Coronavirus disease 2019

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease in various mutations which resulted in a pandemic during 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, causing cancellation of events worldwide, including concerts and festivals. The pandemic also resulted in a flowering of online musical activity, and many modified performances. The effects of this pandemic are still affecting the music world in 2023.

 

A selection of articles about Coronavirus disease 2019

Ensemble. A Wake-up Call - Ron Bierman listens to orchestral music by Carlos Simon and by Wagner arranged by Lorin Maazel

CD Spotlight. Most Effective and Exciting - Geoff Pearce recommends Nigel Clarke's 'The Prophecies of Merlin'. 'Peter Sheppard Skærved certainly rises to the occasion in this demanding work.'

Ensemble. A World-class Orchestra - Mike Wheeler is impressed by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor Eva Ollikainen

Classical music news. March 2023 Newsletter - Our March 2023 PDF newsletter has just been published, along with some extra classical music news and our February 2023 classical music obituaries

Profile. Creativity, Imagination and Curiosity - Ron Bierman talks to American mezzo Stephanie Blythe

Ensemble. Meeting Performance Challenges Head-on - Music by Britten, Anna Clyne, Richard Strauss and Johann Strauss II from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain impresses Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. A Christmas Gift - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences some rare music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - The Mouth of Hell

Profile. Imaginary Folklores - Robert McCarney talks to Azorean pianist Diana Botelho Vieira and reviews a recent concert in Spain

Ensemble. Looking Back and Forward - Mike Wheeler was at the first concert in Nottingham Royal Concert Hall's orchestral season

Ensemble. Shaped with Care - Mike Wheeler listens to Sibelius, Grieg and Dvořák from Derby Concert Orchestra and guest conductor Bob Chasey

Ensemble. Effectively Realised - Mike Wheeler listens to Brahms' Requiem

Ensemble. Stewards of Creation - Haydn's 'The Creation' marks Harry Christophers' final concert with Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, heard by John Dante Prevedini

CD Spotlight. Positive Dramatic Strength - Gerald Fenech listens to Schubert overtures. 'Performances are wonderfully alive in Schellenberger's hands, and the gloriously melodic music truly sparkles with a youthful exuberance that makes your spirit soar.'

Ensemble. Welcome Back, Puritani - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience, in Rome, for Bellini's last great masterpiece

Classical music news. Obituary - Lyell Cresswell (1944-2022)

Ensemble. Two Performances of 'Turandot' in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi attended one and saw the other on TV

Ensemble. Three Contemporary Ballets in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for 'Herman Schmerman', 'Walking Mad' and 'From Afar', to music by Thom Willems, Maurice Ravel, Arvo Pärt and Ezio Bosso

Ensemble. The Magical Countertenor Voice - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Raffaele Pé

Ensemble. Modern Madrigals in the Seventeenth Century - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to vocal music by Gesualdo and some of his contemporaries

Ensemble. Excitement at Coventry Cathedral - Roderic Dunnett experiences Nitin Sawhney's new work 'Ghosts in the Ruins'

Classical music news - January 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world lost this month

CD Spotlight. The New Civic Composer - John Dante Prevedini listens to music by young Canadian Daniel Pelton. '... a remarkable collaboration uniting forces across Calgary's entire musical landscape despite extraordinary logistical hurdles.'

Ensemble. Musical Fairy Tales - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to ballet music in Rome

CD Spotlight. A Love Story in Two Quartets - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music by Janáček, played by the New Zealand String Quartet. '... an excellent reading ...'

Ensemble. Two Young Stars in the Musical Firmament - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to cellist Zlatomir Fung and pianist Richard Fu

Ensemble. A Splendid Achievement - Fareed Curmally listens to the Chamber Orchestra of the Symphony Orchestra of India

Ensemble. Winningly Interpreted - In his first report for Classical Music Daily, Fareed Curmally describes a magical afternoon of orchestral music in Mumbai

Classical music news. The Ideal Bridge - Michele Mariotti is to make his debut at Vienna State Opera with The Barber of Seville

Profile. Serving the Larger Community - Ron Bierman talks to David Bennett, general director of the San Diego Opera Association

Ensemble. Very Convincing - Lucas Ball listens to Bach and Buxtehude at last month's Three Choirs Festival in Worcester UK

Ensemble. Greek Tragedies and Musical Theatre - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences two unusual performances in Syracuse, Sicily

Beyond COVID-19 - Ron Bierman takes a look at the current classical music scene in San Diego

Ensemble. Regietheater at the Rossini Opera Festival - Giuseppe Pennisi discusses recent performances of 'Il Signor Bruschino' and 'Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra'

Ensemble. A Booming Success - Ron Bierman reports on the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, live at its upgraded outdoor concert hall

Ensemble. Three Days in Ravenna - Giuseppe Pennisi samples Northern Italy's high profile and wide-ranging arts festival

Ensemble. Chaos Instead of Music? - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Wagner and Shostakovich in a triumphant concert by Alejo Pérez and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Orchestra

Defining Our Field - John Dante Prevedini asks what is 'classical music' to us, why are we involved and what can we learn from our differences?

Ensemble. Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Re-opens - Giuseppe Pennisi was in a box for the opening night

Ensemble. Figaro via Laugh-in - Ron Bierman reviews San Diego Opera's parking-lot production of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'

Ensemble. Rollicking Comedy - Maria Nockin reports from San Diego Opera's drive-in performances of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'

Classical music news - April 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

New Releases - Keith Bramich describes some changes this magazine is making to its reviewing process, and provides a snapshot of information provided by record labels, promoters and individual artists over the last month

Classical music news - February 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Fit for Streaming? - Giuseppe Pennisi investigates various current and recent opera productions

Classical music news. Singing in Cars? - Classical Music Daily's February 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast

Ensemble. Twilight of Dreams - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a pastiche for our times at the opening of Teatro Massimo di Palermo's 2021 season

Ensemble. Arduous and Contrasting Passion - Bellini's 'I Puritani' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Smooth High Notes and Powerful Drama - Piotr Beczała and Sondra Radvanovsky's Met Stars Live recital from Wuppertal, recommended by Maria Nockin

Classical music news - Dreams of a New Day - Cedille Records announces new releases for 2021

Salzburg 2021 - Giuseppe Pennisi looks forward to the Salzburg Summer Festival which has Peace as its theme

Classical music news - January 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Melody and Mayhem - The English Symphony Orchestra's New Year's Eve offering, heard by Alice McVeigh

Ensemble. A Fun-loving Tradition - New York Metropolitan Opera's New Year's Eve Gala Concert, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Classical music news. Upgrading to the Visual - Classical Music Daily's January 2021 Newsletter has just been published in a new video podcast format

Ensemble. Christmas is for Concerts - Giuseppe Pennisi makes his festive choice from the Italian media

How Audiences See the World - Reinventing music for social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, by John Dante Prevedini

Ensemble. Happy Birthday Ludwig - Julian Jacobson's BPSE Beethoven birthday recital, reviewed by Malcolm Miller

Ensemble. A Delightful Addition to Christmas - Bryn Terfel in Wales, the latest Met Stars live in concert, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Classical music news - December 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Classical music news. Pirates Ahoy! - A new anti-piracy software service is set to curb the lockdown spike in illegal music streaming

Ensemble. The Greatest La Scala Extravaganza - An unusual opening to La Scala's season in Milan, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Hundreds of Thousands in Line for a Barber - A new Rome production of Rossini's 'Barber of Seville' especially for TV, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Modern Italian Music in Rome - Works by Francesco Pennisi, Goffredo Petrassi and Marcello Panni, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Zubin's Otello - Giuseppe Pennisi watches a new Florence production of Verdi's 'Otello' on Italian TV

Classical music news. Personal, Political and Social Lockdown - An assortment of short news items, plus 'Seven Deadly Sins', Classical Music Daily's December 2020 Newsletter, just published in a new audio podcast format

Classical music news - November 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Great Emphasis on Detail - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys streamed performances of a Carmen double bill in Rome

Ensemble. Horns and Headlights? - Ron Bierman reports on San Diego Opera's 'La bohème' from a parking lot in San Diego

Profile. From Live Performance to Live Streaming - Anett Fodor continues her series of interviews with some of our era's most interesting artists, and today she talks to British pianist Leon McCawley about some of the new challenges to artistic life

Ensemble. True Balletic Virtuosity - Adam J Sacks reports from the first performance of HK Ballet's new season

Ensemble. Nicely Varied - Peter Siepmann plays Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Duruflé and César Franck on the Compton organ at Derby Cathedral, heard by Mike Wheeler

Classical music news. November 2020 Newsletter - 'Time and Space', Classical Music Daily's November 2020 Newsletter, has just been published, along with an assortment of short news items

Ensemble. Italy's Last 'Traviata' (For a While) - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Verdi's opera in Rieti

Ensemble. A Nuanced, Idiomatic Portrayal - San Diego Opera's first drive-in opera - 'La bohème', appreciated by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Delightful Morning - Diana Damrau and Joseph Calleja sing live from Caserta in Italy as part of Met Stars Live in Concert, experienced by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Survival Strategy - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about the current music scene in Italy, touching on recent notable performances

Ensemble. A Fine Balance - Mike Wheeler listens to Thomas Hawkes playing J S Bach, Percy Fletcher, Pietro Yon, Johannes Brahms, C S Lang and Louis Vierne on the Compton Organ at Derby Cathedral

Classical music news - Refugee Orchestra Project - New commissions are up and running in Lidiya Yankovskaya's project which demonstrates the importance of refugees to the United States cultural scene

Ensemble. A Space to Reflect - Adam J Sacks was at the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's season opener for music by Copland, Beethoven, Doming Lam and Richard Strauss

Classical music news - Schubert via Zoom - Sing and/or play Schubert's Mass in G online

Classical music news - Fermi's Paradox - Sono Luminus releases a new recording by Carolyn Surrick and Ronn McFarlane

Classical music news - The Story of Babar - On Friday 6 November 2020, Nimbus will release a CD single of Miriam Margolyes and Simon Callaghan performing Poulenc's setting of Cécile and Jean de Brunhoff's 'The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant'

Ensemble. A Touch of Verdi in Rossini's Last Work - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Opera Roma's grand performance of Petite Messe Solennelle in Rome

Ensemble. Engagingly Vigorous - Mike Wheeler watches 'Nottingham Stories: Separation and Serenade', a series of videos created by Carmen Flores, director of Nottingham Chamber Music Festival

Classical music news - MITO SettembreMusica - Hosted by the Italian cities of Milan and Turin, MITO SettembreMusica 2020 was different to all other previous editions of the festival

Classical music news - Eleonora Perretta - A young Neapolitan guitarist wins the 2020 Mottola Guitar Competition in south-east Italy

Classical music news - The English Music Festival - The Sussex-based festival plays its part in the return to music-making in the UK with an Autumn Festival on 9 and 20 October 2020

Ensemble. It Pays to be Brave - George Frideric Handel's 'Rinaldo' in Florence, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Classical music news. September 2020 Newsletter - 'A Quiet Logic', Classical Music Daily's September 2020 Newsletter, has just been published, along with an assortment of short news items

Ensemble. Ariadne, Phaedra and Dido - Giuseppe Pennisi visits Spoleto to experience the first performance of a new work by Silvia Colasanti

Ensemble. The Belcanto Concerts - Giuseppe Pennisi sends his last report from this year's Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Classical music news. Diabelli Variations - American pianist David Korevaar completes his Beethoven project and will appear in a virtual recital at Snake River Music Festival with violinist Charles Wetherbee

Ensemble. Rossini's Last Sin - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a very special performance at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ensemble. Music through Breath - Adrian Kelly talks to Christian Curnyn about Handel's 'Acis and Galatea' as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Promised in Marriage - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ensemble. A Connolly Smorgasbord - A selection of performances by Sarah Connolly, as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Respecting the Spirit of The Merry Widow - Giuseppe Pennisi relates how 'Die lustige Witwe' is enthralling Rome

Ensemble. Where to now for the Arts in the UK? - Annie Lydford, Julian Glover and Emily Gottlieb in conversation with Michael Williams as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, reported by Mike Wheeler

Classical music news. August 2020 Newsletter - 'A Fresh Vision', Classical Music Daily's August 2020 Newsletter, has just been published, along with an assortment of short news items

Ensemble. Dancing Vivaldi during Social Distancing - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's Circus Maximus

Ensemble. Artificially Injected? - Mozart from Omer Meir Wellber and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra with 'a number of surprises' as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, experienced by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Especially Enjoyable Hard Work - Paul Kerryson and Wyn Davies explore the work of Stephen Sondheim and 'A Little Night Music', in conversation with Michael Williams, as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Perspectives: Words and Music - Mike Wheeler watches Buxton Festival's film 'Kate Whitley and Laura Attridge in conversation with Michael Williams', discussing the creation of the opera/oratorio 'Our Future, In Your Hands'

Ensemble. Once Upon a Time in Mantua - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the re-opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma for Verdi's 'Rigoletto'

Ensemble. Each Performance is a Unique Event - Mike Wheeler watches the film 'Adrian Kelly and Jacopo Spirei - La donna del lago and the role of the stage director' from the Buxton Festival's online offering

Ensemble. 'New Music' in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the last of the Accademia Filarmonica Romana's summer concerts

Ensemble. Siena Wins a Heroic Bet - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the opening performance of the completely re-designed Chigiana International Festival and Summer Academy

Classical music news. July 2020 Newsletter - 'A Miracle in Ravenna', Classical Music Daily's July 2020 Newsletter, has just been published, along with an assortment of short news items

Ensemble. A Miracle in Ravenna - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from a modified Ravenna Festival

Classical music news - Harold Rosenbaum - American conductor Harold Rosenbaum presents a free online group conducting lesson on 29 June 2020

After the Pandemic - Giuseppe Pennisi describes what looks like being a busy musical summer in Rome

Ensemble. Unlocking Creative Potential - Malcolm Miller listens to 'Lockdown Suite' by Malcolm Singer

Classical music news - Donatella Flick Conducting Competition - The deadline for the 2021 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition has been extended until 13 August 2020

Classical music news - Gabrielle Després - Nineteen-year-old Canadian-born violinist Gabrielle Després wins the thirty-fifth Irving M Klein String Competition

Drastically Revised - Giuseppe Pennisi looks at the detail of the replanned 2020 Salzburg Festival

Classical music news. Manhattan Music Competition - Applications for the fifth Manhattan International Music Competition should be made by 30 June 2020

Classical music news. June 2020 Newsletter - 'The Art of Thinking', Classical Music Daily's June 2020 Newsletter, has just been published, along with an assortment of short news items

Classical music news - Alienati - Coccia Theatre, Novara, Italy presents the first Smart Working Opera

Summer Festivals in Europe - Giuseppe Pennisi investigates the fast-evolving festival scene

The Art of Thinking - Gordon Andrew R brings to a close his two month long 'Life under Quarantine' series

With Great Caution - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the gradual reopening of Italian Summer Festivals

Locrian - A classical music word-puzzle, to keep you entertained during lockdown, by Allan Rae

Ensemble. Fresh and Energetic Performances - Malcolm Miller listens to Beethoven from Marios Papadopoulos and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra

Opening Up After Quarantine - Suggestions for musicians, by Gordon Andrew R

Classical music news - April 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world lost last month

Music and the Pandemic - Giuseppe Pennisi puts the case for Italy

Classical music news - Bocelli: Music for Hope - Andrea Bocelli and Emanuele Vianelli performed live from the Duomo in Milan on Easter Sunday

Classical music news - Klein String Competition - One of America's top string competitions goes digital

Classical music news - March 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world lost last month

Salzburg and the Pandemic - Giuseppe Pennisi wonders whether the 2020 Salzburg Summer Festival will take place

Ensemble. Familiar Pieces Heard Afresh - Mike Wheeler has some thoughtful comments on a performance by Tasmin Little, Duncan Riddell, Thierry Fischer and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Life Under Quarantine - Suggestions for the classical musician, from Gordon Andrew R