SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Edinburgh International Festival 2011:  Simon Thompson looks forward to an exciting and eclectic summer (SRT)

New Chief Executive  for  Welsh National Opera: David Pountney to head the company from September (BK)

Carducci Quartet Stages Weekend Festival at Highnam : 27-29.5.2011 (RJ)

Diaghilev Festival  -  Russian Seasons of the XXI Century:  Tuesday 12 - Sunday 17 April 2011 , London Coliseum, St Martin 's Lane, London WC2N 4ES (JPr)

English National Ballet  - Black & White : Dancers and orchestra of English National Ballet. Conductor: Gavin Sutherland. London Coliseum, London, 16.3.2011  (JPr)

Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires: The 2011 opera season (JSJ)

Masterclass: by Terrence McNally, King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, 9.2.2011 (SRT)

Royal Northern College of Music stages  Sondheim's 'Into the Woods': RNCM Theatre Studio, Manchester,  February 16^th-19^th 2011 (RJF)

Longborough Festival Opera 2011:  A preview from Roger Jones  (RJ)

Twenty Two Years of Garsington Opera:  Richard Osborne's celebratory book  published by Unicorn Press (BK)

Alice Sommer Herz -'Everything is a Present' : A tribute by Director Christopher Nupen (BK)

The Henschel String Quartet: UK Tour January 2011 (MC)

Bristol's International Classical Concert Season - Spring 2011: a preview from Roger Jones (RJ)

Buenos Aires, Argentina:   The 2011 season – variety and consolidation (JSJ)

Garsington Opera 2011:  The Company's  Glorious New Setting Unveiled with The Magic Flute (BK)

W.A. Mozart, The Magic Flute: New production at Greek National Opera, premiere on 4 December 2010 (BM)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2011: Competitors to be  limited by financial restraints (MS)

Pavlos Carrer (1829-1896), Marathon - Salamis: Greek National Opera, 29., 30. and 31.10. and 2.11.2010 conductor : Byron Fidetzis (BM)

Orchestra Nazionale Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome with their conductor,Antonio Pappano and pianist Lang Lang visit Germany (JB)

Dubrovnik, 10^th Festival of Chamber Music - Julian Rachlin and Friends: September 1^st – 12^th, Dubrovnik, Croatia (JFL)

A Sound Investment: Current and future funding of the arts, a fringe meeting held during the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, 5.10. 2010 (GR)

13th Julian Gayarre Singing Contest: Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra. Conductor: Ramón Tébar. Teatro Gayarre de Pamplona. 17. 9.2010. (JMI)

Birmingham artsfest 2010:  Birmingham City Centre 10 -12.9 2010 (GR)

Oxford Lieder Festival 2010 - 15^th-30^th October: a preview from Bill Kenny (BK)

Gathering Voices Festival of Song 16 - 24 October 2010:  Declaring Bristol as the UK's premier 'City of Song' (BK)

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra : Edward Gardner appointed as Principal Guest Conductor from September 2011 (BK)

Mike Edwards (31 May 1948 — 3 September 2010) :  Founder member cellist with the Electric Light Orchestra and Devon Baroque (BK)

What’s My Mahler?  A campaign is launched to find out through The Birmingham Mahler Cycle 2010/11 (BK)

The Arensky Chamber Orchestra's 2011 Season: The UK's newest young orchestra to open at Cadogan Hall in January (BK)

John Fisher to leave Welsh National Opera: Chief Executive and Artistic Director to step down next year (BK)

The Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle's  Live Cinema Debut in London:  A live  relay of the 2010/2011 season's opening concert, The Odeon, Covent Garden, Friday 27th August at 5.45pm (BK)

Finnish National Opera and Ballet launch their  new seasons: the Finnish Cultural Foundation and  FNO invite thousand of schoolchildren to the Opera (BK)

Edinburgh International Festival 2010 opens today: John Adams’ El Niño set to blow audiences away (BK)

Sir Charles Mackerras  - 17 November 1925 – 14 July 2010:  Some personal recollections by the celebrated tenor Alberto Remedios CBE (AR)

Violeta Urmana goes on tour with Isolde:  Two orchestras, Act 2 in London and Baden-Baden and four semi-staged complete performances across Europe. (BK)

Parsifal,  The Search for the Grail: Tony Palmer (director), Purcell Room, London, 26.7.2010 (MB)

‘Opera Challenge’ : Try Before You Buy at Opera Holland Park (JPr)

Sir Charles Mackerras - 17 November 1925 – 14 July 2010: An appreciation (BK)

Gloucester Three Choirs Festival week (Aug 7th-15th 2010) : Two special  children’s concerts during the festival. (BK)

Oxford Lieder Festival 2010: A preview from Clare Adams (CA)

Joanna MacGregor's 'Deloitte Ignite' at The Royal Opera: 3, 4, 5 September 2010 (MB)

The Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro 2010 : A Preview from Jack Buckley (JB)

The Welsh Singers Competition 2010: Tenor John Pierce is this Year’s Winner (MK)

Samuel Sebastian Wesley Study Day: Inner Parry Room, Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, London, 16.6.2010 (BBr)

Festival Pontino 2010: A preview from Jack Buckley (JB)

Alfred Brendel - The Light and Shade of Interpretation: Town Hall, Birmingham 7. 6.2010 (JQ)

New Devon Opera 2010: Verdi’s La Traviata on tour in Devon 21,23,24 ,27 and 31 July (LH)

Devon’s Two Moors Festival’s Tenth Anniversary: The  Festival's entry  wins Gold and Best Courtyard Garden Awards at Chelsea Flower Show (BK)

Ian Page’s Classical Opera Company  Tour 2010:  Mozart’s unfinished opera Zaide, in London, Sheffield, Bath and Buxton (BK)

Bayreuth Festival 2010:  Jim Pritchard looks ahead to some very interesting singing this year. (JPr)

Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires: Teatro Colón opens doors to first concert (JSJ)

York Early Music Festival 2010: A Special Conference by REMA (Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne) ( BK)

A New Home for Garsington Opera: Wormsley Estate is the venue from 2011 (CA)

Devon’s Two Moors Festival’s Tenth Anniversary: Celebratory Green Fingers at the Chelsea Flower Show (PA)

Cheltenham Music Festival 2010: A preview from John Quinn (JQ)

Three Choirs Festival 2010: A preview from John Quinn (JQ)

Leipzig Opera 2010-11: Oper Leipzig announces its new season (MB)

Buxton Festival 2010 - July 7th to 25th : A preview by Robert J Farr (RJF)

Edinburgh International Festival 2010: Simon Thompson looks forward to an interesting season (SRT)

Wolfgang Wagner (1919 - 2010):   An appreciation by Jim Pritchard (JPr)

Welsh Singers Competition 2010 -  Monday, June 28, 2010: Four singers selected from across Wales (MS)

A Euphonium Soloist in New York:  David Childs fulfills his childhood dream to play at Carnegie Hall, New York on March 6th (BK)

Garsington Opera Before The Move: An Outstanding Garsington  Manor Finale (BK)

'Just Kids' by Patti Smith,  Bloomsbury Publishing London 285pp. £18.99: A review by Jack Buckley (JB)

Mahler’s Die drei Pintos Returns to the Stage: James L. Zychowicz discusses his part in producing a performing version of the Weber/Mahler score and reports on Bronx Opera’s performance. (JLZ)

Welsh National Opera's  2010/2011 Season: Bill Kenny looks forward to another busy year for WNO (BK)

Chipping Campden Music Festival 2010: A preview from Roger Jones (RJ)

Royal Danish Opera's New Tannhäuser:  Kasper Holten's return to Wagner in Copenhagen (BK)

In Search of The Lost Chord: Jack Buckley muses on Sir Arthur Sullivan's evergreen (JB)

Garsington Opera 2010:  The programme for the last season at Garsington Manor is announced (BK)

Salzburg Festival 2010: a preview from Mark Berry (MB)

BBC NOW Composer Portrait Series (2): Spotlight on the work of Christian Jost (BK)

The Handel Experience: Devon Baroque's weekend of Handel at Dartington Hall 14th and 15th November 2009 (BK)

BBC NOW’s Composer Portrait Series in Cardiff: The season begins next week with the work of Simon Holt (BK)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 12) : Seen and Heard's Own Marathon Man Jens F Laurson makes it to the end in Munich  - well, almost (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 11) : Jens F Laurson gallops towards the finish with his penultimate report from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 10) : The indefatigable Jens F Laurson enters the home straight with this report from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 9) : Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 8) : Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 7) : Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 6) : Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 5) :  Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

Hear the Violin Sing: Viviane Hagner performs in concert with BBC National Orchestra of Wales at Cardiff's St. David's Hall 2.10.2009 (BK)

Der Ring Des Nibelungen: Opera North announces plans for a new Ring Cycle 2011-2014 (BK)

The New Opera House in Oslo:  Göran Forsling takes a guided tour (GF)

The Oxford Lieder Festival 2009:  a preview from Bill Kenny (BK)

Cape Town Opera's First UK Tour:  Porgy and Bess in Cardiff, London and Edinburgh(BK)

Edinburgh International Festival 2009:  Simon Thompson takes a look back at the season (SRT)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 1) :  Jens F Laurson reports from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 2) :  Jens F Laurson's second report from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 3) :  Jens F Laurson's third report from Munich (JFL)

The ARD International Music Competition 2009 (Day 4) :  Jens F Laurson's fourth report from Munich (JFL)

Hildegard Behrens :  an appreciation by Göran Forsling (GF)

The 2^nd Manchester International Piano Competition for young pianists -Junior Finals:  Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, England 20/21.8.2009 ( RJW) and (DP)

Opera North 2009 /2010:  A season preview by Robert J Farr (RJF)

Cheltenham Music Festival The Humour of Gerard Hoffnung – an illustrated talk: 2009: Annetta Hoffnung, Cheltenham Music Festival, 19.7.2009 (RJ)

Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts 2009:  28th September – 17th October (BK)

Parry Day at the Royal College of Music – 25.6. 2009: A report by John France (JF)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 -  Main Prize Final: Russian Soprano Ekaterina Shcherbachenko wins the Main Prize and an Italian Tenor wins the Audience Prize, St. David’s Hall, Cardiff  14.6.2009 (BK) (SL)

NCEM Composers Award 2009: The  competition  winners are announced (BK)

BBC Cardiff Singer Of the World 2009 - Song Prize Winner: Czech Bass Jan Martiník wins the song competition (MS)

BBC Cardiff Singer Of the World 2009: Italian Tenor wins the 5th Concert rounds, the Main Prize finalists are announced and there is a change to the Song Prize finalist line-up (MS)

BBC Cardiff Singer Of the World 2009 - Master Classes:  Master classes for young singers taking part in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 - Saturday, June 13th New Theatre and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff (MS)

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra: 'Grand Concert' series named as best concert programme 2008/2009 by Association of German Music Publishers (MB)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009: Ukrainian counter-tenor wins the third concert round (MS)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009: Five contestants announced as Song Prize Finalists (MS)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009: Japan wins the first concert round and Russia wind the second.(MS)

Buxton Festival 2009: a preview from Robert J Farr (RJF)

BBC Cardiff Singer Of the World 2009: New Bursary Announced as the contestants are welcomed (MS)

Colorado MahlerFest XXII: A report from Boulder by Mitch Friedfeld (MF)

‘Taking Sides’ and ‘Collaboration’: Plays by Ronald Harwood about Furtwängler and Richard Strauss, Duchess Theatre, London 27.5.2009 (JPr)

Garsington Festival Opera's 20th Anniversary: the 2009 season begins this weekend (CA)

The First Jersey Liberation Music Festival:  Jersey, 8th–10th May 2009 (MA)

Birmingham's International Concert Season 2009/10: John Quinn checks out the highlights from visiting orchestras and artists as well as from CBSO (JQ)

National Centre for Early Music Composers' Award 2009: Announcement of the short list  and first round winners (BK)

New Devon Opera 2009:  A superstar tenor guides South West England's only professional  opera company (BK)

Longborough Festival Opera 2009: Waiting for Wagner – A preview by Roger Jones (RJ)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009: Bryn Terfel meets some of the contestants (MS)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009 : Order of singing announced (MS)

Berlin’s Komische Oper's 2009-10 season: a preview from Mark Berry (MB)

Staatsoper Unter den Linden's 2009-10 season: a preview from Mark Berry (MB)

Smooth Classics at Glasgow's Old Fruit Market:  A One Night Only Anthology of Classical Music Favourites Performed by The Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra for charity (CCo)

Garsington Opera beats the VAT man: Tax dispute settled in the company's favour (CA)

The Royal Opera season 2009/10: A preview from Mark Berry (MB)

Cheltenham Music Festival 2009: A Preview from John Quinn (JQ)

Three Choirs Festival 2009: A Preview  from John Quinn (JQ)

The BBC Promenade Concerts 2009: A magnificently fullsome preview by Deputy Editor Bob Briggs (BBr)

The Third English Music Festival, Friday 22^nd to Monday 25^th May 2009: A preview (BK)

Festival d'Aix en Provence 2009:  A preview from Mark Berry (MB)

Scottish Chamber Orchestra Season 2009-10: A preview from Simon Thompson (SRT)

Opera East's Summer Tour 2009: Haydn's Il Mondo della Luna in East Anglia and beyond (BK)

East Neuk Festival 2009: Recognition and Reputation (BK)

Changes announced at Royal Danish Opera: Kasper Holten to quit in 2011 (BK)

Rigoletto’s  Cage Rage : Vancouver Opera Fans challenge 'The Critics.' (TandS)

ENO Announces the 2009/10 Season: a preview from Colin Clarke (CC)

Houston Grand Opera 2009:  The World Premiere of Andre Previn's Brief Encounter and the return of Verdi's Rigoletto (BK)

Edinburgh International Festival 2009: A preview from Simon Thompson (SRT)

Helsinki Festival 2009: Erik Söderblom appointed Helsinki Festival Director (BK)

Bayreuth Festival 2009 and beyond: a  preview by Jim Pritchard (JPr)

The Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires: A vision and a 2009 season (JSJ)

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama's 60th anniversary concert:  Beethoven’s 9th, Sir Charles Mackerras  with The RWCMD Symphony Orchestra and Chorus ,St. David’s Hall, 7.30pm 30th March (GPu)

The First Greenwich International String Quartet Festival:  at Trinity College of Music 17-19 April 2009 (BK)

BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2009: Sue Loder talks with the two UK finalists and looks forward to the competition (SL)

Chipping Campden Festival 2009: A  preview from Roger Jones (RJ)

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Opus 60 Series: RPO announces four sixty minute concerts for newcomers to classical music (BK)

Teatro Colón,  Buenos Aires: Pedro Pablo García Caffi takes on direction of the Teatro Colón (JSJ)

Arvo Volmer:  Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Estonian National Opera, interviewed by Göran Forsling (GF)

Garsington Opera 2009: Garsington celebrates its 20th Anniversary with the British Premiere of Martinů’s Mirandolina (BK)

Devon Baroque's Spring and Summer Programme 2009: Directed by Margaret Faultless, the south west's leading Baroque ensemble celebrates Purcell, Handel and Haydn (M Ed)

SEEN AND HEARD'S  PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR 2008

ARD International Music Competition: Prize Winner Concert No.2 (Chamber Orchestra Concert), Prinzregententheater, Munich, 18.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition: Prize Winner Concert No.3 (Orchestral Concert), Herkulessaal, Munich, 19.9.2008 (JFL)

Dresden Semperoper: Mrs. Dr. Ulrike Hessler will be the next General Director of the famous Semper Opera Dresden, Thursday, September 18, 2008 (JFL)

57th ARD International Music Competition: Day 2, Violists, 1st Round (2), Studio 1, Bavarian Radio, Munich,2.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 3:  Violists, 1st Round (3), Studio 1, Bavarian Radio, Munich, 2.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 4:  Violists, 1st Round (4), Studio 1, Bavarian Radio, Munich, 4.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 5:  String Quartets, 1st Round (1), Large Auditorium, Music Conservatory, Munich, 5.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 6:  String Quartets, 1st Round (2), Large Auditorium, Music Conservatory, Munich, 6.9.2008 (JFL)

 ARD International Music Competition, Day 7:  String Quartets, 1st Round (3), Large Auditorium, Music Conservatory, Munich, 7.9.2008 (JFL)

 ARD International Music Competition, Day 8 : String Quartets, 2nd Round (1) and Viola Semi-Final, Large Auditorium, Music Conservatory & Prinzregententheater, Munich, 8.9.2008 (JFL)

 ARD International Music Competition,  Day 9: String Quartets, 2nd Round (2), Large Auditorium, Music Conservatory, Munich, 9.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 10: Viola Finals, Herkulessaal der Residenz, Munich, 10.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 11:   String Quartet Semi Finals, Prinzregententheater, Munich, 11.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Day 12:  Clarinet Finals, Herkulessaal der Residenz, Munich, 12.9.2008 (JFL)

ARD International Music Competition Days 13 & 14:  String Quartet & Bassoon Finals, Herkulessaal der Residenz & Prinzregententheater, Munich, 13/14.9.2008 (JFL)

2008 is Diamond Anniversary Year: The Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts - 4 to 18 October 2008 (HH)

2nd Seattle International Wagner Competition: Members of the Seattle Symphony, competing singers, cond. Asher Fisch, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, 18. 8.2008 (BJ)

San Francisco Opera: Summer’s Lease Hath All Too Short A Date (PD)

Aldeburgh’s new Music Development Plan : a report by Anne Ozorio (AO)

Small is beautiful in Warwick: Roy Brewer reports on this year's Warwick International Festival 24.6.2008 - 6..7.2008 (RB)

Deus in adjutorium : A new work by Robert Hugill at St Michael's Church, London on Thursday 10th July. (BK)

Soli Deo Gloria, The Leipzig Bach Festival 2008:  A  special three part  report by Aart van der Wal (AvW)

Festival de Valloires, Argoules, Picardie, France.  8 – 13 August : Melanie Eskenazi previews the third Valloires festival, and talks to its founder and director, Adam Gatehouse (ME)

Edinburgh International Festival 2008: Mark Berry previews this year's programme (MB)

The Welsh Singers' Competition 2008 : Soprano Natalya Romaniw takes the prize (MS)

'Coming to America' Festival: Gerard Schwarz, cond., soloists, Seattle Symphony, University of Washington Chorale, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, 29.5-7.6.2007 (BJ)

Malvern Songfest 3^rd and  4^th May 2008: a report from Lyndall Dawson (LD)

Chipping Camden Festival 2008 : A round-up of this year's programme (RJ)

Sakari Oramo Awarded The Elgar Medal: A fitting valedictory for the CBSO's departing Music Director (BK)

The English Music Festival 2008: Extraordinary music in glorious settings (BK)

BBC Promenade Concerts 2008 : A preview of this year’s season by Anne Ozorio (AO)

The 61st^th Aldeburgh Festival 13^th to 29^th June, 2008: Previewed by Anne Ozorio (AO)

Birmingham International Concert Season 2008/09: John Quinn takes an early look at next year. (JQ)

Three Choirs Festival 2008: A Preview by John Quinn (JQ)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008 Grand Final Concert : Soloists, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Thierry Fischer (conductor), Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 11. 5.2008 (GPu)

Cheltenham Music Festival 2008: A Preview by John Quinn (JQ)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008: The Competition's Grand Finals in Cardiff this weekend (BK)

Pure and Poignant: Bettina Mara talks to the Greek soprano Alexia Voulgaridou (BM)

Study Day, Understanding Nono; Understanding the World : Purcell Room London 4.5.2008 (CR)

Kathleen Ferrier Award 2008 Final: Various singers and accompanists. Wigmore Hall, London. 25. 4.08. (ED)

Kathleen Ferrier Award 2008 Semi-final:  Various singers and accompanists. Wigmore Hall, London. 23.4.2008. (ED)

Brighton Festival May 3 – 25 2008: A preview by Bill Kenny (BK)

‘Viva Verdi Part One’:  Jim Pritchard writes about two recent Verdi events in  London (JPr)

Karim’s Journey :  Anne Ozorio previews Christopher Nupen’s new film (AO)

Malvern Songfest 2008 : a new mini-festival of song launches in Worcestershire next weekend (BK)

Finnish National Opera  and Ballet 2008/9: The company's first season under its new artistic management is announced (BK)

Aix en Provence 2008 :  Mark Berry looks forward to this year's festival (MB)

Bayreuth Festival 2008 : – a preview by Jim Pritchard. (JP)

Harrison Birtwistle : The Minotaur: Anne Ozorio looks forward to the The Royal Opera's latest production in conversation with singers Philip Langridge and Andrew Watts. (AO)

A Class Act takes the Handel Singing Competition: Sue Loder reports from the final. 3.4.2008 (SL)

Spring at the London Sinfonietta: Anne Ozorio looks forward to the new programme (AO)

 The Royal Opera's 2008/2009 Season:  Bill Kenny previews a feature packed year (BK)

Shakespeare Resounding:  Opera North’s Spring 2008 Main Stage Season (BK)

Welsh Singers Competition in Cardiff  : four voices compete for the title (MS)

Ivan Ilić Tours Wales in March   with a new work by John Metcalf (MS)

Garsington  Opera's 2008 Season: A preview by Bill Kenny (BK)

Giuseppe Di Stefano :   in Memoriam (GF)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008:  The Grand Final Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 10, 11, 2008, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (BK)

Inga Nielsen Remembered: An appreciation by Göran Forsling (GF)

The Korngolds - Cliché, Critic and Composer: 28 November  2007 to 18 May  2008, Palais Eskeles, Jewish Museum, Vienna (JFL)

Daniel Barenboim and the Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle: Second concert and ‘Artist as Leader’ discussion, Royal Festival Hall, London 3.3.2008 (JPr)

The Music of Olivier Messiaen,  From the Canyon to the Stars: A report from Anne Ozorio, South Bank Centre, London, 1 February – 10 December 2008 (AO)

Christopher Nupen receives DVD of the Year Award for the third time (BK)

Colorado MahlerFest 2008: Boulder, Colorado 9-13.1.2008 (MF)

Peter Sellars revisits Adriana Mater  in Helsinki: February premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s opera at the Finnish National Opera (BK)

Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at The Royal Opera (BK)

Welsh National Opera: The  2008/2009 Season  (BK)

Opera North's Winter Season: Butterfly, Grimes and a new English opera (BK)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008:  Category finalists announced 10.1.2008 (BK)

PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR 2007 : Seen and Heard Reviewers present the concert and oper performances that gave them the most pleasure during the past year. Click the blue links to see their original reviews. (BK)

25th Menuhin Competition to be held in Cardiff: Friday 11^th April – Sunday 20^th April 2008 (BK)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008 to take place in Wales (BK)

The Seattle Symphony Saga by Bernard Jacobson (BJ)

Welsh Singers Competition 2008: Call for competitors (BK)

Mikko Franck: Appointment as Finnish National Opera's  Artistic Director confirmed (BK)

Gudrun Wagner (1944-2007) by Jim Pritchard (JPr)

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008: Semi-Finals and Category Finals  dates announced (BK)

Donizetti rarity launches Liverpool's Capital of Culture Year : Emilia di Liverpool at St. George's Hall from New Year's Eve (BK)