Just in: Vienna’s stand-in batons
mainMyung Whun Chung has come to Vienna’s rescue, taking over the Rigoletto vacated by the walkout music director Franz Welser-Möst. Peter Schneider steps in for Chung in Tannhäuser. Michael Boder replaces Franz W-M in last season’s surprise hit, Cardillac.
That still leaves the Staatsoper with at least a dozen batonless nights.
Der koreanische Spitzendirigent Myung-Whun Chung wird die von Franz Welser-Möst zurückgelegten Dirigate der Neuproduktion von “Rigoletto” (Premiere am 20. Dezember; Reprisen am 23., 30. Dezember 2014, 2. Jänner 2015 – die Vorstellung am 27. Dezember dirigiert Guillermo García Calvo) übernehmen. Des Weiteren wird er auch die Dirigate von “La traviata” (5., 8., 16. Dezember 2014 – die Vorstellung am 12. Dezember wird von Jesús López-Cobos dirigiert) leiten.
Peter Schneider, Stammdirigent und Ehrenmitglied der Wiener Staatsoper, übernimmt dafür von Myung-Whun Chung die gesamte Vorstellungsserie von “Tannhäuser” am 22., 26., 30. Oktober und 2. November 2014.
Der deutsche Dirigent Michael Boder steht anstelle des ehemaligen Generalmusikdirektors bei der Wiederaufnahme von Hindemiths “Cardillac” am 22. Juni 2015 (Reprisen: 25. und 29. Juni) am Dirigentenpult.
Chung, now there is someone who would have been better for Amsterdam!
But what is the connection here between taking over a December Rigoletto and having to give up an October Tannhäuser?
….because the rehearsals for the new production of Rigoletto will probably clash with the Tannhauser rehearsal/Performances, even if it’s a Revival. Some conductors (not all, alas) don’t believe in multi-tasking!
You are probably right.
I guess such a weakness or preference means Chung won’t be taking over as GMD, although otherwise he is qualified (and has a helpful rapport with Thielemann).
I predicted Chung as the dark horse for the Concertgebouw in this blog. His extensive work in European opera houses would make him a perfect choice for Vienna, but I hope he does not even consider what is clearly a poisoned chalice.
Of course, Seiji hung in for 9 seasons!
“Hung in” is no doubt an apt description. If you count the time he took off for his various illnesses (including one whole year), it was surely more like 7 years.
But look at the history of the institution. 23 Music DIrectors in the last century tells it all.