“Handy” Dictionaries for Mobiles
on Dec 17, 2008 in How to PDA Software Technology Tips 4 Singers bilingual cell dictionaries dictionary English Freedict French German IDP Internet Dictionary Project Italian mobile phone Spanish Well I finally got a new “Handy” (what Austrians call mobile phones). The first thing I did after charging it, was to find some practical software for my shiny unlocked travel phone. I came across the Internet Dictionary Project (IDP)

The Party is at Linz
on Dec 16, 2008 in Austria Music News 2009 cultural city Linz New Years Linz, Austria will be the EU city of culture in 2009 making its New Years celebration extra special. The tiny steel-industry city, proud of it’s 1.9 kilometer subway, is undergoing a massive public transport overhaul as well as a contruction bo.

Hampson’s zoo break out
on Nov 17, 2008 in Americans Austria Interview Music News Performers Vienna Andrea Herberstein evasion Ioan Holender leaving Library of Congress Manhattan School of Music New York Philharmonic Parsifal Staatsoper tax Thomas Hampson Tierpark Herberstein With only one exception in 2010, Thomas Hampson has decided to no longer perform in Austria: a country that has been his home for some years now. Both his apartment on the outskirts of Vienna and his office near the Vienna Staatsoper were sold recent...

Oper… etta. Oops how did that get through the door?
on Nov 6, 2008 in Italy Music News Operetta Die lustige Witwe first ever Franz Lehár La Scala Teatro alla Scala The Merry Widow This is certainly a week of firsts. No I’m not talking about the first black American president, or the fact that I stopped introducing myself as Canadian to Europeans (why?). I’m referring to the historic event this week at La Scala.

Paging the conductor to the set
on Oct 28, 2008 in Austria Austrians Music News Opera Performers Anna Netrebko Carmen cinema Elina Garanča film Georges Bizets Jan Mojto La Bohème movie Robert Dornhelms Rolando Villazón Unitel While Robert Dornhelms’ film “La Bohème” is playing in cinemas, there are plans already underway towards the next big opera movie (see previous articles on this topic here and here). Georges Bizets “Carmen̶

European art, Japanese obsession
on Oct 27, 2008 in Austria Cultures European Quirks International Music News Opera Performers Vienna Angelika Kirchschlager Barbara Frittoli Bunka Kaikan Edita Gruberova Japan Japanese Laura Tatulescu Michael Schade Natale De Carolis Riccardo Muti Seiji Japan’s first opera house (Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo) is sold out with some tickets as high as 500 euros for the 97th Vienna State opera’s Japanese performance. The 100th performance will be celebrated with Fidelio conducted by Seiji Ozawa

Netrebko MIA but Villazón fashionably late to movie premiere
on Oct 10, 2008 in Austria Music News Opera Performers Vienna Anna film La Bohème movie Netrebko Rolando Villazon The opera-movie world premiere of La Bohème (see previous article about this movie here), like every opera-centric event in Austria these days, has been an orgy of VIP’s and hype abound. Finger food was served by caterers dressed like the titl.