Work: Azul

As Birmingham-born Alpesh Chauhan builds his reputation towards becoming a conductor much in demand, so the CBSO finds itself in the fortunate position of securing the services of Mirga Gražytė-Tyla as Andris Nelsons’ successor as Music Director, with a chance to grow Chauhan as Assistant Conductor.

“Opening Night” at the New York Philharmonic is a gala affair, although it’s rarely the actual opening night of the season. The gala isn’t as gaudy as the one that takes place across the plaza at the Metropolitan Opera, but it’s an auspicious occasion nonetheless, filmed for broadcast on public television and usually featuring a soloist with the appropriate star wattage.

If there was any sense that the Marin Alsop was at the end of a particularly harried week for her, she displayed no signs of it at her “Casual Friday” concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Friday 2 November. The Baltimore-based conductor found herself at the center of the headlines last week – albeit for reasons she probably would have preferred to have passed up on.