Norman Lebrecht

Judith Jamison One of the greatest dancers I ever saw, Judith Jamison, died this week and I would be remiss if I didn’t pay tribute to this beautiful woman who changed the world of contemporary dance.

The conductor has posted a memorial notice for the Slovak violinist and violist Peter Zelienka, a key player in Frankfurt’s HR symphony orchestra since 1993.

The gifted Adam Hickox has been named chief coinductor of the Trindheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway from next year. He made his debut with them two months ago in Verdi’s Requiem.

I am a student at a reputable music school pursuing an advanced degree. I am happy with the program and am learning a lot, but the one area in which I would like to focus – the orchestral program – has a lackluster conductor. There are often sub conductors, and we hear that our conductor is away long-distance biking. When he is there, he either runs the pieces, or stops and picks unhelpfully on individuals. The guest conductors are mostly students, sometimes fairly good, and local conductors of regional orchestras.

Don’t read the Opera America survey of 11,000 new operagoers over four seasons and 36 US opera companies.

Ryanair and easyJet have been fined €179m (£149m) for “abusive practices” such as charging passengers for hand luggage.

The Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov, a vocal supporter of his president’s wars, has issued a statement on social media following his latest disappearance from a foreign stage:

Chainstore owner Arthur Blank has given an absolute fortune to Atlanta Opera to fund a building in his mum’s name. The Molly Blank Center for Opera will include a 200-seat recital hall, rehearsal spaces, offices and gardens.

Message from Felicia Moore: I’m pretty shocked this is happening but I am now taking over the full run of Marie-Ève Signeyrole’s new production of Macbeth here at @deutscheoperberlin with Maestro Enrique Mazzola at the podium!!

Messages are pouring in on the death of Dr Leah Brown, lecturer at the University of Trinidad and Tobago and music director of the Lydians. Her teaching was transformational.