Latest news with #West-EasternDivanOrchestra
Al Etihad
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
String quartet to make music magic at Abu Dhabi Festival
24 Apr 2025 01:03 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Master violinist Yamen Saadi returns to the Abu Dhabi Festival's recital series, leading a line-up of exceptional talent including violist Sara Ferrandez and cellists Kian Soltani and Pablo Ferrandez. Saadi, born in Nazareth, joined the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at 11, became concertmaster at 17, and by 25 was leading both the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Ferrandez, from Madrid, also a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic's Karajan Academy and Anne-Sophie Mutter's Virtuosi Ferrandez, praised for his technique, spirit, charm and authority as a soloist, received an Opus Klassik Award for his album, born in Bregenz to a family of Persian musicians, gained global recognition after winning the Helsinki International Cello Competition in 2013 and recently earned the Innovative Listening Experience Award for his album "Cello Unlimited". Watch "Unique Encounters with Rising Stars" at The Blue Room at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, on April 26 at 7.30pm.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Conductor Daniel Barenboim says he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Conductor Daniel Barenboim says he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The 82-year-old issued a statement Thursday on Instagram. He has appeared more frail since 2022, canceling scheduled performances that included a new production of Wagner's Ring Cycle in Berlin. 'I am planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as my health permits,' he wrote. "As ever, I consider the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra my most important responsibility. It is essential for me to ensure the orchestra's long-term stability and development. I will continue to conduct the Divan whenever my health allows me to. At the same time, I will take an active role in ensuring that the Divan has the opportunity of working with excellent conductors going forward. I have been navigating this new reality of mine and my focus is on receiving the best available care.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. A child prodigy pianist who made his Carnegie Hall debut at 1957 at age 14. Barenboim has been chief conductor of the Orchestre de Paris (1975–89) and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1991–2006) and Milan's Teatro alla Scala (2011–14) and general music director of the Berlin State Opera (1992-2023). He founded the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra with academic Edward Said in 1999 to promote understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
Associated Press
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Conductor Daniel Barenboim says he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Conductor Daniel Barenboim says he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The 82-year-old issued a statement Thursday on Instagram. He has appeared more frail since 2022, canceling scheduled performances that included a new production of Wagner's Ring Cycle in Berlin. 'I am planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as my health permits,' he wrote. 'As ever, I consider the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra my most important responsibility. It is essential for me to ensure the orchestra's long-term stability and development. I will continue to conduct the Divan whenever my health allows me to. At the same time, I will take an active role in ensuring that the Divan has the opportunity of working with excellent conductors going forward. I have been navigating this new reality of mine and my focus is on receiving the best available care.' A child prodigy pianist who made his Carnegie Hall debut at 1957 at age 14. Barenboim has been chief conductor of the Orchestre de Paris (1975–89) and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1991–2006) and Milan's Teatro alla Scala (2011–14) and general music director of the Berlin State Opera (1992-2023). He founded the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra with academic Edward Said in 1999 to promote understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Independent
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Conductor Daniel Barenboim diagnosed with Parkinson's
Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim has announced he has Parkinson's disease. The 82-year-old Argentinian- Israeli, who has performed at the BBC Proms and been given an honorary knighthood, was head of the Berlin State Opera until 2023. Writing on Instagram on Thursday, Barenboim said: 'I know that many people have been concerned about my health. I have been very touched by the support I have received over the last three years. 'I would like to share today that I have Parkinson's disease. Looking ahead, I am planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as my health permits. 'As ever, I consider the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra my most important responsibility. It is essential for me to ensure the orchestra's long-term stability and development. 'I will continue to conduct the Divan whenever my health allows me to. At the same time, I will take an active role in ensuring that the Divan has the opportunity of working with excellent conductors going forward. 'I have been navigating this new reality of mine and my focus is on receiving the best available care. I thank everyone for their kindness and well-wishes.' Barenboim was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Jewish-Russian parents in 1942, and later moved to Israel, where he grew up. He met his wife, the British cellist Jacqueline du Pre, in London and they married in Jerusalem in 1967. She died in 1987 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In 1998, a film was made of Pre's life starring Dune: Prophecy actress Emily Watson as the cellist and True Blood star James Frain as Barenboim. Hilary And Jackie earned Watson and Muriel's Wedding star Rachel Griffiths – who played Pre's sister Hilary – Oscar nominations for best actress and supporting actress respectively. A year later, Barenboim founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with Palestinian writer Edward Said to bring together Israeli and Palestinian musicians, and later the Barenboim-Said Academy. Barenboim has recorded with the Philharmonic Orchestra, delivered a 2006 BBC Reith Lectures in London, picked up the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, and in 2011 was honoured with an honorary knighthood. He was the first to perform Wagner's opera at the BBC Proms as the 200th anniversary of the composer was marked in 2013, having previously done a debut of Wagner's entire 15-hour Ring Cycle in 2006 on BBC Radio 3, while conducting in Germany. Barenboim also founded the Daniel Barenboim Foundation to support cultural conversations through concerts. On a visit to Germany in 2019, Charles met the chairman of the Daniel Barenboim Foundation, Tabare Del Hum Perlas. He said at the time he played cello 'very badly', after being taught by Barenboim. Barenboim is also a Classic Brit and Grammy winner, and last year BBC Four released the documentary Daniel Barenboim: In His Own Words, about his life.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Daniel Barenboim announces he has Parkinson's disease
The conductor Daniel Barenboim has revealed that he has Parkinson's disease. The 82-year-old musician has been in failing health for some years, and in January 2023 resigned from his position as the general music director of the Berlin State Opera. Although increasingly frail, he has continued to make occasional appearances as a conductor, most recently in London with his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the 2024 Proms and then at the Royal Festival Hall in November. 'I know that many people have been concerned about my health and I have been very touched by the support I have received over the last three years. I would like to share today that I have Parkinson's disease,' he said in a statement released on Thursday. 'Looking ahead, I am planning to maintain as many of my professional commitments as possible. If I am unable to perform, it is because my health does not allow me to.' 'As ever, I consider the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra my most important responsibility. It is essential for me to ensure the orchestra's long-term stability and development. Barenboim, who was born in Argentina to Jewish parents, jointly founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 1999 with Palestinian-American academic Edward Said. Based in Seville, the orchestra consists of musicians from around the world – of Egyptian, Iranian, Israeli, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, and Hispanic backgrounds. The musician is a lifelong supporter of the two-state solution to the Israel Palestine conflict and a frequent critic of Israeli government policy. 'You can't make peace with an orchestra,' Barenboim said in an interview in 2008, 'but one can create the conditions for understanding and awaken the curiosity of each individual to listen to the narrative of the other. The Divan was conceived as a project against ignorance. It is absolutely essential for people to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it.' His statement continued: 'I will continue to conduct the Divan whenever my health allows me to. At the same time, I will take an active role in ensuring that the Divan has the opportunity of working with other excellent conductors going forward.' 'I have been navigating this new reality of mine and my focus is on receiving the best available care. I thank everyone for their kindness and well wishes.'
