Music 

Mastering A New Met Production In Two Days - Marlis Petersen, the Ophelia in the new Metropolitan Opera staging of Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet, was engaged for the part only a few weeks ago, after Natalie Dessay withdrew due to injury. The problem: she was singing Medea in a challenging world premiere in Vienna until the Saturday morning before opening night.... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:57:16 -0800

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Why Does Music Get Stuck In Our Heads? - "The mental pathways for music are complex, sometimes including not only auditory areas but also the visual cortex of the brain. Recent research suggests that musical perception is entwined with primitive parts of the brain and that it can influence emotions through the limbic system."... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:34:07 -0800

Scottish Opera Caters To A New Audience: Infants - "The experimental performances, to be staged at venues across the country, will feature no lyrics, narrative or plot. Instead, classically trained singers will create baby-friendly noises, such as Wellington boots splashing in puddles, buzzing bees, quacking ducks and the fluttering of feathers."... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:16:20 -0800

Is There Room For The Less-Than-Stellar Performance? - "There's a residual idea in classical music -- actually, in many artistic fields -- that we're supposed to seek perfection: do something as well as it possibly can be done." But what about the notion "that music is a daily need, and that making music and having it around and getting it out to people is more important than making it perfectly"?... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:23:04 -0800

UK Orchestra Association Charts Five-Year Plan For Orchestras - The Association of British Orchestras has launched a "five-year vision" that calls upon the government to "value orchestras, fund us wisely, legislate supportively and make a real commitment to maintaining music education in schools".... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:57:48 -0800