art+seek, November 3, 2011

Jerome Weeks

‘Musical America’ Names van Zweden Conductor of the Year

Since 1960, Musical America has presented annual awards, beginning with ‘Musician of the Year,’ and adding ‘Conductor of the Year’ in 1992. This year, the DSO’s musical director, Jaap van Zweden, joins such previous, baton-wielding winners as Michael Tilson Thomas (1995) and Colin Davis (1997). The citation says, in part, “His music-making is hailed internationally for its intense discipline as well as passion and tenderness. Under his leadership for five years, the Dallas Symphony plays like one of the world’s great orchestras, as critics noted in a performance at Carnegie Hall’s Spring for Music festival last May.” UPDATE: The DMN’s Scott Cantrell just pointed out to me that MA is wrong. Van Zweden has been with the DSO only four years. At any rate, other winners include Meredith Monk for ‘Composer of the Year’ and for the first time, two ‘Musicians of the Year,’ cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han. The press release follows, natch: MUSICAL AMERICA ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARDS [....] VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: JONAS KAUFMANN Jonas Kaufmann has triumphed in a wide-ranging repertory that has included Werther in Paris, Tosca and Traviata at La Scala, and Lohengrin at Bayreuth. The secret of his success–apart from being, in the words of one critic, “a great, great artist”–is his refusal to be typed as a “French tenor,” an “Italian tenor,” or a “German tenor.” At the Metropolitan Opera his future was cemented over the last two seasons in Tosca and Die Walküre, and he will star in new productions annually for as far as the eye can see. He made his New York recital debut on the Met stage in October, and he sings the title role in the company’s new production of Gounod’s Faust, opening on November 29. [....]