Bayreuth names new conductor for ‘trashy’ Ring

Bayreuth names new conductor for ‘trashy’ Ring

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norman lebrecht

November 12, 2014

Not many people were happy with the Frank Castorf Ring. That included its conductor, Kirill Petrenko.

He has pulled out from the 2016 revival.

The Wagners have roped in the veteran Marek Janowski to replace him.

bayreuth ring

Comments

  • Simon S. says:

    Interesting choice. Has Janowski ever conducted in Bayreuth so far?

    • sdReader says:

      He is certainly a fine, experienced Wagnerian, and there are not too many of those! My guess is they made him a good offer, and he compromised his principles.

      In a similar U-turn, Riccardo Muti swore he would never conduct (again) in the Gasteig, and there he is next spring with the Berliner Philharmoniker.

      If the price is right … .

  • John Borstlap says:

    But that is extraordinary. Janowski has made it very clear on several occasions that he would never conduct opera in the theatre again because of the abject Regietheater fashion of today which he described with contempt. But Bayreuth is currently the Walhalla of Regietheater.

    • Erich says:

      Presumably Thielemann couldn’t jump in because he’s doing Tristan, even though one hears he is to be named Bayreuth Music Director soon. One also hears that the next Ring will have Nelsons as conductor.

    • Susan Trexel says:

      I guess people who actually create and perform music don’t have as much time to dogmatic as those who sit at home all day complaining.

      • sdReader says:

        Pot calls kettle black.

        Are you planning to challenge every Slipped Disc story? You’re starting to be a real pain, like Neil McGowan.

  • Susan Trexel says:

    Exactly who called this Ring production “trashy?” Petrenko? Janowski? You?

  • Theodore McGuiver says:

    KP is probably stopping his collaboration due to pressure of work. He never does anything by halves and three cycles of the Ring in the summer is incompatible with his Munich workload, possibly because he attends the entirety of every rehearsal and will also be more closely involved with the Munich Opera Festival in the future.

    Marek Janowski is quite a coup, though.

  • Novagerio says:

    He’ll regret it when he sees the production and when he’ll realize he won’t hear the singers from the pit! 😀

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