JUNE 12, 2025
Daniele Gatti named music director of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Daniele Gatti has been appointed music director of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino starting in 2026. The announcement was made on 12 June by superintendent Carlo Fuortes, who called it “a sign of continuity and renewal” for the institution.
Gatti previously served as principal conductor of the Maggio until 2024, following an appointment announced in 2021. His new role, which extends through June 2029, will include opera productions, symphonic concerts, and international tours.
The news comes just weeks after La Scala named Myung-whun Chung as its next music director—an appointment that prompted Gatti to cancel his upcoming engagements with the Milanese theatre.
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JUNE 12, 2025
Daniel Barenboim awarded the 2025 Pahl Peace Prize
The 2025 Pahl Peace Prize has been awarded to pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to peace, dialogue, and humanism. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, 11 June, at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin.
The award was presented by the Pahl Peace Prize Foundation, which was established in 2018 in the Principality of Liechtenstein. It includes a gold medal and a monetary award of up to €100,000, and is granted annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to world peace.
In his laudatory speech, Dr. Ruben Reike, member of the foundation’s Advisory Board, described Barenboim as “an outstanding pianist and conductor, a citizen of the world, and a person who has committed himself to paving the way for dialogue, understanding, and even the possibility of peace.”
Two longtime members of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra also addressed the audience, thanking Barenboim for creating a space where “dialogue and dignity are not ideals, but a shared reality.”
The ceremony, held at the Pierre Boulez Saal, included musical performances by students of the Barenboim-Said Akademie and opening remarks by the academy’s rector, Prof. Dr. Regula Rapp. Michael Hellmann, Protector of the Pahl Peace Prize Foundation, also spoke at the event.
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JUNE 9, 2025
Dietmar Schwalke retires from the Berliner Philharmoniker after 31 years
The Berlin Philharmonic has announced the retirement of cellist Dietmar Schwalke, who joined the orchestra in 1994 and was a member for over three decades. His last performances included Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at this year’s Baden-Baden Easter Festival, a repertoire he described as “beautiful melodies” in which even cellists can “luxuriate.”
Schwalke’s connection to the orchestra goes back to his youth, when he attended a Beethoven concert conducted by Herbert von Karajan. That experience, he recalled, defined his musical path. He later studied with former Philharmoniker principal cellists Arthur Troester and Wolfgang Boettcher before joining the ensemble after work with the Kreuzberger Streichquartett and the Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart.
A passionate chamber musician, he was part of both the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Philharmonia Quartet, with whom he explored much of the Beethoven quartet cycle. Among his career highlights are collaborations with Carlos Kleiber, Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, and Kirill Petrenko. In retirement, he plans to focus on baroque music, piano playing, and time with his five grandchildren.
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JUNE 9, 2025
Samuel Stopford wins the 2025 Moniuszko Vocal Competition
The 2025 Moniuszko Vocal Competition has awarded its First Prize to Samuel Stopford, who also received the Maria Fołtyn Prize for the best performance of a Stanisław Moniuszko piece. The Second Prize went to Arpi Sinanyan, with Aksel Daveyan and Mariana Poltorak receiving the Third and Fourth Prizes, respectively.
Additional distinctions included the Ewa Podleś Prize for outstanding musical personality, awarded to Poltorak, and the Prize for the most beautiful rendition of a Polish song, granted to Daveyan. The Jerzy Marchwiński Prizes for young pianists were awarded to Rozalia Kierc and Matteo Zoli.
Established in 1992 by soprano and director Maria Fołtyn, the competition promotes Polish vocal repertoire on the international stage. In its twelfth edition, each finalist performed at least one work by Moniuszko or other Polish composers such as Szymanowski, Penderecki, or Mykietyn.
Past winners of the competition include leading names in opera today, such as Aleksandra Kurzak, Mariusz Kwiecień, and Jakub Józef Orliński.
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