Latest news with #Wigley
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why our biggest orchestra is headed out of the city and into the suburbs
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will head out of the city in 2026 to perform in locations around Melbourne and Victoria. There will be a world premiere at Broadmeadows Town Hall, regular outings in Frankston, and performances slated for Ringwood, Castlemaine, Sale and Cowes. It's all part of a strategy to reach a broader audience, according to MSO chief executive and director of programming Richard Wigley. As part of that aim, the orchestra will not increase its ticket prices for the year ahead, which Wigley says is possible thanks to philanthropic support. The former head of the BBC Philharmonic and the Ulster Orchestras, Wigley represents a new guard at the MSO, having taking the reins from Sophie Galaise, who left in the wake of the MSO's controversial decision to drop pianist Jayson Gillham from its line-up for dedicating a piece of music to the journalists slain in Gaza. Gillham is suing the MSO for wrongful dismissal and the case is scheduled for the Federal Court in December. The MSO's plan to increase its accessibility extends into its programming choices for the coming year, which feature new commissions alongside contemporary works and evergreen favourites. The In Your Neighbourhood program continues, which this year included a concert on the Mornington Peninsula, as well as Jams for Juniors (learning sessions for toddlers), school holiday music activities, workshops and specialist music training for young students, and performances in aged care facilities. Details will be announced next year. There are plenty of big names and big concerts on the schedule for the next 12 months – along with some surprises. In his fifth year as chief conductor for the MSO, Jaime Martín will – temporarily – put down his baton and return to his flautist roots, playing the instrument as part of MSO programming in Australia for the first time. 'I hope I don't regret it,' Martín joked at the media program launch. The 2026 season will include Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, as well as a series of performances conducted by Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan. In May, Melbourne-born soprano Danielle de Niese will make her way through selections from classic musicals by Gershwin, Porter and Bernstein.
The Age
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why our biggest orchestra is headed out of the city and into the suburbs
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will head out of the city in 2026 to perform in locations around Melbourne and Victoria. There will be a world premiere at Broadmeadows Town Hall, regular outings in Frankston, and performances slated for Ringwood, Castlemaine, Sale and Cowes. It's all part of a strategy to reach a broader audience, according to MSO chief executive and director of programming Richard Wigley. As part of that aim, the orchestra will not increase its ticket prices for the year ahead, which Wigley says is possible thanks to philanthropic support. The former head of the BBC Philharmonic and the Ulster Orchestras, Wigley represents a new guard at the MSO, having taking the reins from Sophie Galaise, who left in the wake of the MSO's controversial decision to drop pianist Jayson Gillham from its line-up for dedicating a piece of music to the journalists slain in Gaza. Gillham is suing the MSO for wrongful dismissal and the case is scheduled for the Federal Court in December. The MSO's plan to increase its accessibility extends into its programming choices for the coming year, which feature new commissions alongside contemporary works and evergreen favourites. The In Your Neighbourhood program continues, which this year included a concert on the Mornington Peninsula, as well as Jams for Juniors (learning sessions for toddlers), school holiday music activities, workshops and specialist music training for young students, and performances in aged care facilities. Details will be announced next year. There are plenty of big names and big concerts on the schedule for the next 12 months – along with some surprises. In his fifth year as chief conductor for the MSO, Jaime Martín will – temporarily – put down his baton and return to his flautist roots, playing the instrument as part of MSO programming in Australia for the first time. 'I hope I don't regret it,' Martín joked at the media program launch. The 2026 season will include Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, as well as a series of performances conducted by Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan. In May, Melbourne-born soprano Danielle de Niese will make her way through selections from classic musicals by Gershwin, Porter and Bernstein.
Scoop
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Kiwis Invited To Have Their Say On Revised Waste Legislation
New Zealanders are invited to share their views on proposed changes to the country's key legislation regulating waste and litter. The proposals aim to modernise New Zealand's outdated waste legislation, providing more options to reduce and manage waste effectively. Glenn Wigley, Ministry for the Environment General Manager Waste and HSNO Policy, says updating the proposed legislation is one of the main priorities on the Government's recently released waste work programme. 'The new legislation will replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and Litter Act 1979, giving New Zealand the modern waste legislation our country needs.' Public consultation opened on 22 April inviting feedback on five proposals: creating a framework for extended producer responsibility, to ensure producers remain accountable for their products even after consumers have used them changes to how the waste levy is allocated to territorial authorities, and what they can spend the money on clarifying roles and responsibilities for central government, local government and the waste sector improving tools for compliance, monitoring, and enforcement enabling efficient and effective measures to control littering and other types of mismanaged waste. 'We want to know what New Zealanders think about the proposals, which are designed to make our waste legislation more effective, clear and consistent,' Mr Wigley says. 'We also want to understand the impacts on all parts of the waste sector, so we can make sure the legislation is workable and suits New Zealand's needs.' Consultation will run for six weeks until 11:59pm on Sunday, 1 June 2025. Feedback will help shape the final proposals for the legislative amendment. A consultation document and submission forms are available on the Ministry for the Environment's website: Have your say on proposed amendments to waste legislation - Ministry for the Environment - Citizen Space
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-leader wanted Lord Elis-Thomas back in Plaid
Former Plaid Cymru leader Lord Wigley says he would have liked his late colleague Lord Elis-Thomas to have returned to the party before his death. Lord Elis-Thomas, also a former Plaid leader and first the Llywydd - or speaker - of the Welsh Assembly, died aged 78 on Friday. His biographer, Aled Eurig, told BBC Politics Wales his old party behaved "shabbily" when Lord Elis-Thomas applied to rejoin in 2023. Plaid Cymru has been asked to comment. Lord Elis-Thomas left it in 2016 to sit as an independent and became a minister in Carwyn Jones' Labour Welsh government. But his bid to return to his original political home in August 2023 was abandoned. No Welsh budget deal yet, says Lib Dem leader Under fire GP company hands more surgeries back Children starting secondary school as vape addicts Lord Wigley said he would have "very much" liked to have seen his former colleague return, adding: "I regretted very much that he'd gone." Conditions, he said, were put on his rejoining and he was "not willing to go along with those". Mr Eurig said Lord Elis-Thomas was "keen" to return to the party under Rhun ap Iorwerth. "Instead of Plaid welcoming somebody who'd been of service to the party for 50 years and more, they created a tribunal, a disciplinary process which totally set to one side what Dafydd's record overall had been," he said. Dafydd was Lord Elis-Thomas' first name. He left Plaid Cymru over disagreements with then leader Leanne Wood. Lord Wigley said he last spoke to his former colleague more than a year ago, before the plan to rejoin was ditched. "The last conversation I had with him was the hopeful one that we would both be working together in the House of Lords on the Welsh agenda, and I was very sad that it hadn't happened," he said. You can catch up on Sunday's episode of BBC Politics Wales on iPlayer Lord Elis-Thomas: From maverick to political establishment Who was ex-Plaid Cymru leader Lord Elis-Thomas? New political system poses great danger - Wigley
