that changed classical music
CD of the week Czech PO/Bělohlávek: Smetana's Má Vlast - a worthy tribute to a fine musician