ROME — Italy on Sunday marked the 80th anniversary of one of the most horrific World War II massacres in German-occupied Italy with solemn commemorations and a performance of a symphony honoring the dead. Riccardo Muti was conducting the Italian premiere of William Schuman’s Ninth Symphony, subtitled “Le Fosse Ardeatine,” which the New York-born Jewish … Read more
ROME — Maurizio Pollini, a Grammy-winning Italian pianist who performed frequently at La Scala opera house in Milan, has died. He was 82. Pollini died on Saturday, La Scala said in a statement. The announcement didn’t specify a cause of death, but Pollini had been forced to cancel a concert at the Salzburg Festival in … Read more
MILAN — London-based designer Feben opened the last day of Milan Fashion Week with a refreshingly diverse runway in every way, both in size and race. “I think why you are not seeing that around is because you are not seeing a lot of Black women in creative roles,” said the designer, who is originally … Read more
WARSAW, Poland — Once banned by rulers dispatched from Moscow, Poland’s stately polonaise dance that nurtured the country’s spirit even through the dark years of its partition is now honored by UNESCO. This 18th century dance has been performed from aristocratic balls to village celebrations, inspiring composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin. … Read more
RIO DE JANEIRO — Sound begins blasting ear drums and rattling bones even before the speakers — hauled by big rigs creeping their way through Brazil’s thronging Carnival crowds — draw near. The behemoth sound trucks known as electric trios are a Brazilian innovation that amplified music and effectively did away with front-row seats — … Read more
MADRID — On an evening in the course of July, tenors, sopranos and a choir delighted the gang in Madrid’s luxurious Teatro Actual opera home with Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece, “Turandot.” After the curtain got here down, the viewers filed from their plush seats and left the theater’s state-of-the-art air-con for the summer time swelter outdoors … Read more