We begin this week with Classical:NEXT, which has – rather impressively – organised an entire digital conference at short notice. This evening (Tuesday 19 May) you can hear James Jolly, editor in chief of Gramophone Magazine, interviewing president of Deutsche Grammophon, Clemens Trautmann. The conversation will be streamed at 17:30 CET on the Classical:NEXT Facebook page.
Other mentoring sessions, talks, meet-ups and performances are available, head to the C:N website for more information.
In the US the 50th Annual Opera Conference has also gone online. On Wednesday (20 May) you can hear a presentation from Douglas McLennan (editor, ArtsJournal) and also take part in a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Anne Hiatt (Opera on Tap), Carleen Graham (Houston Grand Opera) composer Kamala Sankaram and more.
Over in the UK Opera Holland Park is hosting its first Virtual Open Day on Saturday 23 May. The online event features workshops, music and activities for the whole family, all free, from 10am (GMT+1) onwards. Performers and workshop leaders include Steve Elias, Dane Lam, Lada Valešová and Matthew Kofi Waldren.
In Hong Kong, Low Kee Hong (head of theatre at West Kowloon Cultural District), joins theatre director Edward Lam in a Facebook live session. Together they will, “reflect on how restrictions on gathering and movement have forced performing arts practitioners to re-examine how they engage with audiences and how this will affect the future of theatre.” The talk is in Cantonese and will be streamed via the Freespace Facebook page at 8pm local time.
Finally, in China there will be a concert with an actual live audience. On 23 May Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zhang Jiemin, will perform for a small invited audience. Repertoire includes pieces by Bartok, Barber and Piazzolla. The concert will also be live-streamed.