Inside the score
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Do the “Big Five” US Orchestras Still Reign Supreme?
The “Big Five” once set the standard for American orchestras. But today, the field is wide open — from LA to Dallas, Pittsburgh to Minnesota, fresh sounds and fearless ideas…
Reading time estimated : 14min read
What to Listen to After The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack
Nearly twenty-five years after its premiere, The Lord of the Rings film trilogy remains a cultural touchstone. While breathtaking scenery and dazzling special effects…
Reading time estimated : 22min read
The Spookiest Melody of Them All: Dies Irae
With its enduring connotations of death, the melody of the Dies irae wends its way through some of the greatest works of classical music.…
Reading time estimated : 14min read
Opera’s Greatest Villains
For more than four centuries, opera has captivated audiences with a combination of stirring music, dazzling sets and costumes, and gripping drama. From ancient Rome to Catfish Row,…
Reading time estimated : 13min read
Notes from History: Don Giovanni Premieres
When Don Giovanni premiered in Prague on October 29, 1787, audiences were both thrilled and unsettled. Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte blurred the line between comedy and tragedy,…
Reading time estimated : 3min read
Gould’s Goldberg Variations: The Legacy of a Legend
Glenn Gould’s legendary Goldberg Variations are a rare blend of playful invention and utter precision. Discover the genius behind them, as filmmaker Bruno Monsaingeon recalls intimate studio moments and pianist…
Reading time estimated : 10min read
How Kaija Saariaho Changed the Way We Hear Music
What happens when your understanding of music turns upside down? Discover how Kaija Saariaho created a musical language that blends Spectralism with acoustic experimentation—and reshaped my entire perspective on sound.
Reading time estimated : 6min read
News
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Arrests after Israel Philharmonic protest in Paris, a new ninth century discovery, Ralph Fiennes in The Choral, and more
November 10: This week in classical music
Reading time estimated : 5min read
Maria João Pires retires, Rosalía rocks the classical world, a world premiere is canceled, and more
November 3: This week in classical music
Reading time estimated : 5min read
When Pop Meets Opera: Rosalía’s New Single “Berghain” Electrifies Classical Audiences
Rosalía’s latest single “Berghain” turns heads with its operatic flair and orchestral depth, winning praise from the classical music community.
Reading time estimated : 3min read
Misty Copeland’s star-studded retirement gala, Eric Lu’s big win at the Chopin Competition, Berio at 100 and more
October 28: This week in classical music
Reading time estimated : 6min read
Hollywood star Sandra Oh joins The Met, Sir Simon Rattle makes Gramophone history, and more
October 20: This week in classical music
Reading time estimated : 4min read
Chopin Competition Video Goes Viral: Tears and Raindrops
A viral clip from the International Chopin Competition has captured global attention, showing a pianist moved to tears during Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude.
Reading time estimated : 1min read
Purcell’s brand-new song, cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Gautier Capuçon head outdoors, Misty Copeland’s retirement and more
October 13: This week in classical music
Reading time estimated : 4min read
Interviews
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“Follow your intuition”: A Conversation with Saehyun Kim
Winner of the prestigious Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition, South Korean pianist Saehyun Kim speaks with disarming simplicity about intuition, responsibility, and the quiet joy of sharing music. Between…
Reading time estimated : 3min read
First Times with Janai Brugger: The Wonder Never Fades
From her first encounter with opera in Chicago’s golden Lyric Opera House to her Operalia triumph and acclaimed roles worldwide, soprano Janai Brugger revisits the moments that shaped…
Reading time estimated : 12min read
Before the Spotlight: Finalists Remember Their First Chopin
Before they were finalists on one of the world’s most prestigious classical stages, they were just students grappling with their very first Chopin. We asked six competitors at the International…
Reading time estimated : 4min read
Inside the Chopin Competition with John Rink: Judging with the Heart
Few people know Chopin’s music more intimately than John Rink — pianist, professor, and editor of The Complete Chopin: A New Critical Edition. As he returns to the…
Reading time estimated : 9min read
First Times: You Never Forget Your First Opera
Andrew Mellor revisits the night he first fell in love with opera — a 1995 Marriage of Figaro in Bristol — and reflects on…
Reading time estimated : 12min read
Davóne Tines takes us to church in Recital No. 1: MASS
The American bass-baritone Davóne Tines is a true original and one of today’s most exciting performers. Get to know him and his extraordinary voice in a resolutely unconventional,…
Reading time estimated : 14min read
“Dream Bigger”: How Gianandrea Noseda builds trust with an orchestra
From Parma’s culinary heritage to the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda reveals what makes Tsinandali special, the book that moved him most, and the timeless piece everyone should hear once…
Reading time estimated : 3min read
Augustin Hadelich: “The violin can be a bit of a prima donna instrument.”
What keeps a violinist endlessly curious? Through five revealing questions, violinist Augustin Hadelich explores his bond with the instrument, the magic behind practicing beloved concertos, the grounding power of chamber…
Reading time estimated : 6min read
medici.tv picks
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Midori Rediscovers the Soul of Dvořák
When Midori takes on Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, magic happens. With conductor Marie Jacquot and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, she delivers a performance that’s at once fiery and delicate — plus…
Reading time estimated : 4min read
Akram Khan’s Giselle: A Darkly Beautiful, Haunting Masterpiece for Halloween
Akram Khan’s Giselle transforms the Romantic classic into a ghostly, modern fable — a chillingly beautiful ballet for the season.
Reading time estimated : 4min read
A Classical Halloween: What to Play Based on Your Favorite Horror Film (if you dare)
From Bates Motel to Black Swan, here’s your classical soundtrack for a frightfully good night.
Reading time estimated : 4min read
The Sound of Autumn: Khatia Buniatishvili Among the Trees
Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili transforms a forest clearing into her concert hall, performing Debussy, Scriabin, and Brahms in harmony with the elements — a poetic tribute to autumn’s introspective spirit.
Reading time estimated : 5min read
Oktoberfest: Finding the festive in German classical music
Raise your glass to Bach, Beethoven, Wagner, and more—six sparkling works that prove German classical music can be as joyful as Oktoberfest itself.
Reading time estimated : 5min read
Sunset Waltzes in Berlin: Shostakovich and the Magic of the Waldbühne
For our editor Valérie, the Berlin Philharmonic’s Waldbühne concerts are the essence of summer. In 2011, Riccardo Chailly revealed the many colors of Shostakovich’s Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1,…
Reading time estimated : 3min read
Quieting the Body’s Stress Response: The Magic of Arvo Pärt
“Certain sonic frequencies quiet the body’s stress response.” Sophie invites you to experience the meditative magic of Arvo Pärt’s sacred works in a 90th-birthday concert of rare serenity and depth.
Reading time estimated : 3min read
High voltage groove with The Fearless Flyers
Among the medici.tv team’s favorites, Baptiste highlights The Fearless Flyers: a supergroup whose razor-sharp funk, pocket drumming, and playful energy show how simplicity and precision can be electrifying, transforming groove…
Reading time estimated : 4min read
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