Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Passes Away
The 86-year-old German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died at home on May 18, according to the BBC and the Washington Post. Born in 1925, he rose to fame after the Second World War and became one of the most influential singers of the 20th century. Klaus Staeck, president of the German Academy of Arts, said his contribution to the German art song was “phenomenal” and that “his performances of some of the great roles in opera history shaped the culture of singing.” British mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker said of him, “To my generation, he was something so special that one was always awestruck.”
Composer Benjamin Britten personally chose Fischer-Dieskau to perform in the premiere of his War Requiem in 1962. Although he never sang at the Metropolitan Opera, he was a fixture on German opera stages throughout his career. He sang all the roles in his Fach, from the title role in Rigoletto to Amfortas in Parsifal. Aribert Reimann wrote his opera Lear for him. Fischer-Dieskau retired from singing in 1992 but continued to conduct, write, and teach.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/dietrich-fischer-dieskau-mastersinger-of-german-art-songs-dies-at-86/2012/05/19/gIQA2zixbU_story.html
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18118722
Metropolitan Opera General Manager Pulls a Punch
In May, Peter Gelb, general manager of the Met, requested that Opera News stop reviewing the company’s performances after critiques of its latest Ring Cycle were seriously unfavorable. Gelb said he never liked the idea that an organization created to support his company had a publication that criticized its productions.
Opera News, which has a circulation of over 100,000, is the largest classical music magazine in the country. It is managed by the Metropolitan Opera’s fundraising affiliate, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and it prints reviews of operas from all over the world. When the publication announced that it would no longer review its parent company, cries of “censorship” were heard from opera patrons and donors. Shortly after that, the general manager retracted his decision. Thus, Opera News will continue to review productions at the Met as well as those of other opera companies.
www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/arts/music/opera-news-will-stop-reviewing-metropolitan-opera.html?_r=1
Lyric Opera of Chicago Announces Balanced Budget
Opera Today reports that General Director Anthony Freud posted the opera company’s annual report saying that his company achieved a balanced budget for the 2011-2012 season. Ticket sales brought in $25 million, a $1.3 million increase over last year. At the average performance, 88 percent of the seats were sold. Donors contributed $21.1 million, $3 million more than last year. In addition, the company took $3.8 million from its reserve fund, so receipts did not quite equal expenditures, but it was somewhat closer than last year when $4.3 million had to be taken from reserve funds.
Company Music Director Andrew Davis has extended his contract for six more years following the expiration of his current contract in 2015. Freud stated that “his ongoing commitment to our company is of fundamental importance to Lyric’s strength and success.”
www.operatoday.com/content/2012/05/lyric_opera_pos.php
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
BBC classical music host Petroc Trelawny was arrested in Zimbabwe for not having the right permit to volunteer at a local children’s music festival. He was then taken to jail where he fell and dislocated his shoulder. Subsequently, he was cleared of the charges by a high court judge and told he could return to the UK. Immigration officials took longer to be convinced, however, and held his passport, saying he had falsified information on his entry application. That, too, had to be resolved. Finally, after six days in detention, Trelawny was finally able to fly home. Always diplomatic, Trelawny told the BBC that he was treated with “nothing but kindness.”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18321708
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/9302117/BBCs-Petroc-Trelawny-released-from-custody-but-awaits-court-in-Zimbabwe.html
Delaware Symphony Orchestra Cancels Season
The Delaware Symphony Orchestra is canceling its 2012-2013 season to restructure its business plan and obtain new funding sources. Executive Director Lee Williamson says the symphony plans to seek money from people “who are interested in the future of orchestral music in Delaware.” The board of directors has already been reorganized with Ann Hamilton as its chair.
Paul Head, a new board member and chairman of the music department at the University of Delaware, notes that the orchestra, which dates back to the early 20th century, had never gone dark before. Currently, it has a budget of $2 million. Wilmington’s News Journal reports that the symphony management will conduct a three-month operational analysis in pursuit of a new business model designed to help the organization achieve financial stability.
www.delawareonline.com/article/20120605/NEWS/306050053/Delaware-Symphony-Orchestra-taking-timeout?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome&nclick_check=1
www.delawaresymphony.org/
Kansas Arts Community Back in Business
Because the Kansas arts community wasn’t willing to go away quietly, Governor Sam Brownback has now allocated $700,000 for the arts. The arts were completely eliminated in last year’s budget, according to the Kansas City Star. When Kansas became the first state to stop funding the arts, its governor became most unpopular, even with some members of his own Republican party. Not funding the arts last year cost the state about $1.3 million in federal and regional matching funds.
The current plan involves forming a Creative Arts Industries Commission (CAIC) that will be administered under the authority of the Kansas Department of Commerce. The department will provide a director and staff as required by the CAIC for the performance of its duties. Taxpayers will be able to contribute to the CAIC when they file their state returns.
www.kansascity.com/2012/06/02/3639131/kansas-arts-commission-gets-700000.html
kslegislature.org/li/b2011_12/measures/documents/summary_hb_2454_2012.pdf
Beijing Cellist Learns the Rules of Train Travel
In May, a fellow passenger filmed Beijing Symphony Orchestra Principal Cellist Oleg Vedernikov annoying the female passenger sitting in front of him on a train. While riding from Shenyang to Beijing, the cellist was seen touching the head of the passenger with his bare feet and insulting her when she protested and threw water bottles at him. When Music Director Tan Lihua and other members of the orchestra’s management saw the video, they issued a statement saying that Vedernikov’s behavior “seriously damaged the reputation of the orchestra.” Although the cellist apologized profusely, he lost his job.
blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/05/22/beijing-symphony-axes-russian-cellist-after-foot-video/?mod=google_news_blog
