Bruce Springsteen becomes first international songwriter made a fellow of Britain’s Ivors Academy

LONDON — LONDON (AP) — Bruce Springsteen is the first international songwriter to be named a fellow of The Ivors Academy, the U.K’s professional association of music creators. The American icon was announced as the next recipient of the 80-year old Academy’s highest honor Tuesday, in recognition of the impact his career has had on … Read more

Acclaimed Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini dies at age 82

ROME — Maurizio Pollini, a Grammy-winning Italian pianist who performed frequently at La Scala opera house in Milan, has died. He was 82. Pollini died on Saturday, La Scala said in a statement. The announcement didn’t specify a cause of death, but Pollini had been forced to cancel a concert at the Salzburg Festival in … Read more

Metropolitan Opera presents semi-staged `Turandot’ after stage malfunction

In this photo provided by the Metropolitan Opera, the cast performs during Act 1 of Puccini’s “Turandot” on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Met was forced to stage a semi-staged performance of the show after a stage elevator jammed. (Karen Almond/Metropolitan Opera via AP) FOLLOW US ON GOOGLE … Read more

Hans Zimmer talks about first North American tour dates in 7 years, the magic of composing for film

LOS ANGELES — For generations, German composer Hans Zimmer ‘s film scores have soundtracked magic movie moments in “The Lion King,” “Gladiator,” the “Dark Knight” trilogy, and most recently, “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two.” This fall, Zimmer will bring his award-winning scores to the live stage. His “Hans Zimmer Live” tour, which sold out in … Read more

James Conlon to retire as Los Angeles Opera music director after 2025-26 season, end 20-year tenure

James Conlon will retire as music director of the Los Angeles Opera at the end of the 2025-26 season, ending a 20-year run that will have spanned half the company’s history. Conlon made the announcement Wednesday, five days before his 74th birthday. He will become conductor laureate in 2026-27 and intends to return to the … Read more

Chopin lovers can’t meet their hero, but this pianist got to do the next best thing

WARSAW, Poland — Pianist Eric Guo did everything but travel through time to commune with Chopin. On March 1, the day celebrated as Frederic Chopin’s birthday, the 21-year-old Canadian played one concert at the birthplace of the Romantic-era piano virtuoso and composer, on a piano built during his lifetime. Then he went into town for … Read more

Music Review: Faye Webster’s indie ‘Underdressed at the Symphony’ journeys through a lifetime

Faye Webster, known for her thoughtful blend of indie rock, folk and country, has a new album titled “Underdressed at the Symphony.” The release journeys through a lifetime — looking back at childhood and ahead to adult relationships — without ever sounding rushed. The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter’s new record retains the warm, relaxed tone of her … Read more

Philadelphia Orchestra’s home renamed Marian Anderson Hall as Verizon name comes off

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s home is being renamed Marian Anderson Hall in honor of the pioneering Black American contralto, a rare case of an artist’s name replacing a corporation. The orchestra’s auditorium in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts was known as Verizon Hall from 1999 through 2023, as part of a $14.5 million contribution … Read more

Music Review: MGMT’s ‘Loss of Life’ is a nostalgic return full of hope and heart

They say trends make a cyclical comeback every 20 years. We saw it recently in the revival of Y2K style that emerged with Gen-Zers returning to parties post-pandemic wearing claw clips, mini skirts and baby tees. Now, as we barrel into the mid-2020s, it’s about time for an aesthetic that proliferated from 2006 to 2012 … Read more

Verdi’s opera ‘Forza del Destino’ gets its first new production at the Met in nearly 30 years

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — When the Metropolitan Opera last revived Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino,” a reviewer bemoaned its “four soul-numbing hours of ludicrous plot twists.” That’s harsh. But there’s no question the libretto of this musically glorious, sprawling work does pose challenges unique among Verdi’s later operas. For one thing, the … Read more