The mini-screens used until July could only show two languages. The new system will offer five languages – Italian, English, French, German and Spanish – with the possibility of arriving at eight languages in total. Chinese will be added for the titles broadcast by LaScalaTv in China. - Gramilano
"Xian Zhang was hired Thursday as music director of the Seattle Symphony, becoming the first woman conductor to head a major West Coast orchestra and filling a post that had been vacant since Thomas Dausgaard quit abruptly in January 2022. Zhang agreed to a five-year contract starting in 2025-26." - AP
The Philharmonic released its 2022 tax return Wednesday, covering its first season back at David Geffen Hall following a $550 million renovation. Ticket revenue rebounded to $29.76 million from $11.18 million in the prior fiscal year. - AP News
"An indictment in Manhattan federal court said (Michael) Smith created thousands of accounts on streaming platforms so that he could stream (tens of thousands of AI-created) songs continuously, generating about 661,000 streams per day … (for) annual royalties of $1.2 million." - AP
As soon as the presale for the band’s upcoming gigs went online on Friday, tickets—which started at around $100 apiece—popped up on resale sites, with fans on X reporting that they were seeing prices in the $800 to $1,200 range. - Wired
"Billy McFarland is a little over a year into planning Fyre Festival II, and he still doesn’t know where it’s going to be. Or when. Or who’s performing. But he says it’s definitely happening. One hundred percent, absolutely for-sure happening. After all, he’s already sold tickets." - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
"You pay a monthly membership fee ... that entitles you to attend however much you’d like. As with a gym or a streaming service, some people may go often; some, not at all. Regardless, the orchestra receives steady revenue, and you have full control of your calendar." - The New York Times
"Maybe the New York Philharmonic can, as Paris Opera couldn't, become a new family. But he launched his career in L.A. He grew up and matured with the L.A. Phil, where he learned much of the standard repertory. In L.A., musical vistas opened up in ways it could nowhere else." - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
How the math nets out in the end remains to be seen. Last season’s production of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, for instance, had a higher average ticket price, but sold just 51% of available seats. Even if all three operas this season sell out, lower ticket prices will mean lower ticket revenue this season than. - Philadelphia Inquirer
The majority of your CDs have probably been downsampled perilously from studio to disc. And streaming has now righted that wrong; we can indeed enjoy ‘studio-quality’ music from the streams of the internet, given the right provider, the right source and the required bandwidth. -WhatHiFi
"AI-generated songs lack the fluidity of music created by humans. But musicians who experiment with AI can give themselves an edge in an evolving industry. AI can expedite their own creative work and provide inspiration." - Washington Post
Sophie Galaise, the orchestra's now-former managing director, reportedly attempted, along with the board's deputy chairman, to oust MSO chairman David Li after he expressed doubt about Galaise's expenditures for travel and consultants. Li grew up in China, and Galaise's efforts included considerable red-baiting. - The Australian Financial Review
In the decades since Richard Tognetti became ACO artistic director at just 25, he has amassed some of the world’s most valuable instruments and talented musicians. - The Guardian
Some tastemakers say today’s music scene is a soulless algorithmic wasteland — others say it’s more vibrant than ever. However you find it, don’t just rely on your Spotify or Apple Music algorithm to introduce you to new artists. - Washington Post
In 2024, both main parties recognise the positive power of music. While campaign songs and rally playlists encourage a sense of unity, they also send important messages to the wider electorate, reinforcing and differentiating the identity of the party and leader. - The Conversation
