May 20, 2007

This week in classical music 5-20-07

It’s this week in classical music, an update on what’s happening in the classical music world, I’m Randy Kinkel.

Conductor Jeffrey Kahane has been on the classical music “disabled list” for the past ten weeks due to a bout with extreme hypertension.   The 50-year old Kahane said his dangerous increase in blood pressure was due to his heavy workload.  Kahane reduced the number of his engagements next season, saying, “ we’re only given so much time.  Something like this puts you in touch with what really matters in life.  It’s more important to do what you do AND have time to live.”  Kahane starts conducting again this month when he conducts a concert of Gershwin with the Colorado Symphony.

The Met opera has had its first rise in tickets sales in six years.  Sales rose 7.1% in the 2006-2007 season. There were 88 sold-out performances this year, compared with 22 last season.  General manager Peter Gelb said, “These numbers are a reflection of the beginning of our campaign to regain the audience and popularize opera.  We want to sustain the art form of opera in the 21^st century.”  Gelb has pioneered new ways of expanding the Met audience, including popular live high-definition broadcasts in theaters nationwide.  Gelb plans to expand that coverage to other countries as well.

Oboist Bud Roach, formerly second Oboist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, has filed a claim against his former orchestra, claiming his 2004 firing was the result of homophobia.  The New York State Division of Human Rights ruled that there was probable cause to believe that illegal discrimination and retaliation occurred in the case,  and a public hearing will be held on the case June 18^th.  BPO executive director Daniel Hart said in a ststement, “we are confident that the hearing… will find the claims made against the BPO to be without merit. ..The BPO has fully co-operated with the division of human rights in this matter.”

For more information on these and other items and events, go to the KBAQ website at KBAQ-dot-org.… be listening every week at this time for another update, and join me at noon every weekday for the Mozart Buffet, an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries, … I’m Randy Kinkel, for KBAQ’s  “This week in Classical Music”…  on 89-five KBAQ, K-B-A-Q Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona State University