Power couples in classical music
mainIn an art where sex-equality is a fairly recent innovation, there have always been couples who ran parallel careers. Not many of them lasted the distance as travel and stress took their toll, but there is currently a growing pack of musical pairs with a lengthening track record.
Here’s the Slippedisc power couples list for 2014. Feel free to add more.
1 Daniel Barenboim, Elena Bashkirova
He: Berlin Staatsoper, East-West Diwan. She: Founder, Berlin Metropolis Ensemble, Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival
2 Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt
Players and partners for over 60 years.
3 Simon Rattle, Magdalena Kozena
He: chief conductor, Berlin Philharmonic. She: international mezzo
4 Roberto Alagna, Aleksandra Kurzak
Power tenor and rising soprano, now with babe in arms
5 Sakari Oramo, Anu Komsi
He: music director Stockholm Phil, BBC SO. She: coloratura soprano, director West Coast Kokkola Opera
6 Andris Nelsons, Kristine Opolais
He: music director Boston SO. She: mightily successful soprano
7 Gus Christie, Danielle DeNiese
The Glyndebourne Festival founder married a soprano. So did his grandson.
8 Natalie Dessay, Laurent Naouri
Soprano-baritone couple, dominant in France
9 Peter Gelb, Kerry Lynn Wilson
He: general manager, Metropolitan Opera. She: international conductor
10 Nicola Benedetti, Leonard Elschenbroich
Outstanding soloists, together for eight years
Add-ons:
11 Composer Rodion Shchedrin, Ballerina Maya Plisetskaya (h/t: Dianne Winsor)
12 Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare
13 David Finckel and Wu Han
14 Russian Gennady Rozhdestvensky and pianist Viktoria Postnikova. Married since 1969.
15 Soprano Elina Garanca, married to British conductor Karel Mark Chichon.
16 Putinist pair: violinist Vadim Repin and ballerina Svetlana Zakharova.
Gil Shaham & Adele Anthony
Semyon Bychkov & Marielle Labèque
11 Manuela Hoelterhoff, Francesca Zambello.
She: witty music critic. She: stage director.
Sadly, no longer together.
There are currently, and there have been many couples at the Metropolitan Opera over the years. Probably the most visible was soprano Judith Blegen and concertmaster Raymond Gniewek together now for 36 years.
2nd That GJ
Samuel Barber & Giancarlo Menotti
David Robertson and Orli Shaham
Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Pierre Tourville, Montreal Asst. Princ. Viola. Very glamorous power couple, with Yannick as one of the 1st openly gay Top 5 US orch. conductors. Bravo!
One if the first? Only if we don’t count Leonard Bernstein as the principal conductor of the NY Phil over half a century earlier when he was perhaps not advertised as gay publicly but certainly very well known that way since he was virtually incapable of being not open about anything.
And Michael Tilson Thomas since years chief in San Francisco and openly gay
Kathryn McDowell and Ian Ritchie
David Finckel & Wu Han have quite an empire in the US – Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Music at Menlo, their vanity label…
Costper! (Stephen Costello and Ailyn Perez, the newest Brangelina of the opera world!)
They’ve separated.
Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Viktoria Postnikova. Married since 1969!
Viktoria Mullova and Matthew Barley
Sir Andrew Davis and Gianna Rolandi
I would add Hanneke van Proosdij and David Tayler to that list, after all, they have an online audience of 14 million viewers and 10,000 people a day watch their channel.
I didn’t think there were more than 5 of the 14 “power couples” where you could really say each partner was at or near the level of the other, but if you are happy with one star together with an up-and-comer how about the Royal Ballet’s best current male dancer Steven McRae and his up-and-coming wife, Royal Ballet Soloist Elizabeth Harrod?
If we’re including dancers as well as musicians, then Zenaida Yanowsky and Simon Keenlyside?
And the purely dance power couples:
Alina Cojocaru/ Johan Kobborg
Marianela Nunez/ Thiago Soares
Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth. He is PZ; she is Principal Cellist at the National Arts Centre Orchestra (and was before he came to conduct it). They are both in the Zukerman Chamber Players, which he founded, and tour extensively and have recorded.
Pinchas Zukerman leaves in his wake several power wives. Most notably the flutist Eugenia Zukerman. Also actress Tuesday Weld, I believe.
Maybe not a power couple, but a couple of powerful singers who have a long, stable and happy marriage: Kevin Langan and Sally Wolf.
Notice no descriptors are needed for the fabulous David Finkel and Wu Han?
An anonymous source suggests Anne Azema and Joel Cohen,
Deborah Borda of LA Phil and her partner Coralie Toevs, Metropolitan Opera’s Chief Development Officer. Big classical power there.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/26/entertainment/la-et-deborah-borda-20100926/3
Ton Koopman and Tini Mathot
Joyce DiDonato and Leonardo Vordoni
Charles Dutoit and Chantal Juillet
Diana Montague and David Rendall
Oh, and Mihaela Martin and Frans Helmerson.
Having Barber and Menotti mentioned should remind us all of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, surely one of the most important artistic couples ever, right up there with Robert and Clara Schumann as well as Richard and Pauline Strauss.
Kaija Saariaho and Jean-Baptiste Barrière might qualify as an anti-power couple. Neither is a stage performer and Saariaho is famously shy.
Francois Leleux and Lisa Batiashvilli?
Alexandra Silocea, concert pianist (Avie Records, ICA artists)
and Sébastien Chonion, recording producer (Glyndebourne Opera/Label)
She, Cecilia Bartoli (Coloratura Mezzo and/or Soprano Sfogatta) and he, Oliver Widmer (Baritone). More than 12 years.
NYC early music power couple, Gwendolyn Toth and Dongsok Shin.
Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge, married in 1954 & still together when she died in 2010.
Prominently featured on this blog just last week: Igudesman and Joo(ish person).
Janine Jansen& Daniel Blendulf
Though in the past, perhaps most famous opera couple with obsessed paparazzi was Anna Netrebko soprano and Erwin Scrott baritone who were together for 6 yrs and had 1 child. They certainly provided plain of charm , excitement and talent for opera gossip lovers. Prior to Erwin , Anna was dating Simone Alberghini, Italian bass baritone. After break up with Erwin she dated Yusif Eyvazov, a tenor who’s is her husband now. Another couple in opera are Diana Damrau , the soprano and Nicolas Teste , French bass, married with children .
Daniel Barenboim and Jacqueline du Pre
Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras
unfortunately both ended prematurely
The Kurtags
Sam Mendes and Alison Balsom
Daniele Rustioni and Francesca Dego. Conductor and violinist, married and on their way to be a proper Italian musical power couple
I absolutely agree. And what musicians they are!
Sonya Yoncheva and Domingo Hindoyan – soprano and conductor
Rostropovich & Vishnevskaya
Finnish Conductor/Composer Osmo Vänskä (Minnesota Orchestra) and violinist Erin Keefe (concertmaster of M.O.)
Flute Power Couples: Sir James & Lady Jeanne Galway (of course!)
Rainier Lafin (world renowned flute headjoint maker) &Julie Stewart
Lafin, top international flutist
Sharon Bezaly & cd producer Robert von Bahr (still together?)
Berlin Phil Solo Flute Emmanuel Pahud & Berlin Phil 1st Violin
Maja Avramovic.
Hot Star Wind Couple: Vienna Phil Principal Bassoon Sophie Dartigalongue & former
Royal Concertgebow Principal Horn Felix Dervaux.
Music Critic Power Couple: Anne Midgette & Greg Sandow
Trombonist Abbie Conant & Composer/Music Journalist William Osborne
I have never been in a relationship with another musician, couldn’t think of anything worse. We really are insufferable bores.
Only heterosexual couples need apply?
By no means. Name some gay couples of comparable prominence. Not many come to mind since Mortier/Cambreling.
Cunningham and Cage!!! Also Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti.
Marta and Placido Domingo, married for many years!
Before marrying Alexandra Kurzak, Roberto Alagna had an almost 20 year marriage with high-profile soprano Angela Gheorghiu and they were considered for many years the dream couple of the opera. At least some of their common recordings are still very highly valued.
Richard Tognetti (ACO & brilliant violinist) married to violinist Satu Vänskä asst. leader of ACO.
Charles Dutoit and Martha Argerich, though not for very long. Still do many performances together.