APRIL 15, 2025
Pergolesi and Scelsi meet in Geneva in a new project with Hannigan, Orliński, and Castellucci
From May 10 to 18, the Grand Théâtre de Genève presents a site-specific staging at the Cathedral of St. Peter, pairing Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with works by Giacinto Scelsi in a production directed by Romeo Castellucci. The program explores themes of grief, compassion, and sonic ritual through sacred texts and sound-worlds spanning three centuries.
Barbara Hannigan will both conduct and sing, joined by countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, with performances by Il Pomo d’Oro and Ensemble Contrechamps. Hannigan wrote on X:
“Finally fulfilling one of my life dreams: to work with director Romeo Castellucci, and on such an incredible Stabat Mater project with Jakub Orliński – Countertenor, Il Pomo d’Oro and Ensemble Contrechamps.”
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APRIL 15, 2025
Roberto Abbado named next artistic director of Korean National Symphony Orchestra
The Korean National Symphony Orchestra has announced that Roberto Abbado will become its new artistic director in January 2026, following the conclusion of David Reiland’s tenure, which began in 2020. Abbado’s appointment is for a three-year term.
Nephew of the late Claudio Abbado, the Italian conductor has previously collaborated with the KNSO in performances of Bellini’s Norma (2023) and Verdi’s Requiem (March 2025). He currently serves as principal conductor of the Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and was formerly music director of the Munich Radio Orchestra, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, and the Festival Verdi in Parma.
His career includes appearances with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Vienna Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. A supporter of contemporary music, Abbado has premiered works by Charles Wuorinen, Pascal Dusapin, and Luca Francesconi. He has also recorded for RCA Records, including lesser-performed 19th-century operas.
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APRIL 11, 2025
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal announces 2025–26 season under Rafael Payare
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal has announced its 2025–26 season, marking Rafael Payare’s fourth year as Music Director. A wide-ranging program includes major symphonic works, family concerts, new commissions, and innovative formats like Symphonic Happy Hours and Éclaté concerts—compact performances followed by informal evening events.
The season opens with La damnation de Faust by Berlioz, and continues with Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 9 and 4, Shostakovich’s “Leningrad”, and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, along with premieres by Denis Gougeon and Isabella Gellis. Featured soloists include Bruce Liu, Simone Lamsma, Emanuel Ax, Barbara Hannigan, and Yefim Bronfman. In opera, Payare continues his Mozart–Da Ponte cycle with The Marriage of Figaro.
The OSM also announced a revised pricing structure to improve accessibility: base ticket prices have been lowered, a new OSM Card offers discounts on single tickets, and over half the seats are now available at reduced prices. Concerts for young audiences, holiday traditions like Handel’s Messiah, and a Harry Potter film-with-orchestra event round out the family programming.
For full details, visit osm.ca
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