U.K.'s Barbican to be transformed by Venezuela's maestro, Dudamel

The Guardian reports on how the Barbican, Europe's largest performing arts center, will reveal a new program of work that includes a stellar list of names, including that of Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Instead of being a venue for one-off visits by orchestras, the Barbican said it wants to develop more lasting relationships with organizations that it today names as international associates. One of the most eye-catching is the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led as it will be by arguably the most exciting and dynamic conductor working today, the 28-year-old Dudamel, reports Mark Brown.

As Reed Johnson reported in November, Dudamel is the most famous graduate from Venezuela's 35-year-old classical music program El Sistema -- "a program that many regard as a model not only for music instruction but for helping children develop into productive, responsible citizens."

You can see El Sistema in action in the video below.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City