tag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/attendance_high_programme_Vienna_Opera_0ebc

The Vienna Opera continued its successful run this season with a whopping 99.2-percent attendance, even as it planned a slew of new premieres for next year.

2013-03-19T17:49:44ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/04/Japanese_maestro_conduct_Beethoven_Korea_94e1

A veteran Japanese maestro will conduct Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in North Korea, his spokesman said Tuesday, in a rare cultural exchange amid lingering mutual suspicion between the two nations.

2013-03-05T03:59:26ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/pianist_Cliburn_Cold_music_hero_10cc

US pianist Van Cliburn, who won a world competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War and whose music transcended the decades-long standoff, died at age 78 on Wednesday, his foundation said.

2013-02-27T21:41:38ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/pianist_Cliburn_whose_music_thawed_e1dc

US pianist Van Cliburn, who won a world competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War and whose music transcended the decades-long standoff, died at age 78 on Wednesday, his foundation said.

2013-02-27T20:54:30ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/24/Celebrated_German_conductor_Wolfgang_Sawallisch_e7f8

Wolfgang Sawallisch, one of Germany's greatest conductors, has died at the age of 89, the Bavarian State Opera, where he was general music director and manager for 20 years, announced on Sunday.

2013-02-24T23:46:06ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/23/Oscar_hopeful_Hanekes_Mozart_opera_3f8a

Michael Haneke's latest project, a staging of Mozart opera "Cosi Fan Tutte", premieres at Madrid's Teatro Real on Saturday, a day before the Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles where his most recent film "Amour" is up for five awards.

2013-02-23T20:46:47ZAFP Global Editionby Gabriel RUBIO - GIRONtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/21/works_dancers_promise_bright_future_bb51

The future looks strong for the Vienna Ballet following an evening of premieres Wednesday that featured a completely original work and promising last-minute casting.

2013-02-21T10:58:02ZAFP Global Editionby Sim Sim Wissgotttag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/20/works_dancers_promise_bright_future_bb51

The future looks strong for the Vienna Ballet following an evening of premieres Wednesday that featured a completely original work and promising last-minute casting.

2013-02-21T01:51:22ZAFP Global Editionby Sim Sim Wissgotttag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/19/Japans_Living_Treasure_Bando_honoured_fc16

Tamasaburo Bando, Japan's leading specialist of "onnagata" -- the theatrical portrayal of a female kabuki character by a male actor -- was on Tuesday honoured by the French government.

2013-02-19T22:15:05ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/18/Japanese_maestro_Ozawa_make_August_5047

Acclaimed Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa is to return to the podium this year, officials said Tuesday, after more than a year out of the limelight during his battle with cancer.

2013-02-19T03:40:38ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/17/Piano_superstar_Lang_Lang_says_4725

There is no high like playing before a live audience for Chinese-born classical superstar Lang Lang, who says it helps him "transform" into a better person and pianist.

2013-02-17T19:26:18ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/14/Vienna_Philharmonic_lines_shows_Toronto_1df5

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra announced Thursday it will perform a series of concerts in Toronto and New York starting later this month.

2013-02-14T22:15:03ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/10/Raves_Paris_Chinese_opera_classic_ace0

"The Peony Pavilion", a classical Chinese opera directed by and starring Japanese kabuki master Tamasaburo Bando, won a standing ovation at its premiere in Paris on Sunday.

2013-02-11T00:04:22ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Khalife_enthralls_Qatar_with_Arab_8e9a

Famous Lebanese composer Marcel Khalife enthralled a Qatari audience with his Arab Spring-inspired suite "Oriental" in Doha, presented in collaboration with the Philharmonic Orchestra he helped set up in 2007.

2013-02-04T21:59:53ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/30/Verdis_Rigoletto_goes_Vegas_York_cc9f

Verdi goes Vegas in a flashy new production of the opera "Rigoletto" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York that features neon lights, a Cadillac and a naked cabaret dancer.

2013-01-30T20:45:44ZAFP Global Editionby Mariano Andradetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/23/Haunting_opera_about_Disney_wins_71e0

A world premiere of a haunting new opera about Walt Disney won a warm, but not rapturous, welcome in Spain as it delved into the dark side of the creator of Mickey Mouse.

2013-01-23T22:00:29ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/23/Munich_Philharmonic_names_Russian_star_6406

Charismatic Russian maestro Valery Gergiev will take over as chief conductor of the prestigious Munich Philharmonic from 2015, local officials announced on Wednesday.

2013-01-23T15:57:23ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/20/From_Handel_rubber_duck_Sydney_788b

When Georg Friedrich Handel composed Semele in the 1740s, he could never have imagined it would be performed by opera singers in outrageous catwalk couture, including towering boots and sequinned kilts.

2013-01-20T04:31:31ZAFP Global Editionby Madeleine Cooreytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/16/Estonia_leaders_Twitter_feud_become_4858

A Twitter feud in June between the Estonian president and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman who questioned the impact of Estonia's austerity measures, is being turned into an opera, US composer Eugene Birman told AFP on Wednesday.

2013-01-16T13:56:33ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/10/Simon_Rattle_quit_Berlin_Philharmonic_11a3

Britain's Simon Rattle said Thursday that he would quit as chief conductor of the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra after his contract expires in 2018.

2013-01-10T16:34:51ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reporter