‘Music is in danger’: a Paris manifesto
mainPlayers in the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France have issued a statement under an inflammatory headline (in quotes, above), warning about the likely consequences of an enforced merger with the Orchestre nationale.
They claim that Radio France has published false accounts of its expenses and that the orchestras represent no more than 6 percent of the bradcaster’s budget.
Our chers amis at resmusica have the details here.
The latest news is that Radio-France will keep both orchestras but downsize them (turn them into two string quartets?). The Orchestre Philharmonique is in good shape these days; the Orchestre National in less good form, but can play very well for conductors like Muti and Haitink.
I have heard some nice live recordings of the Orchestre National with Gatti which to me suggested they are in very good shape, too.