https://www.scmp.com/rss/523552/feed The latest news and top stories on Jaap van Zweden, a distinguished Dutch conductor. Known for his uncompromising approach to orchestral leadership, he began his career as the youngest concertmaster of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He transitioned to conducting in 1996, serving as Music Director for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012 to 2024, leading them to be named Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year in 2019. He also held the Music Director position at the New York... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Robin Zebaida Robin Zebaida The length and heaviness of Wagner operas have long been the stuff of legend and the butt of jokes. Who can forget Gioachino Rossini’s supposed one-liner describing Richard Wagner as having “lovely moments but awful quarter hours”? My favourite take on this topic was a recent cartoon in current affairs magazine Private Eye featuring a man at the launderette, staring forlornly at four washing machines in full swing, with the caption: “I knew I shouldn’t have selected Ring cycle!” My interest was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3352491/hk-phils-compressed-ring-cycle-recording-tarmo-peltokoski-wagner-made-accessible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3352491/hk-phils-compressed-ring-cycle-recording-tarmo-peltokoski-wagner-made-accessible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 08:15:04 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Orchestras, like all companies, never count on instant results from leadership changes. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra know that full well, and given that their new music director, Tarmo Peltokoski, has had little podium time so far, just when and how the young Finn puts his musical stamp on things is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, though, the orchestra, in tip-top form and on the heels of a highly successful European tour with Jaap van Zweden, kicked off their 52nd season in style with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326353/hk-phil-open-2025/26-season-style-under-guest-conductor-daniel-harding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326353/hk-phil-open-2025/26-season-style-under-guest-conductor-daniel-harding?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:15:07 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s choice of its new chief executive has stirred controversy, with an anonymous letter apparently sent to the government to protest against the selection of Austrian businessman Bernhard Fleischer being circulated online. On August 21, the orchestra announced that effective from September 1, Salzburg-born Fleischer would take over the job vacated by his German predecessor Benedikt Fohr, who left the orchestra in July after being in the job for six... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322744/hk-phils-new-chief-executive-choice-sparks-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322744/hk-phils-new-chief-executive-choice-sparks-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:13:45 +0000 Dirk Luiten Dirk Luiten In the rarefied world of orchestral performance, few debates are as enduring or as divisive as the question of leadership. Does transcendent artistry emerge from the iron will of a single visionary, or through the alchemy of collective insight? This question has resurfaced with fresh urgency in light of a recent documentary examining the methods of Jaap van Zweden, a Dutch conductor and former music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra whose exacting, often fiery rehearsals defined... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3317190/jaap-van-zweden-returns-hong-kong-philharmonic-concert-featuring-augustin-hadelich?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3317190/jaap-van-zweden-returns-hong-kong-philharmonic-concert-featuring-augustin-hadelich?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 09:15:09 +0000