Jan 07

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

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

Aug 29

The Edinburgh International Book Festival

Pictures are now online from The Edinburgh International Book Festival, which took place between 11-27 August this year. Over 800 authors from around the globe gathered in Edinburgh bringing writers and readers together across 750 events over 17 days.


Alastair Hazell
© P.Keightley/Lebrecht


Russell Kane
© P.Keightley/Lebrecht


Ruth Rendell
© P.Keightley/Lebrecht


Kevin Barry
© P.Keightley/Lebrecht

Jul 10

Pierre Boulez has been forced to withdraw from the BBC Proms as a result of continuing difficulties with his eyesight.

Francois-Xavier Roth will substitute in London, where Boulez’s absence will be acutely felt during Daniel Barenboim’s Beethoven concerts, all of which are paired with works by Boulez. Here’s the press statement, just in:

BBC PROMS 2012
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE PUBLISHED GUIDE

13 July – 8 September
Since the BBC Proms Guide 2012 was published in April there have been some changes and additions to the advertised programmes. These are listed below.
Please refer to the Proms website (bbc.co.uk/proms) for complete, updated listings and contact a member of the BBC Proms press team if you need any further information.

Pierre Boulez
Due to recent eye surgery in the United States, Pierre Boulez is unfortunately unable to travel to the UK and will therefore not be able to conduct at the BBC Proms on 26 July or take part in the Proms Plus Intro event on 20 July. We are very grateful to François-Xavier Roth who will conduct Boulez’s Le marteau sans maître at Prom 17.
We are very pleased to announce that Daniel Barenboim will join Proms Director Roger Wright in conversation at the Proms Plus Intro event at the Royal College of Music, which will now take place at 18.15-18.45 on 20 July.

Prom 9 Proms Plus Intro (20th July)
Daniel Barenboim replaces Pierre Boulez in conversation with Roger Wright at the Proms Plus event, which will now take place at 18.15-18.45.

Prom 17 (26th July)
François-Xavier Roth replaces Pierre Boulez as conductor in Le marteau sans maître.


François-Xavier Roth conducting the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the BBC Proms 2011.
© Chris Christodoulou/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Jun 22

What You Will: Pop Up Shakespeare, 28 August – 9 September 2012

Forming part of the London 2012 Festival, ‘What You Will: Pop Up Shakespeare’ will bring some of William Shakespeare’s most famous speeches and sonnets to life with a number of pop-up performances across London during the late summer.

Led award-winning actor Mark Rylance and developed with the Mayor of London, 50 actors will take part in this once-off series of events.


Archaeological site of Shakespeare ‘s first theatre
© Laurie Lewis/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Jun 22

Primavera Sound Festival 2012 at Barcelona, Spain

A stunning set of images of the latest edition of the international music festival Primavera Sound held in Barcelona is now available at our site www.lebrecht.co.uk.

This exciting event took place during the first weekend of June and our photographers managed to capture the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Drums, Veronica Falls, Baxter Dury, Beirut, Kings Of Convenience, Yann Tiersen, Justice, The Rapture, The XX, Marianne Faithfull, the legendary The Cure, and Brit Awards winner Laura Marling among many others.


Festival field at Primavera Sound 2012.
© Dosfotos/Lebrecht Music & Arts


Robert Smith of The Cure.
© Dosfotos/Lebrecht Music & Arts


Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand.
© Dosfotos/Lebrecht Music & Arts


Baxter Dury.
© Dosfotos/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Nov 02

Preview of London Jazz Festival opening at the Southbank Centre on 11 November 2011

The Southbank Centre will be playing host to the London Jazz Festival later this month. Legends such as Ornette Coleman, Roy Haynes and Archie Shepp will be playing alongside new talents like Nathaniel Facey from 11-20 November.

Lebrecht Music & Arts represents some of the world’s leading jazz photographers and has wonderful portraits of many of the performers taking part. Search online at www.lebrecht.co.uk for more photographs.

For information about the full festival line-up, visit the Southbank Centre website