A Greek at the Berlin Philharmonic?

A Greek at the Berlin Philharmonic?

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norman lebrecht

May 06, 2015

Der Tagespiegel, one of the leading German dailies, has listed the Russian-based Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis as a candidate for the Berlin Phil. Tagespiegel rate him so highly that his profile is published just behind those of frontrunners Christian Thielemann and Andris Nelsons.

If we ran a Berlin betting shop, we’d give odds of 200-1. But miracles do happen and it’s worth keeping a wary eye on Currentzis as a wild-card outsider.

 

Teodor_Currentzis_main (1)currentzis boast

Comments

  • Pirkko says:

    Currentzis is a naturalized Russian since April 2014.

  • Mark Stratford says:

    Well, 11 years ago he said ‘give me 5 or 10 years to save classical music :

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/3647876/I-will-save-classical-music.html

    I’d give odds of 2,000,000 to 1

    BTW the BPL 2015-6 season brochure is now available – maybe this could give some small clues of who is in favour ?

  • Michael says:

    Get serious! He’s never even conducted the orchestra… At this rate, it may as well be Princess Charlotte!

  • John Borstlap says:

    Wow!

  • Wurtfangler says:

    I couldn’t agree more Harold. In fact, I think you are being too kind!

  • Antonycw1 says:

    Well, wasn’t there a significant chief conductor of the Berlin Phil whose great-great-grandfather was Georgios Karajánnis from northern Greece? It seems that a precedent may have already been set 🙂

  • Ignacio Martínez-Ybor says:

    I would not bet on Currentzis but he is FANTASTIC, and he would do well. He has placed Perm on the musical map. My money remains split: Thielemann or Jurowski.

  • Eetu Karhu says:

    I still want to give few new names:
    – Esa-Pekka Salonen
    – Paavo Järvi
    – Gianandrea Noseda
    – Ilan Volkov
    – Susanna Mälkki
    Do you think these have any possibilities?
    I only hope that Christian Thielemann doesn´t became nex chief. Berlin Philharmonic should also play something else than only Bruckner, Brahms ja Beethoven 🙂

  • Talking the talk says:

    This must be an example of that world famous German sense of humour

  • Alexander says:

    This guy said of Renée Fleming, “When I hear her, I always imagine I am being propositioned in a Jacuzzi.” I’m not even sure what that is supposed to mean, but it certainly makes me question his personality, as well as his musical judgement.

  • peter feltham says:

    What about Eric Morecombe.

  • L.M.K. says:

    “Tagesspiegel” did it again:

    Today they present Pablo-Heras-Casado as an candidat.
    http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/die-kandidaten-der-berliner-philharmoniker5-jung-kommunikativ-fotogen/11747506.html

    He once conducted the orchestra in winter 2011.

    https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/de/concert/2461

    Obviously I don´t want to be disrespectful to the work of maestro Heras-Casado (“Musical America´s” Conductor of the Year in 2013), but
    I guess, the guys at “tagesspiegel” have a lot of fun coming up with these candidates.

    For german speaking readers, there is a podcast available of yesterdays discussion in SWR-2-Radio about the election which isn´t that spectacular, bur may help passing the time.

    http://swrmediathek.de/player.htm?show=fa55c160-f4cb-11e4-a6ed-0026b975f2e6

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