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MUSIC

Met Opera Cancels Anna Netrebko’s Engagements

"'It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,' Peter Gelb, the company's general manager, said in a statement. 'Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine there was no way forward.'" - The New York Times

ASCAP Reports Record Revenue For 2021

Increases in collections from the audio streaming and audio-visual sectors pushed ASCAP’s domestic revenue to $1.011 billion in 2021, up 4.4%, an increase of $42.5 million over 2020. This was the first year that ASCAP domestic revenues from U.S.-licensed performances surpassed $1 billion. - Variety

Russian Airstrike Destroys Kharkiv’s Opera House And Concert Hall

A large Russian missile was fired at Freedom Square in the center of Ukraine's second-largest city, causing severe damage to the Kharkiv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Kharkiv Philharmonic Hall. At least ten people are dead and 35 injured. - Classic FM (UK)

Anna Netrebko Withdraws From All Performances “Until Further Notice”

The Russian soprano, a former protégée of Gergiev and supporter of Putin who has come under pressure to denounce the invasion of Ukraine, said in a statement, "This is not the right time for me to be performing and making music. I hope my audience will understand this decision." - Euronews

Gemma New Named Principal Conductor Of New Zealand Symphony, Her Hometown Orchestra

The 35-year-old Wellington native, principal guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony and music director of the Hamilton (Ont.) Philharmonic, is not only the first woman to helm the orchestra in its 75-year history, she is the first native New Zealander in the position since 1954. - Stuff (New Zealand)

Valery Gergiev Fired As Chief Conductor Of Munich Philharmonic

The Bavarian capital's mayor followed through on his warning that the Russian maestro would be dismissed if he didn't denounce Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Gergiev lost several other gigs over the weekend as well, including honorary chair of the Edinburgh International Festival. - BBC

The Top-Selling Global Music Group Of 2021

The South Korean band beat the likes of Drake and Adele to top a chart compiled by music industry body the IFPI. - BBC

Norman Lebrecht: The New Geffen Hall Will Be A Game-Changer

Deborah Borda, president of the New York Philharmonic, gave me a virtual tour on Zoom the other day. What I saw leads me to believe that Geffen Hall will leave the rest of the world playing catch-up. - The Critic

How The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Retrofitted A 1930s Theatre For Sound

First of all, "the Warner Grand Theater building was originally designed for film screenings, not live performances, so the depth of the stage had to be expanded from 18 feet to 53 feet." - Fast Company

Sure, Music Can Heal – But Can It Heal Bones?

A new study says maybe it can. - Salon

A Green Alternative To CDs And Vinyl

Composer Fabian Almazan, who uses a sense of place to inspire his writing, started Biophilia Records as a way to get other enviro musicians together. He says his "Biopholios" are a green way to consume music as well. - Slate

The Met Says It Will Cut Ties With Pro-Putin Artists

Peter Gelb: "We believe strongly in the warm friendship and cultural exchange that has long existed between the artists and artistic institutions of Russia and the United States ... we can no longer engage with artists or institutions that support Putin or are supported by him." - The New York Times

The Lockdown Project That Brought Traditional Irish Music Back To Life

In the 1840s, before and during the Famine, William Fforde "undertook a gargantuan task of collecting over 2,000 airs from across the country." Now many of them are published with all of their bilingual glory, and with tons of variations. - Irish Times

Verdi, But Make It French

Verdi tinkered with Don Carlos for years, making a variety of (all French) versions. And "the opera is better overall in French — but it is a subtle superiority." So has it been saddled with a florid Italian translation for so long? - The New York Times

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