Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826) was much more than just the composer of an opera. In Hans Pfitzner’s memorable phrase, ‘Carl Maria von Weber came into this world to compose Der Freischütz’, which may be true, but he was so

For a number of commentators, Arnold Bax is far and away the most neglected British composer who flourished in the first half of the 20th century. Composing during a time that, say, the likes of Elgar and Britten, Delius and

The Provisional Theatre in Prague opened in 1862 as a temporary home for Czech drama and opera until a permanent National Theatre could be built. This venerable institution staged well over 5,000 performances over a 20 year span, and featured

François-Xavier Roth is one of today’s most versatile and imaginative conductors. Comfortably at home in Baroque and Classical music, he is also an expert in the Romantic core repertoire and a champion of contemporary music. A born communicator, Roth is

The small town of Meiningen is located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia. It was founded in the 6th and 7th centuries during the formation of the Frankish Empire, and over time it became the capital of

The following Japanese terms are all about warding off laziness and boosting motivation plus tips for embracing the concept of doing your best. They are useful as general rules for life; here I have interpreted them for the benefit of

Classical music has been made by countless brilliant composers throughout history. Among those great composers are a few who faced the extraordinary challenge of deafness. Today we’re exploring the lives of four exceptional composers who, despite the challenges presented by

While the Catholic Church celebrates “All Saints’ Day” on November 1, the arts community has decided to declare that very day the “World Ballet Day.” As such, we thought it might be fun to explore some of the origins of