Opera stops in Hamburg as conductor is rushed to hospital

Opera stops in Hamburg as conductor is rushed to hospital

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norman lebrecht

October 07, 2017

Thursday’s performance of Der Freischütz at Hamburg State Opera was stopped when the conductor, Christof Prick, fell ill and was rushed to hospital.

An 35-minute interval was called. But since no other conductor was available the performance was then abandoned.

Prick, who is 70, is reported to be in a stable condition.

Comments

  • Una says:

    What a shock for everyone, not least him. Wish him well and speedy recovery.

  • Cubs Fan says:

    a.k.a. Christof Perick for US viewers. God, we’re so juvenile…

  • CarlosKleiberInHeaven says:

    Christoph Perick is an excellent conductor, one of the very best. We wish him a speedy recovery.

  • Suzanne says:

    How is it possible that at the Hamburg Opera, one of Germany’s largest, no Kapellmeister was on hand to continue the performance??

  • Stephen says:

    I once heard an announcer from the Met say (and you won’t believe this), “And now Maestro Perick is on the stand again.” I always thought it was a podium in the USA but that’s what was said.

  • Jonathan Sutherland says:

    CUBS FAN is indeed correct.
    Puritanical Americans could never grasp a Prick on the podium, although there were certainly many maestros of such mentality.
    I recall Kurt Herbert Adler, long time infallible potentate of the San Francisco Opera contemplating hiring Christof Prick for a production by John Cox.
    He mulled it over.
    “Prick and Cox. Cox and Prick… Nah, even for San Francisco, this would be too much!”.
    The talented Dirigent was encouraged to insert an ‘e’ into his name.
    Gute verbesserung.

    • RW2013 says:

      Christoph Prick’s sister Katrin Prick has directed a production at the Stuttgart Musikhochschule conducted by Nicholas Kok.
      Auch gute Besserung.

    • Petros Linardos says:

      Hillarious. I have hard time suppressing my laughter, fearing that my daughter will come and ask me what I am laughing about.

    • Jost Miehlbradt says:

      “Gute Verbesserung” is a joke in itself…

  • jonathan dunsby says:

    There was once a performance of Bach Double concerto by Josef Suk and Felix Kok (leader of CBSO)

  • H Boyle says:

    I once sang an Anglican service with music by William Crotch, John Blow and Frederick Rimmer… in that very order.

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