The upcoming year 2026 marks a profound milestone in the annals of European classical music, commemorating a significant double anniversary for one of Germany’s most endearing yet paradoxically overlooked theatrical minds: the composer, librettist, actor, and conductor Albert Lortzing. Two hundred and twenty-five years have passed since Lortzing’s birth in Berlin on October 18, 1801, … Read more
Executive Overview In the annals of American performing arts, few works have managed to capture the raw, volatile intersections of race, media manipulation, and the criminal justice system with the piercing resonance of Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five. Winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Music, this landmark opera explores one of the most … Read more
On Friday, September 4, 2026, the venerable Royal Albert Hall hosted a masterclass in twentieth-century British orchestral programming at the BBC Proms. Conductor Andrew Manze led the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) through a fascinatingly curated, conceptually unified evening that traced the parallel creative trajectories of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten. The programme spanned … Read more
Executive Overview For five extraordinary days, the traditional boundaries of the concert hall are dissolving across the West Midlands. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)—internationally renowned and traditionally anchored within the acoustic grandeur of Symphony Hall—has embarked on one of the most ambitious community outreach initiatives in its storied history. Titled CBSO in the … Read more
Executive Overview On Thursday, 24 September, the historic stone walls of St James Garlickhythe Church in the heart of central London will resonate not merely with the echoes of centuries past, but with the transformative, restorative energy of live performance. Renowned pianist Christopher Glynn is set to host and perform in a prestigious benefit concert … Read more
Executive Overview In the upper echelons of contemporary classical music, certain instruments are frequently relegated to the museum of historical performance. Chief among them is the harpsichord—an instrument historically tethered to the ornate salons of the Baroque era, often viewed through the rigid lens of authenticism. Enter British-Polish harpsichordist Katarzyna Kowalik, an artist determined to … Read more
Executive Overview Set against the rolling hills, sweeping coastline, and historic architecture of East Lothian, the Lammermuir Festival has carved out a distinct and revered identity in the international classical music calendar. Eschewing the frantic pace and commercialized sprawl of larger urban festivals, Lammermuir relies on a philosophy where music is entirely inseparable from its … Read more
As the European classical arts community continually seeks innovative ways to bridge historical performance practice with contemporary theatrical storytelling, Vache Baroque’s upcoming 2026 summer festival has emerged as one of the most anticipated cultural events of the season. At the heart of this year’s programming is a daring, hybrid staging of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, … Read more
Executive Overview At the intersection of contemporary soundscape composition and master-class textile artistry lies moon landing, a groundbreaking, immersive cross-genre installation that bridges two seemingly disparate worlds. Initially unveiled to critical acclaim at Collect 2024 hosted within London’s prestigious Somerset House, the collaborative masterpiece by composer Helen Caddick and textile artist Margo Selby has since … Read more
Executive Overview In the contemporary landscape of classical choral music, few organizations wield as transformative an influence on early-career composition as ORA Singers. Under the visionary leadership of founder and Artistic Director Suzi Digby, the ensemble has established itself as a premier champion of new vocal repertoire. At the heart of this mission lies the … Read more
