Symphony Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Ben Folds has announced that he will release new album ‘What Matters Most’ this summer, and will also be in the UK and Ireland for live shows in the autumn.“There’s a lifetime of craft and experience all focused into this one record”, he says. “Sonically, lyrically, emotionally, I don’t think it’s an album I could have made at any other point in my career”.“I come from the vinyl era, and this perhaps more than any record I’ve made is a true album”, he adds.

Vitriolic criticism from famous conductor Marin Alsop about the film Tar has provoked a reaction from the film’s star, Cate Blanchett.

Introduced at the height of her powers, the world-renowned composer-conductor who lends Tár (★★★★☆) its brusque title is meticulous in every detail of how she conducts her life. Lydia Tár strives for perfection in her work, her image, and her bespoke suits, and demands the best from her musicians, students, and staff.But Lydia, portrayed with leonine intensity by Cate Blanchett, has grown increasingly sloppy in one area of her well-tended life.

Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce and Jessie James Decker wore super bright colors on the red carpet for the 2022 CMT Artists Of The Year!

Kanye West sees himself as a George Lucas-like figure in the fashion industry. The 45-year-old rap star - who has legally changed his name to Ye - believes he's more like the 'Star Wars' creator than a true fashion designer. He explained: "You know, specifically in this fashion context, I see myself more as a George Lucas than a fashion designer.

A.D. Amorosi What does one do for an encore after winning five honors at the 64th Grammys (including album of the year for “We Are“), an Oscar for best original score (for co-composing Disney-Pixar’s “Soul”) and leaving the bandleader gig at a top-rated talk show (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”)? If you’re protean pianist and megawatt personality Jon Batiste, you write a symphony — an”American Symphony” no less, its title raising the stakes on the grandeur of the piece that premiered at Carnegie Hall Thursday night.

For his first feature film in 15 years and third overall, acclaimed director Todd Field (“In The Bedroom”, “Little Children”) has tapped Cate Blanchett to star in “TÁR”.

Johnny Depp fan has had his autograph tattooed on herself - after waiting ten hours to meet him. Depp is currently on tour with Jeff Beck. 24 hours after greeting fans in Birmingham, where he played Symphony Hall and stayed at the Grand Hotel, Depp was in York.

Johnny Depp has been spotted in Birmingham - ahead of an expected performance at the Symphony Hall tonight. The star has been seen on tour across the UK with his long time friend Jeff Beck in recent days. Beck is performing at the Symphony Hall tonight - and it looks even more likely Depp will join him after he was spotted at a Birmingham restaurant on Sunday evening.

DALLAS -- Fabio Luisi will conduct a Ring Cycle in concert with the Dallas Symphony in October 2024.Luisi, who became music director for the 2020-21 season, will conduct two performances each of “Das Rheingold” and “Die Walküre” in May 2024, then add “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung (The Twilight of the Gods)" that fall, when the first two operas come back for an additional performance from Oct. 13-20, 2024.Mark Delavan will sing Wotan, repeating a role he performed when Luisi conducted the Ring at the Metropolitan Opera in 2012 and ’13.

Days after attending the Met Gala, Jon Batiste has postponed the Carnegie Hall debut tomorrow of his American Symphony production. He cited contracting Covid-19 as the reason.

Jon Batiste is currently battling COVID-19.

NEW YORK -- Carnegie Hall plans a return to a relatively full schedule next season for the first time since 2018-19, presenting about 150 events that include Kirill Petrenko’s first New York appearances as music director of the Berlin Philharmonic.Carnegie announced a 2022-23 schedule Tuesday that includes about 50 events in 2,800-seat Stern Auditorium. Petrenko, who succeeded Simon Rattle as Berlin's chief conductor for the 2019-20 season, leads three performances from Nov.

NEW YORK -- The Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera are organizing a Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra to tour Europe and America from July 28 to Aug. 20.The orchestra is to gather in Warsaw on July 18 for rehearsals, and will include musicians from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa, plus Ukrainian members of European orchestras, the companies said Monday.Keri-Lynn Wilson, a Canadian-Ukrainian conductor who is married to Met general manager Peter Gelb, will lead musicians who include members of the Kyiv National Opera, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra and Kharkiv Opera, plus the Tonkunstler Orchestra of Vienna, the Belgian National Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.The tour will open at Teatr Wielki, the Polish National Opera, on July 28 and include a televised performance at the BBC Proms in London on July 31. That will be followed by stops at the Chorégies d’Orange Festival in France (Aug.

health and safety protocols that include mandatory vaccinations for all musicians and daily testing for woodwind and brass instrumentalists, as well as members of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, there were 31 cases among onstage musicians and chorus members following recent performances, the BSO said in a statement Monday.The increase in cases in Europe could potentially disrupt travel during the tour, the BSO said.The decision to cancel was made with “deep regret,” BSO President and CEO Gail Samuel said.“Given the ongoing presence of COVID, brought home by its unfortunate impact on a significant number of our own artists, we must keep as our first priority the health and safety of everyone involved with the Boston Symphony Orchestra,” she said.The BSO had been scheduled to visit Vienna, Leipzig, Hamburg and Paris in May during a Strauss-focused tour partnership with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, under Andris Nelsons, who is the music director of both ensembles.“I was deeply passionate and excited to share this international alliance — a musical and human bond between exceptional orchestras on two continents — with our audiences,” Nelsons said.

For classical music enthusiasts, those who are curious, or even people looking for a new way to spend their evenings in Manchester, the Hallé has something for everyone as they transition from their Spring Season to the next phase of the year, ensuring they end the season on a high note. The Hallé is now wrapping up with some of the biggest events of the year so far and has the perfect way to end a successful run; by celebrating several important figures in musical history and even its own roots as a Manchester institution.

64th Annual GRAMMY Awards are honoring the best and brightest stars in the industry!Hosted once again this year by Trevor Noah, the 2022 GRAMMYs rolled out the red carpet for a star-studded ceremony, celebrating nominees and performers like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, Brandi Carlile, Silk Sonic, BTS and more.«Whenever people ask me what performances I'm most excited to see, I realize that my answers are almost always lies, because I haven't yet seen the performances,» Noah joked ahead of this year's GRAMMYs. «I have ideas of who I think I want to see in my head, but then I'm always surprised on the night. Last year was a perfect example of that… You don't know who's gonna bring something up, you don't know who's gonna do something different, you don't know who's gonna roll out a giant bed and twerk on it, so yeah, this year I'm excited to see anybody on stage.»That's what makes the GRAMMYs amazing," he continued. «It's basically the year's biggest all-around concert: Everything — country, hip-hop, jazz, whatever it is -- on one stage, which is what I love.»Jon Batiste led the nominations this year with 11 nods, while Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. each earned eight, and Eilish and Rodrigo nabbed seven a piece.Check out the full list of winners below:«I Still Have Faith In You,» ABBA «Freedom,» Jon Batiste «I Get A Kick Out Of You,» Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga «Peaches,» Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon «Right On Time», Brandi Carlile «Kiss Me More,» Doja Cat Featuring SZA «Happier Than Ever,» Billie Eilish «Montero» (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X «drivers license,» Olivia Rodrigo   , Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga , Justin Bieber , Doja Cat , Billie Eilish , H.E.R.

64th Annual GRAMMY Awards!Hosted once again this year by Trevor Noah, the 2022 GRAMMYs are ready to roll out the red carpet for a star-studded ceremony, celebrating nominees and performers like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, Brandi Carlile, Silk Sonic, BTS and more.«Whenever people ask me what performances I'm most excited to see, I realize that my answers are almost always lies, because I haven't yet seen the performances,» Noah joked ahead of this year's GRAMMYs. «I have ideas of who I think I want to see in my head, but then I'm always surprised on the night. Last year was a perfect example of that… You don't know who's gonna bring something up, you don't know who's gonna do something different, you don't know who's gonna roll out a giant bed and twerk on it, so yeah, this year I'm excited to see anybody on stage.»That's what makes the GRAMMYs amazing," he continued. «It's basically the year's biggest all-around concert: Everything — country, hip-hop, jazz, whatever it is -- on one stage, which is what I love.»Jon Batiste leads the nominations this year with 11 nods, while Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R.

Wilson Chapman editorAfter a two-month delay, the Grammys are finally here.The 64th Grammy Awards ceremony, celebrating the greatest achievements in popular music over the past year, kicked off at 12:30 p.m. PT on Sunday with the pre-telecast. The live ceremony will be held at 5 p.m.

Wild Symphony, the children’s book by No. 1 New York Times best-selling author Dan Brown, is getting a big screen animated feature adaptation from Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman and MGM.

Simon Rattle was getting ready to leave Europe for the first time since the start of the pandemic and head to California with the London Symphony Orchestra for a residency with students at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.“It’s kind of a miracle that it’s happening,” he said.A U.S. tour started Saturday in Palo Alto, continued on to Berkeley and Costa Mesa before three concerts in Santa Barbara this week.The symphony launched its partnership with the academy in 2018 when five section principals spent 10 days teaching and picked a dozen students as fellows to work with the orchestra in London the following January.

NEW YORK -- The New York Philharmonic will return to Geffen Hall after a $550 million renovation on Oct. 7 with a concert led by music director Jaap van Zweden before an invited audience to thank healthcare, emergency and construction workers.The program leads off what the orchestra calls a “Home” festival, the Philharmonic said Monday.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is resigning as artistic director of the New World Symphony after 34 seasons with the orchestra, wanting to lessen administrative responsibilities as he deals with a brain tumor.The 77-year-old had surgery last August for the tumor. He has conducted 20 concerts since then with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony.“Making music with these great artists and for so many friends in the audience felt like coming home, like coming back to life.

Deadpool actor, who is well known for his comic and charismatic persona, has spoken about his mental health struggles in the past, and explained in a new interview that he has had anxiety throughout his life.“I’ve had anxiety my whole life really,” he told CBS’ Sunday Morning. “And you know, I feel like I have two parts of my personality, that one takes over when that happens.”Giving one past example, Reynolds explained: “When I would go out on, like, Letterman, back in the day, I was nervous.“But I remember I’d be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m literally gonna die here.

It’s J.R. Hilton’s birthday today!!! He’s 9!!!! Expect lots of amazing birthday content – next week! Today, we’re doing a catch-up! It’s been a while since we’ve made a life/parenting update! So we do! Lots and lots to fill you in on! Plus, we take the kids to their first-ever classical music concert. We went to the Pasadena Symphony and had a lot of questions! And a great time!!! Watch!

NEW YORK -- Her arms at her side against her glimmering, long black jacket and her blond hair pulled into a ponytail, Susanna Mälkki soaked in several minutes of applause after a thrilling Carnegie Hall debut. She had conducted the New York Philharmonic in a challenging program, perceived as a possible prelude to becoming the first woman music director of an orchestra that started in 1842.“Of course, it’s always an honor to be mentioned in this kind of context,” she said during an interview with The Associated Press the day before the Jan.

2022 GRAMMY nominations were announced on Tuesday and some of this past year's top performers and recording artists made the list. The nominations were announced during a livestream from the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, which featured Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Board of Trustees Chair Tammy Hurt, as well as some special guests.The selection process for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards was altered back in May, following very public criticisms from The Weeknd.

Grammys’ site. Variety will list the nominations in all 80-some categories as they are announced between 9-10 a.m.

Mickey Mouse’s Toontown at Disneyland will close in March 2022 to undergo a reimagining of the space which will cater to families with young children, theme park officials announced today.

Nathalie Stutzmann, the French-born contralto turned conductor, will succeed Robert Spano as music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra starting with the 2022-23 season and become the second woman to lead a major American orchestra.The 56-year-old agreed to a four-year contract, the orchestra announced Wednesday, and she plans to spend 10 weeks annually in Atlanta starting in 2022-23.Marin Alsop was the first woman to head a major American orchestra as music director of the Baltimore

The trailer and poster for Cyrano are here!

Japan and Taiwan.The CSO said Muti's 2022-23 season will include performances of Beethoven's “Missa Solemnic (Solemn Mass)” in June 2023 and the world premiere of a work commissioned by the CSO from Jessie Montgomery.Muti was to conduct the CSO's season-opening performance on Thursday night in their first performance together since February 2020, a gap caused by the pandemic.

Greece’s national broadcaster said a final decision on details of the burial is expected Tuesday.Theodorakis died Thursday at the age of 96.

A content creator has given his followers a glimpse into what it's like to stay at a ridiculously expensive family suite onboard a cruise ship.TikTok user Stephen - who goes by Curveline Films - has shared a video giving his followers a tour of the stunning accommodation available to book on the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas ship.The show-stopping suite costs tens of thousands of pounds to book, but it hasn't stopped Stephen's curious followers dreaming about a stay on the cruise-liner.

coronavirus vaccines, the efficacy of face masks and the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.The orchestra offered only the broadest outline of their decision to dismiss Emily Skala, but their statement suggests there were multiple violations of multiple policies.

NEW YORK -- Michael Cunningham, Edwidge Danticat and Carmen Maria Machado are among the prize-winning authors contributing stories to a collection co-sponsored by Manhattan's Symphony Space performing arts center and its nationally aired “Selected Shorts” program.Algonquin Books is teaming with Symphony Space on "Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories," which features previously unreleased work by Cunningham, Danticat and Machado, along with Lauren Groff, Dave Eggers, Elizabeth