Jan 23

Breaking: Britten’s doctor rubbishes syphilis report

Posted on January 23, 2013 by lebrecht

In today’s Guardian, Charlotte Higgins gains access to the composer’s medical notes, which were not available to his biographer, Paul Kildea. She also talks to the senior registrar who looked after Britten in hospital at the time Kildea says he was found to have syphilis. The notes give no indication of venereal disease, even by euphemism, and the cardiologist says the circumstances described by Kildea are ‘rubbish’.

Bolshoi chief injured in acid attack

Posted on January 18, 2013 by lebrecht

Sergei Filin, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, is being treated in hospital after an attack outside his Moscow home around midnight last night.
A man approached and flung acid in his face, before running off. Motive and identity are unknown. Filin, 43, suffered third-degree burns and doctors are working to save his eyesight. A former stage star, he was promoted to artistic director in March 2011. Read more here.

Bolshoi Ballet in ‘Cinderella’ Royal Opera House, London, UK, 7 August 2006. Svetlana Zakharova, Sergei Filin.
© Dee Conway / Lebrecht Music & Arts

Jan 10

NEWS: Simon Rattle to step down as director of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018

Posted on January 10, 2013 by lebrecht

Sir Simon Rattle has announced today that he will step down as music director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018. He will have held the post for 16 years. Photos by Georg Anderhub.

Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at Lucerne Festival.

Jan 10

Naftali Bennett – rightwing Israeli politician with surge of support in election campaign

Posted on January 10, 2013 by lebrecht

Naftali Bennett, Israeli rightwing leader with growing support base in Israeli elections. Recent photos by Kobi Kalmanovitz.

Jan 08

David Bowie releases new single and announces first album in a decade

Posted on January 8, 2013 by lebrecht

Legendary British musician, actor and producer David Bowie celebrated his 66th birthday this morning by releasing a brand new track “Were Are We Now?” and revealed plans to have a full album out on March 11th entitled “The Next Day”.

Click HERE for an exclusive selection of images of Bowie’s career.

Rod Stewart and the Faces on tour in America. David Bowie watching. 1 April 1975
© Mirrorpix/Lebrecht Authors

David Bowie, legendary singer songwriter and actor, performing on stage, London 27 October 1995.
© Mirrorpix/Lebrecht Authors

Phoenix Festival, David Bowie performing on stage, 1996.
© Toby Jacobs/Lebrecht Music & Arts

David Bowie portrait in pastels.
© Zsuzsi Roboz/ Messum Fine Art/Lebrecht

David Bowie performing at the Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2004.
© Mike Russell/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Jan 07

Claude Nobs, who founded the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival, is in a coma following a skiing accident.

Posted on January 7, 2013 by lebrecht

The 76-year-old “fell while practising cross-country skiing” during the Christmas holidays, said a statement on the festival’s official website.

He had surgery in Lausanne, Switzerland, but remains unconscious, the statement continued.

UPDATE 10TH JANUARY: Nobs sadly passed away, he was 76.

The festival, which takes place on the shores of Lake Geneva, has featured the likes of Miles Davis and Santana. (source BBC News website)

(over 200 Montreux jazz images on www.lebrecht.co.uk)

Claude Nobs, in his chalet ‘Le Picotin’, June 2006.
© Rodrigo Carrizo Couto/Lebrecht

American composer, arranger & producer Quincy Jones with Claude Nobs, Switzerland, July 2006.
© Rodrigo Carrizo Couto/Lebrecht

Claude Nobs, in his chalet ‘Le Picotin’, June 2006.
© Rodrigo Carrizo Couto/Lebrecht

Jan 04

BBC Sound of 2013 winners announced

Posted on January 4, 2013 by lebrecht

American trio Haim top the BBC Sound of 2013 list.

The folk-rock band whom recently supported Florence And The Machine at the O2 Arena in London has been announced this morning to take the highest spot on the famous BBC Sound of… poll which in the past has spotted number 1 artists like Adele, Ellie Goulding, Jessie J, Keane, 50 Cent, etc before they became superstars.

We have some exclusive images of Haim performing at the London Calling Festival in Amsterdam in November last year.

© Carolina Faruolo/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Dec 11

Winter time at the Rockefeller Center in New York City

Posted on December 11, 2012 by lebrecht

New images of the 80th annual display of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the Radio City Music Hall. Ice skaters and tourists visit these famous New York City landmarks during the holidays. All photos by Caroline P. Digonis.

Nov 30

The Rolling Stones

Posted on November 30, 2012 by lebrecht

The Rolling Stones rock group are celebrating their golden jubilee this month. The group was set up in Dartford in 1962. The Stones are one of the most successful and enduring bands in rock’n'roll history and were established in Dartford, England in 1962. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them 4th on their “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” list, and their album sales are estimated to have reached more than 200 million worldwide. “They have a combined age of 273, but the four Stones remain an extraordinary live proposition,” John Aizlewood wrote in the Evening Standard. At the first of 5 celebratory performances in London on Sunday 24th November 2012 lead singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood and drummer Charlie Watts were joined by former members Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor.

Our photographers who captured these historic music moments include Rocksign, Tony Keeley, David Farrell.