Minimum Security

The Minimum Security Composers Collective produces concerts which mix music and theatre. There's a chance to experience this on 8 January, 8pm at Context (28 Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, next to Gracefully, New York, NY 10009), when marimba player Paul Fadoul performs five new pieces which each present a different aspect of theatre in their design. Stefan Weisman's The Stick-Shift Confessions follows a young man, driving aimlessly and meditating on a recent love affair gone bad. Clock-Face Without Hands explores Rilke's expression of the many faces of fear. In Disco Lemonade by Roshanne Etezady a simple tonal gesture is taken through many incarnations with nearly unnerving matter-of-factness. stars, cars, bars by Adam Silverman is the second in a series of works inspired by and using texts from Nabokov's Lolita. Ken Ueno's Theatre in Music examines the intrinsic theatrical elements in the performance of a piece of music. The admission charge is 10 dollars (5 dollars for students and seniors).

The Organic Organum

A concert of contemporary composers and groups, including David Arditti, Richard Cross, Tim Febey, Legends, Lutoslawsky, P.A.Monk, Richard Moore, The Organic Organum, Quentin Russell, Peter Sculthorpe, Eugenia Voskidou, will take place on 14 January at 7.30pm in Highgate United Reformed Church, Pond Square, London N6, UK. Tickets (including refreshments) are 6 pounds (4 pounds concessions), and available from Pond Square Music, 39 Ivinghoe Road, Bushey Heath, Watford, WD2 3SW, email qrdruss@mwfree.net, tel/fax +44 208 421 8979.

Early music in Texas

The message coming from Texas is that early music is alive and well there, as Daniel Johnson and the Texas Early Music Project present the Second Annual Mid-Winter Festival of Music, consisting of six weekends of medieval, renaissance, baroque and early classical music, ranging from 12th century troubadour songs to Schubert lieder accompanied by fortepiano. The Festival begins with Handel's Rinaldo and ends with Handel's Alcina and also includes renaissance dance, Scottish ballads, celtic harps and 'early music at the cutting edge'. Artists include La Follia Austin Baroque and the University of Texas Opera Department. The festivities run from 28 January to 5 March, and full details are at the Texas Early Music Project website.

Edinburgh Festival

Looking forward to the Edinburgh International Festival 2000, the dates are 13 August - 2 September. Important events include the opening of a new Ring cycle with Das Rhinegold performed by Scottish Opera, Stuttgart Opera performing Handel's Alcina, and appearances of the Czech Philharmonic, Nederlands Dans Theater, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, and Brentano Quartet. The full programme will be available on March 29.

and previously published news ...

Vivaldi in Rome

Francesco Carotenuto conducts the String Orchestra of the International Chamber Ensemble in three concerts on 7, 8 and 9 January in the All Saints Anglican Church in Rome - a programme of music by Vivaldi (the concerto for two violins, cello and orchestra in D minor), J S Bach (the concerto for two violins and orchestra in D minor) and Mozart (the divertimenti for strings K136 and K138, and Eine kleine Nachtmusik) can be heard on 7,8 and 9 January. All concerts begin at 9pm. Tickets L 30,000 (with concessions) available at the door.

Michala Petri

The outstanding recorder player, Michala Petri, plays two contrasting concertos - Vivaldi and Gordon Jacobs - in Manchester UK's Bridgewater Hall with the Manchester Camerata directed by Richard Howarth at 7.30pm on 9 January. There is a pre-concert talk by Phil Thomas at 6.30pm. Tickets & info: +44 (0)161 907 9040.

Opera in Graz

The wide-ranging January 2000 schedule of Austria's Opernhaus Graz includes performances of Die lustige Witwe (12 and 22, 7.30pm), Don Giovanni (13 at 7pm, 23 at 3pm and 28 at 7pm), Carmen (14 and 20, 7.30pm), La Bohème (15 and 29, 7.30pm), Kiss me, Kate (16 at 3pm and 7.30pm, 21 at 7.30pm, 26 and 27 at 7.30pm) and Simba, oder das Löwenland (17, 24 and 30 at 11am and 4pm). You can also hear ZauberGlockenFlötenspiel in the Opera House foyer on 19 January, 5pm and 6pm.

Tallis Scholars

The UK-based Tallis Scholars under their founder and conductor Peter Phillips visit the Netherlands 12-13 January (Rotterdam and Enschede). Full info on their recordings at www.gimell.com.

Danielpour Première

The illustrious Guaneri String Quartet, which has a residency at the University of Maryland, is to première a Concerto for string quartet and orchestra by Richard Danielpour with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin at Washington's Kennedy Center on 13, 14, and 15 January 2000 then in New York at Carnegie Hall on 25 January.

Oreste and Oresteia

The English Bach Festival Opera presents a short season in January at the Linbury Studio Theatre of the Royal Opera in London. Oreste by Handel, not heard in England since 1734, will be staged on January 14 and 22 at 7.30 and 16 and 23 at 4. At the reverse end of the chronological scale Xenakis' Oresteia will be given its first performance in England of the new complete version. Dates: Jan 15,18,19,21 at 7.30.Box office: +44 (0)207 304 4000.

Oresteia

The first staged production in the UK of Xenakis' Oresteia will take place at London's Royal Opera House Linbury Studio Theatre in Covent Garden on 15 January at 7.30pm. The Spectrum Singers and Instrumental Ensemble, with the New London Children's Choir, will be directed by Guy Prothero.

Song at St John's

The 30th Anniversary Season commencing in October at St John's Smith Square, London, contains Song at St John's, a blossoming of solo song with piano. There will be a Study Day led by Roderic Swanston on 16 January with the first recital on 7 February bringing Susan Bickley and Paul Robinson for a programme drawn from Italy, Spain, Russia and the UK. On 17 March Rosalind Plowright and the Mastersingers Company introduce a Celebrity Song Series. Box office: +44 (0)20 7233 1618

Max Opus

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies includes his sixth symphony in a programme of his music he conducts with the BBC Philharmonic at the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, UK) on 19 January.

Bamert in Tokyo

The London Mozart Players embark upon a Japanese tour 22 January - 1 February under the direction of Matthias Bamert. 22 Jan Tokyo: Akigara Kirara Hall; 23 Jan Tokyo: Kodaira Citizen's Cultural Hall; 25 Jan Kyto: Yasu Bunka Hall: 26 Jan Fukui: Harmony Hall; 27 Jan Aomori: Towada Shimin Bunka Center; 28 Jan Tokyo: Metropolitan Arts Space; 29 Jan Ibarahi: Iwai Shimin Hall; 30 Jan Kobe: Portopia Hall; 1 Feb Kagoshima: Venue tbc.

Arthur Pendragon

Following their huge success with Edward II, David Bintley and John McCabe are collaborating again to produce two new ballets based on Arthurian legends. The first of these, Arthur Part I: Arthur Pendragon, has been completed, and will be premièred 25-29 January in the UK by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Further information from the websites of John McCabe or the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Brandon Hill Cosi

On January 25-29 are to be performances of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte (in English) by the Brandon Hill Opera at St George's Bristol UK. The rebuilt and refurbished building provides an ideal acoustic and setting for small-scale opera. Richard Studer has artistic direction and Andrew Shulman will conduct the Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra. Box Office +44 (0)117 923 0359: info cosi@finetune.co.uk 

Even jazz

'Jazz on the level' is a series at St David's Hall in Cardiff, Wales, continuing on Tuesdays at 8.30: John Etheridge's Sweet Chorus, 25 Jan; Tony Coe Trio, 15 Feb; Marlene Verplank and her Musicians, 7 March. Box Office: +44 (0)1222 878444.

English Fancie

Camarada has commissioned Richard Rodney Bennett for an Oboe Quartet. This will be premièred on 29 January in the Holywell Music Room, Oxford UK, in 'New directions' - part of an ongoing series entitled The English Fancie - a retrospective series of 20th century chamber music including many Camarada commissions and first performances. The programme also includes Bennett's first Oboe Quartet from 1975, with works by Lennox Berkeley and John McCabe, and Bennett will give a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

The next concert in the series will be 'towards the millennium' on 3 March (with a 6.30pm pre-concert talk by Howard Skempton).

Tickets for each concert cost GBP 7 (concessions GBP 5), from The Playhouse, Beaumont Street, Oxford, +44 (0)1865 798600 or at the door. Info: +44 (0)1252 727240. Both concerts begin at 7.30pm.

1999/2000 season in Budapest

The Budapest Philharmonic's 1999/2000 season includes music by Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven (31 January, with the Beaux Arts Trio); Bach, Mozart and Bartók (28 February); Mahler's 3rd Symphony (20-21 March); Sibelius (3-4 April); Beethoven's Symphonies 1 and 9 (15-16 May).

Budapest Opera features Britten's Peter Grimes (staged by Balazs Kovalik - 18, 20 January), Three Sisters by Peter Eotvos (based on Chekhov, staged by Istvan Szabo - 2, 5 April) and Bizet's Carmen (staged by Mikos Szinetar - 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30 May).

Other events in Budapest include the Nureyev Ballet Competition (16 March finals, 17 March gala. Opera House).

Pelléas et Mélisande

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Italy stages Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande in February. The alternate casts include William Joyner, Tracey Welborn, Lucio Gallo, Gaetan Laperrière, Nicolaj Ghiaurov, Eldar Aliev, Brunella Bellome, Lucia Golini, Franco Boscolo, Antonio Marani, Mary-Louise Aitken, Cassandra Riddle, Debora Beronesi and Claudia Nicole Bandera. Vladimir Jurowski conducts the Orchestra and Choir of the Teatro Comunale. Performances 4 at 8.30pm, 6 at 3.30pm, 8 at 8.30pm, 10 at 8.30pm, 13 at 3.30pm, 15 at 4pm, 17 at 8.30pm, 19 at 6pm and 20 at 4pm. The opening night will be transmitted live on the Radio Nettuno Onda Libera programme AllOpera!

'Cosi' Cardiff

Welsh National Opera's Spring and Summer season launches on 11 February with a new production of Cosi fan tutti at the New Theatre, Cardiff with more performances on 16, 19 February and 2 March. Puccini's Turandot in a revival is played on 21, 26, 29 February and 3 March. A revival of Rossini's The Barber of Seville comes on 1 and 4 March.

The WNO's Summer Season opens with a new production of Britten's The Turn of the Screw on 15 May.

Concert performances of the spring operas are on tour commencing Birmingham Symphony Hall 6, 8, 11 March, then stage performances in the usual venues at Plymouth (14, 15, 17, 18 March), Oxford (21-25 March), Liverpool (28 March - 1 April), Bristol (4-8 April), and Swansea (11-15 April).

The Sixteen in sixteen cathedrals

From February to November 2000, The Sixteen will perform in 16 of England's finest cathedrals. Starting in York and ending in Canterbury, the choir will sing some of the best renaissance music by Byrd, Taverner and Tallis - composers connected historically with the cathedrals. Watch out for a new page on The Sixteen website, which (by the end of October) will give further information and booking details.

Millennium Tales

Charles Vignoles of the Bromley Youth Music Trust in London UK has commissioned Bob Chilcott for the Borough's Millennium celebrations. It has resulted in Millennium Tales, a cantata for children's choir, SATB youth choir, and instrumental ensemble which takes a look at modes of communication down the centuries. There are performances at Croydon's Fairfield Halls on 16 and 17 February, and at the Millennium Dome on 18 May. Info from Val Withams (tel/fax +44 (0)1494 866389).

Uncommon Artistry

The Plymouth Music Series in Minneapolis has announced its 1999-2000 season, called 'Uncommon Artistry'. Witness will be partially African American with a song cycle from John Williams and Dream N. the Hood, a rap symphony by Gregory T.S.Walker to be programmed in Orchestra Hall on 19 Feb; The Kings Singers will present Aha! Cappella at Wooddale Church on 7 April; Czech composer Jan Jiraseks reworking of Bach's St Luke's Passion will be sung on 12 May at the Ted Mann Concert Hall. Info: +1 612 624 2345.

Around a curve

The founding of Christchurch and Canterbury in New Zealand in 1850 is to be musically celebrated in 2000 with a cantata premiered on 26 February by the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford in the Sheldonian Theatre directed by Stephen Darlington.

Francis Grier has set a text by Sue Mayo for this celebratory cantata entitled Around the Curve of the World. A handful of Christ Church men in 1850 were members of the founding organisation for this special settlement, which was to be established around a cathedral and a university college. Christchurch has been the South Island's principal city ever since.

The prime source of this venture is the Canterbury Association 2000, from which 50 donors have raised over 30,000 pounds towards the commissioning fees.

New Zealander Paul Whelan takes the baritone role as the founder, John Robert Godley, who was described by Gladstone as 'a king among men'. Even the Sheldonian Theatre of 1669 has a link as its construction was financed by Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury at that time. Furthermore, Canterbury, New Zealand is named after the Archbishopric of Canterbury.

Première at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford on 26 Feb: Priority bookings from 22 Nov, +44 (0)870 750 0659. General booking from 6 December:
By internet at http://www.musicatoxford.igw.com
By phone from Oxford Playhouse Box Office +44 (0)1865 798600
By fax to Music at Oxford +44 (0)1865 242867
In person to Oxford Playhouse Box Office, Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LW, UK
By post to Music at Oxford, Elms Court, Oxford OX2 9LP, UK

Orchestre de Bretagne

The Orchestre de Bretagne tours England in March with music director Stefan Sanderling and soloists James Dick, piano and Alison Metternich, mezzo-soprano. Hear Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, Berlioz' Nuits d'Été and Beethoven's Emperor Concerto in Exeter Cathedral (1 March 2000, 7.30pm, +44 (0)1392 211 080), Guildford Civic Centre (2 March, 7.30pm, +44 (0)1483 444 555), at the QEH on London's South Bank (4 March, 8pm, +44 (0)171 960 4242) and Salisbury City Hall (5 March, 7.30pm, +44 (0)1722 327 676). General information about the tour from John Woolf, Park Lane Group, +44 (0)171 255 1025.

What Next?

Elliot Carter's recently premièred one act comic opera What Next? is at the Deutsche Staatsoper Unter den Linden, 25 and 31 March 2000. With text by Paul Griffiths (after Jacques Tati's film Traffic), What Next? is conducted by Daniel Barenboim and directed by Nicolas Brieger, with decor by Gisbert Jaekel.

Lucerne Music

The Swiss town of Lucerne has three music festivals which share the Lucerne Music website. Osterfestspiele Luzern (an Easter Festival, 8-16 April 2000), Internationale Musikfestwochen Luzern 2000 (a month-long summer international music festival -17 August-16 September 2000) and the Lucerne Piano Festival (23-26 November 2000).

... die Zeit ist ohne End' ...

OsterKlang Wien 2000 (Vienna Easter Sound 2000) takes time as its theme, and in particular, Easter - the time of Revelation, the Passion, the Resurrection and Redemption. Illustrating many facets of this theme will be Franz Schmidt's Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals), Ernst Krenek's Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, Carl Dreyer's film Jeanne d'Arc with music by R Einhorn, the Mozart Requiem and a new setting of Thomas Bernhard's cycle of poems In hora mortis - H J v Bose's ...die Zeit ist ohne End'... (Time has no end).

Performers include Anonymous 4, Juliane Banse, Kathleen Battle, Brigitte Fassbaender, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Quasthoff, the RIAS Chamber Choir, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera. There's also an invitation to encounter Vienna's architecture as Jan Garbarek, Sainkho, Gavin Bryars, Mia Zabelka and DJ Spooky contribute to an acoustic revival of statues in Path of Angels 2000. Events run from 14-24 April and tickets can be booked online.(email tickets@osterklang.at, phone +43 1 427 17, fax +43 1 4000 99 8410).

Looking further ahead, KlangBogen Wien 2000 (Vienna Music Summer 2000) will be a compact festival of classical music lasting seven weeks (9 July - 25 August), with the theme 'Love's power is timeless' (Jakob Lenz).

Salzburg Festival

Salzburg's Whitsun/Baroque festival takes place 9-12 June 2000, and not much later in the year comes the main Salzburg Festival (23 July - 31 August). Full details of both festivals are available online from the Salzburg Festival site.

News of the New

James Macmillan has a large-scale Mass in preparation for Westminster Cathedral on 22 June next. Macmillan's Easter Triptych on record was reviewed in Music & Vision earlier this year.

The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed Macmillan as its new Composer/Conductor from September 2000.

Festival music by the Med

The Aix-en-Provence Festival next summer (June-July 2000) plays host to Pierre Boulez and William Christie directing Academie europeénne de musique. Specialists in their chosen fields, each will demonstrate and teach the developments in instrumental music that heralded the Baroque period and the second half of the 20th century. Others who will share in this survey are René Jacobs, Gustav Leonhardt, Laurence Équilbey, Simon Rattle (with the CBSO), and Daniel Harding (with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra).

Operas to be performed - all linked to these developments - are Janacek The Makropoulos Affair, Rossini Cenerentola, Mozart Cosi fan tutte and Monteverdi Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria and Le Couronnement de Poppée.

For a prospectus refer to www.aix-en-provence.com/festartlyrique/

A variety of conductors

The Philharmonia Orchestra's Spring/Summer 2000 concerts at the Royal Festival Hall in London bring a variety of conductors to the rostrum. Leonard Slatkin (Principal Guest), Vladimir Ashkenazy, Junichi Hirokami, David Zinman, Vladimir Conta, Richard Hickox; and Valery Gergiev conducting four concerts devoted to works associated with Diaghilev (two with the Kirov Orchestra). Mikhail Pletnev plays Tchaikovsky's complete works for piano and orchestra in two concerts. Slatkin will present two American concerts, including a première.

Schubert Masterclass 2000

The fourth edition of the Dutch Schubert Foundation (Schubert Stichting)'s Schubert Masterclass will take place from 16-18 November 2000, with a final concert by students and teachers on 19 November 2000. Unique in the Netherlands for providing an inspiring interpretation course for both singers and their pianists, the Schubert Masterclass is run by bass-baritone Robert Holl and pianist Rudolf Jansen.