Born in Somero, Finland, on 5 September 1960, Karita Mattila can turn any performance into an event. She is one of opera’s most compelling actors, combining conscious artistry with a “truly physical and vocal performance.” In fact, she has been

The music of Anton Bruckner, born as the son of a schoolmaster and church organist in Ansfelden near Linz on 4 September 1824, still strongly resonates today. Yet he was more than just an artist, he was a visionary. One

The Threepenny Opera, the most famous collaboration between Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill premiered on 31 August 1928. It was a resounding success with critics and audiences alike. A contemporary critic writes that the work is “the weightiest possible lowbrow

Considered Britain’s most gifted and respected export among conductors after Simon Rattle, Daniel Harding’s devotion to music is “matched by his love of football, fast cars, and planes.” His early conducting career was truly remarkable as he was given the

Sir Simon Rattle famously wrote, “Imogen Cooper is one of the greatest musicians England has produced. She’s utterly without show. Mozart, Schumann and Schubert could have been written for her. There’s a poetic, reflective side to her which is always

Dina Ugorskaja is frequently hailed as a “philosopher at the piano,” internationally known for her thoughtful and sensitive interpretations. During her struggles with cancer in her final years, Ugorskaja projected a sense of darkness that made her interpretations “fearsomely beautiful,

The 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition announced 19-year-old pianist American George Li as the recipient of the Second prize in the piano division. The judges praised his incredible technical skill and his passionate and sincere attitude towards music. “Li showed himself

Born in New York City on 23 August 1981, conductor Karina Canellakis has a number of firsts to her name. She was the first woman to conduct the First Night of the BBC Proms in London in 2019, and was