Classical News – Many opera houses and Broadway musical theaters have too-small orchestra pits. The architecturally famous Sydney Opera House is so cramped in the orchestra pit that their new production of Korngold’s Die tote Stadt puts the entire 86-piece orchestra and 60-member chorus in another room and pipes the sound into the auditorium. The singers were wireless mics, but only for the audio feed to the orchestra members, the audience hears them unamplified. The entire orchestra of Broadway’s A Chorus Line is in the basement of the theater, and for Jersey Boys the percussion section is in yet another space across the street from the theater. The first prize in the 2012 Naumburg Violin Competition went to Tessa Lark, a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory. Her playing of Bartok’s Violin Sonata No. 1 was the finest playing of the entire event, and she is launched on a promising career. Three past winners of the Competition were members of the jury, which also included composer John Corigliano. Elaine Calder leaves her post as executive director of the Oregon Symphony at the end of August. She is credited with turning the orchestra’s finances complete around since her arrival in 2006. Music Director Carlos Kalmar also had a hand in the orchestra’s success, especially after the many positive reviews of their appearance last year at Carnegie Hall and their new recording.
Green Laser Projector Breakthru – Sony and Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations USA have revealed they have developed a green semiconductor laser diode capable of higher brightness levels needed for a wide range of video projectors. It can produce 100mW of power at 530nm and will be used in advanced as well as compact energy-efficient laser projectors. The diode features twice the luminosity of conventional green laser diodes, and will reproduce vibrant video and images.
Vizio Claims LCD TV Lead for Q1 – Vizio says it has reclaimed the No. 1 brand share position of LCD TV shipments in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2012, based on IHS/ISuppli research. Vizio tallied 18.5% share of U.S. LCD TV volume during the period, up 3.5%. It also earned the No. 1 spot for unit shipments of soundbars, with a 27.5% share.
Sharp’s 90-Inch Aquos TV – Sharp Electronics is distributing its new 90-inch Aquos TV to a subset of its core Aquos big-screen retailers already carrying their 60-inch and 70-inch models. A memo predicted that Best Buy and Magnolia will have the sets, and Walmart may have a very limited supply in some stores. The TV carries a street price of $9999.
Wayne Shorter – In Memoriam
Rememberance of the artist
