Breaking: Andris Nelsons delays his arrival in Leipzig
mainFirst, Kirill Petrenko put Berlin Phil on hold.
Now Andris Nelsons has told the Leipzig Gewandhaus he can’t start as music director in May 2017, as planned. Too busy in Boston, and elsewhere.
The earliest he can pick up the baton is February 2018, with a first tour in May 2018.
That leaves two major German orchestras twiddling their thumbs in a lengthy interregnum.
Not good for business. Or music.
Andris the Unready
UPDATE from Professor Andreas Schulz, Gewandhausdirektor:
It was with great joy that we announced the appointment of Andris Nelsons as Gewandhauskapellmeister from the 2017/2018 season at our press conference on September 9. Having carefully assessed our respective commitments in the 2017/2018 season together with Andris Nelsons and his management, we have mutually taken the decision to celebrate his inauguration in February 2018, together with the 275th birthday of the Gewandhausorchester. We anticipate this exceptional anniversary season will create a widespread artistic and public impact, setting the stage for many exciting years to come. We are more than happy to welcome our new Gewandhauskapellmeister after such a short interim. Andris Nelsons will begin his tenure in Leipzig with several weeks of concerts, a tour through Europe and two extraordinary open air concerts. We are very much looking forward to having him with us at the Gewandhausorchester.
Yet another example of the lack of professionalism – as well as lack of scruples – all too present in top level artists and their managements. They know that they hold the whip hand so they just do whatever the hell they want. It would be wonderful if someone had the balls to tell them where to get off – but I fear this is a utopian wish.
I would hardly describe Nelsons as ‘top level’. A dull, middling conductor. It’s Leipzig’s own fault – they thought they ‘needed’ his alleged capacity to sell seats.
It’s prima facie case of Breach Of Contract. Time for m’learned friends to get stuck into him. If he loves it in America so much, let him stay there, There are many excellent conductors in Europe – why wait for a purely average one?
Correct.
Unfortunately, there are not many excellent conductors anywhere. The best seasons of my 35 year orchestral career were those where we had no chief conductor.
Those years felt probably good for you, but were difficult for the revenue generation of your orchestra. Which describes 90% of the problem, why big names are needed:
A dumb gullible public, who likes to be at “events” where famous people perform. Music? Yeah, there is also music, “but what was on that program again, darling, yesterday in that Dudamel concert? Or last week when we SAW Barenboim?”
Without having eyes on the contact, it’s difficult to conclude that it’s a breach. You do not know what flexibilities have been built into it.
I disagree that he is middling. As for dull, I believe you’d struggle to find many orchestral musicians who’d agree with you – he is probably the most visceral, energetic, intense conductor I’ve ever seen. If audience members have thought he was dull I wonder if they were actually awake during the show.
That is also my impression. Heard some really fantastic recordings.
Once again: When Petrenko was presented as future Berlin chief, they deliberately did not mention a specific date when he would take over office, and everybody knew that he would not simply dump Munich.
Now they’ve found a solution that fits the needs of all those involved in an acceptable way. Except those of journalists and bloggers who live on bad news.
Jet setting conductors who wear themselves thin can do so in only three ways:
1) limited repertory (Muti, how many Verdi Requiems can he do in a single lifetime?)
2) limited rehearsals (Gergiev, how many minutes of rehearsal can be squeezed in by the time the plane lands and curtain rises?)
3) both limite rep and limited rehearsals (Gergiev wins again, how many Prokofiev cycles in how many cities in the shortest amount of time can he do in a life time?)
Actually, Gergiev has a pretty wide repertory, a lot of it fairly obscure Russian music – and not that many conductors do all of the symphonies of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and even Tchaikovsky. And he’s not bad at Mahler, though don’t want to see him do Mozart or Brahms. Whatever Gergiev’s other shortcomings, a narrow repertoire isn’t one of them.
If you bothered to trace Muti’s career properly from the start, you would see that there is hardly another international conductor who has a larger repertory of opera, choral and orchestral music from the 18th century right up to his committment to contemporary music. Ever heard of Cherubini before? Or Skryabin? Or Nino Rota? So why not stop these pathetic slurs involving the Verdi Requiem?
Muti performs one of the widest scope of repertoire out of all conductors today. He champions works by Scriabin, Martucci, Cherubini, Prokofiev,, Resphigi, Chabrier, Hindemith, and more that other conductors have long neglected. Add to this his mastery over the standard repertoire as well as his lifelong career of opera and you have one of the most multitalented conductors on the planet.
Muti’s limited repertory, the opera part:
Beethoven, Fidelio,
Muti/Aikin/Meier/Moser-T/Kapellmann/Rydl,
1999, live in Milan, House of Opera
Beethoven, Fidelio,
Muti/Aikin/Meier/Smith-RD/Schulte/Tschammer,
2003, live in Milan, Premiere Opera
Bellini, Capuleti e i Montecchi, I,
Muti/Gruberová/Baltsa/Raffanti/Howell/Tomlinson,
1984, live in London, EMI
Bellini, Capuleti e i Montecchi, I,
Muti/Anderson-J/Baltsa/Raffanti/Rinaudo/Surjan,
1987, live in Milan, House of Opera
Bellini, Norma,
Muti/Cossotto/Caballé/Cossutta/Roni,
1977, live in Vienna, Exclusive
Bellini, Norma,
Muti/Rinaldi/Scotto/Mauro/Ferrin,
1978, live in Florence, Myto
Bellini, Norma,
Muti/Mei/Eaglen/La Scola/Kavrakos,
1994, live in Ravenna, EMI
Bellini, puritani, I,
Muti/Freni/Pavarotti/Bruscantini/Giaiotti,
1969, live in Rome, Opera d’Oro
Bellini, puritani, I,
Muti/Deutekom/Gedda/Bruscantini/Ferrin,
1972, live in Florence, GOP
Bellini, puritani, I,
Muti/Caballé/Kraus/Manuguerra/Ferrin,
1979, EMI
Boito, Mefistofele,
Muti/Crider/La Scola/Ramey,
1995, live in Milan, RCA
Cherubini, Lodoïska,
Muti/Devia/Lombardo/Moser-T/Shimell/Corbelli,
1991, live in Milan, Sony
Cimarosa, Chi dell’altrui si veste presto si spoglia,
Muti/Mariconda/Bonifaccio/Zilio/Bonisolli/Bruscantini/Montarsolo/Gusmeroli,
1968, live in Naples, Memories
Cimarosa, Don Calandrino, Il ritorno di,
Muti/Tarone/Giordano-L/Gatell/Caimi/Vinco,
2007, V, Salzburg, ORF
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Ravaglia/Bottazzo/Panerai/Corena,
1971, live in Salzburg, Melodram
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Sciutti/Bottazzo/Panerai/Corena,
1972, live in Salzburg, Foyer
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Freni/Winbergh/Nucci/Bruscantini,
1982, EMI
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Focile/Kunde/Gallo/Furlanetto-F,
1994, V, Milan, TDK
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Giordano-L/Gatell/Cassi/Desderi,
2006, V, Ravenna, Arthaus
Donizetti, Don Pasquale,
Muti/Pastrana/Gatell/Cassi/Alaimo-N,
2008, live in Vienna, Premiere Opera
Gluck, Armide,
Muti/Antonacci/Urmana/Cole/Albert,
1996, live in Milan, House of Opera
Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide,
Muti/Urmana/Barcellona/Brown/Robertson-C,
2002, V, Milan, House of Opera
Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide,
Muti/Stoyanova/Gubanova/Klemberg/Tikhomirov,
2009, live in Rome, March 17, Mixcloud
Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide,
Muti/Stoyanova/Gubanova/Pretti/Tikhomirov,
2009, live in Rome, March 26
Gluck, Iphigénie en Tauride,
Muti/Moser-E/Winbergh/Stone/Nimsgern,
1981, V, Florence, Premiere Opera
Gluck, Iphigénie en Tauride,
Muti/Vaness/Winbergh/Allen/Surjan,
1992, live in Milan, Sony
Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice,
Muti/Gruberová/Marshall/Baltsa,
1981, EMI
Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice,
Muti/Karg/Kühmeier/Kulman,
2010, live in Salzburg, ORF
Hindemith, Sancta Susanna,
Muti/Serjan/Pinter/Gilbert,
2007, live in New York, Torrent
Leoncavallo, Pagliacci,
Muti/Sighele/Tucker/Alberti/Nurmela,
1971, live in Florence, Opera d’Oro
Leoncavallo, Pagliacci,
Muti/Scotto/Carreras/Allen/Nurmela,
1979, HMV
Leoncavallo, Pagliacci,
Muti/Dessì/Pavarotti/Coni/Pons-Jn,
1992, live in Philadelphia, Philips
Leoncavallo, Pagliacci,
Muti/Vassileva-S/Domingo/Spagnoli/Pons-Jn,
1998, live in Ravenna, House of Opera
Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana,
Muti/Souliotis/Cecchele/Guelfi-G,
1971, live in Florence, Legato
Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana,
Muti/Caballé/Carreras/Manuguerra,
1979, HMV
Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana,
Muti/Meier/Cura/Gavanelli,
1996, V, Ravenna, Encore
Mercadante, due Figaro, I,
Muti/Feola/Buratto/Karayavuz/Stroppa/Poli/Zorzi Giustiniani/Cassi/Montanari,
2011, live in Ravenna, Ducale
Meyerbeer, africaine, L’,
Muti/Sighele/Norman/Luchetti/Guelfi-G,
1971, live in Florence, Memories
Mozart, clemenza di Tito, La,
Muti/Vaness/Ziegler/Winbergh,
1988, live in Salzburg, EMI
Mozart, Così fan tutte,
Muti/Marshall/Baltsa/Battle/Araiza/Morris/van Dam,
1982, live in Salzburg, EMI
Mozart, Così fan tutte,
Muti/Marshall/Murray/Battle/Araiza/Morris/Bruscantini,
1983, V, Salzburg, TDK
Mozart, Così fan tutte,
Muti/Dessì/Ziegler/Scarabelli/Kundlák/Corbelli/Desderi,
1989, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Mozart, Così fan tutte,
Muti/Frittoli/Kirchschlager/Bacelli/Schade/Skovhus/Corbelli,
1996, V, Vienna, Unitel
Mozart, Così fan tutte,
Muti/Frittoli/Kirchschlager/Tatulescu/Meli/d’Arcangelo/de Carolis,
2008, live in Vienna, Opera Lovers
Mozart, Don Giovanni,
Muti/Gruberová/Murray/Mentzer/Araiza/Desderi/Allen,
1987, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Mozart, Don Giovanni,
Muti/Studer/Vaness/Mentzer/Lopardo/Ramey/Shimell,
1990, EMI
Mozart, Don Giovanni,
Muti/Pieczonka/Antonacci/Kirchschlager/Schade/d’Arcangelo/Álvarez-C,
1999, V, Vienna, TDK
Mozart, Idomeneo, rè di Creta,
Muti/Vaness/Schuman/Ziegler/Winbergh,
1990, live in Milan
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Varady/Ghazarian/von Stade/Brendel/Ramey,
1981, live in Milan
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Price-M/Battle/Murray/Hynninen/Allen,
1986, EMI
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Frittoli/Norberg-Schulz/Bacelli/Pertusi/Terfel,
1997, live in Milan
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Frittoli/Rost/Bacelli/Keenlyside/Terfel,
1997, live in Milan
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Diener/Lisnic/Kirchschlager/Keenlyside/Álvarez-C,
2001, V, Vienna, Premiere Opera
Mozart, nozze di Figaro, Le,
Muti/Frittoli/Lisnic/Bacelli/Corbelli/d’Arcangelo,
2002, live in Milan
Mozart, Zauberflöte, Die,
Muti/Rost/Loukianetz/Groves/Keenlyside/Hölle,
1995, V, Milan, Lyric Distribution
Mozart, Zauberflöte, Die,
Muti/Rost/Takova/Schade/Keenlyside/Selig,
1998, live in Milan, Opera Lovers
Mozart, Zauberflöte, Die,
Muti/Kühmeier/Damrau/Groves/Gerhaher/Pape,
2006, V, Salzburg, Decca
Paisiello, Nina, o sia La pazza per amore,
Muti/Antonacci/Lombardi/Flórez/Filianoti/Pertusi/Lepore,
1999, live in Milan, Teatro Strehler, Sept 25, Ricordi
Paisiello, osteria di Marechiaro, L’,
Muti/Barbarini/Scettino/Mazzavillani/Guidetti/Gaifa/Scalco/Pistone,
1976, live in Lugano, Unique Opera Records
Pergolesi, frate ’nnamorato, Lo,
Muti/Felle/Manca di Nissa/d’Intino/Focile/di Cesare/Corbelli/de Simone,
1989, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmélites,
Muti/Schellenberger/Aikin/Geyer/Dever/Silja/Gietz,
2004, V, Milan, TDK
Puccini, Manon Lescaut,
Muti/Guleghina/Cura/Gallo,
1998, V, Milan, TDK
Puccini, Manon Lescaut,
Muti/Netrebko/Eyvazov/Caoduro,
2014, live in Rome, Mixcloud
Puccini, Tosca,
Muti/Vaness/Giacomini/Zancanaro,
1992, live in Philadelphia, Philips
Puccini, Tosca,
Muti/Guleghina/Licitra/Nucci,
2000, V, Milan, EuroArts
Rossini, donna del lago, La,
Muti/Anderson-J/Dupuy/Blake/Merritt/Surjan,
1992, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Rossini, Guillaume Tell,
Muti/Casula/Marton/Gedda/Mittelmann/Roni,
1972, live in Florence, Gala
Rossini, Guillaume Tell,
Muti/Felle/Studer/Merritt/Zancanaro/Roni,
1988, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Rossini, Moïse et Pharaon, ou Le passage de la Mer Rouge,
Muti/Frittoli/Ganassi/Filianoti/Schrott/Abdrazakov,
2003, V, Milan, TDK
Rossini, Moïse et Pharaon, ou Le passage de la Mer Rouge,
Muti/Rebeka/Surguladze/Cutler/Alaimo-N/Abdrazakov,
2009, live in Salzburg, Premiere Opera
Salieri, Europa riconosciuta,
Muti/Kühmeier/Damrau/Rancatore/Barcellona/Sabbatini,
2004, live in Milan, Premiere Opera
Scarlatti-D, dirindina, La,
Muti/Ravaglia/Bonisolli/Bruscantini,
1968, live in Naples, Nuova Era
Spontini, Agnes von Hohenstaufen,
Muti/Caballé/Prevedi/Bruscantini/Guelfi-G,
1970, live in Rome, Opera d’Oro
Spontini, Agnes von Hohenstaufen,
Muti/Gencer/Luchetti/Iordacescu/Petri,
1974, live in Florence, Opera Lovers
Spontini, vestale, La,
Muti/Huffstodt/Graves/Michaels-Moore/Raftery/Kavrakos,
1993, live in Milan, Sony
Verdi, Aida,
Muti/Jones-G/Cortez/Domingo/Holmes/Giaiotti,
1973, live in Vienna, Bella Voce
Verdi, Aida,
Muti/Caballé/Cossotto/Domingo/Cappuccilli/Ghiaurov,
1974, EMI
Verdi, Aida,
Muti/Caballé/Cossotto/Domingo/Glossop/Plishka,
1977, live in London, House of Opera
Verdi, Aida,
Muti/Tomowa-Sintow/Fassbaender/Domingo/Nimsgern/Lloyd,
1979, live in Munich, Orfeo
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Stella/Cecchele/Guelfi-G/Raimondi,
1970, live in Rome, Opera d’Oro
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Gencer/Luchetti/Mittelmann/Ghiaurov,
1972, live in Florence, Foyer
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Studer/Shicoff/Zancanaro/Ramey,
1989, EMI
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Studer/Kaludov/Zancanaro/Ramey,
1991, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Urmana/Vargas/Meoni/Abdrazakov,
2010, live in New York, March 6, Sirius
Verdi, Attila,
Muti/Serjan/Borras/Alaimo-N/Abdrazakov,
2012, live in Rome
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Muti/Santunione/Mariconda/Chookasian/Tucker/Bruson,
1974, live in Florence, Premiere Opera
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Muti/Arroyo/Grist/Cossotto/Domingo/Cappuccilli,
1975, EMI
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Muti/Guleghina/Sala/Pentcheva/Licitra/Caproni,
2001, V, Milan, EuroArts
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Muti/Dessì/d’Intino/Pavarotti/Coni/Ramey,
1992, V, Milan, EMI
Verdi, due foscari, I,
Muti/Serjan/Meli/Salsi,
2013, live in Rome
Verdi, Ernani,
Muti/Freni/Domingo/Bruson/Ghiaurov,
1982, V, Milan, Pioneer
Verdi, Ernani,
Muti/Millo/Bartolini/Salvadori/Surjan,
1983, live in Milan, Lyric Distribution
Verdi, Ernani,
Muti/Serjan/Meli/Salsi/Abdrazakov,
2013, live in Rome
Verdi, Ernani,
Muti/Yeo/Meli/Salsi/Abdrazakov,
2015, live in Salzburg
Verdi, Falstaff,
Muti/Dessì/O’Flynn/Manca di Nissa/Vargas/Pons-Jn/Frontali,
1993, live in Milan, Sony
Verdi, Falstaff,
Muti/Frittoli/Mula/Manca di Nissa/Flórez/Maestri/Frontali,
2001, V, Busseto, EuroArts
Verdi, Falstaff,
Muti/Buratto/Mizzi/de Paoli/Stier/Manolov/Longhi,
2015, live in Ravenna
Verdi, forza del destino, La,
Muti/Cruz-Romo/Davidson/Bonisolli/Paskalis/Siepi,
1974, live in Vienna, Myto
Verdi, forza del destino, La,
Muti/Santunione/Nave/Luchetti/Manuguerra/Siepi,
1974, live in Florence, Opera Lovers
Verdi, forza del destino, La,
Muti/Freni/Zajick/Domingo/Zancanaro/Plishka,
1986, EMI
Verdi, forza del destino, La,
Muti/Lukács/d’Intino/Cura/Nucci/Prestia,
1999, V, Milan, House of Opera
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Gencer/Tagliavini/Paskalis/Haugland,
1975, live in Florence, Celestial Audio
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Jones-G/Tagliavini/Petri/Haugland,
1975, live in Florence, Omega
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Cossotto/Carreras/Milnes/Raimondi,
1976, EMI
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Scotto/Shicoff/Bruson/Lloyd,
1981, live in London, Ponto
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Dimitrova/Luchetti/Bruson/Ferrin,
1984, live in Naples, Premiere Opera
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Connell/Luchetti/Bruson/Rootering,
1985, live in Munich, Celestial Audio
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Guleghina/Alagna/Bruson/Colombara,
1997, V, Milan, House of Opera
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Serjan/Filianoti/Lucic/Belosselsky,
2011, live in Salzburg, ORF
Verdi, Macbeth,
Muti/Serjan/Meli/Salsi/Belosselsky,
2013, live in Chicago, WFMT
Verdi, masnadieri, I,
Muti/Maragliano/Cioni/Montefusco/Cava,
1969, live in Florence, Hunt
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Deutekom/Corbacho/Todisco/Nimsgern/Giaiotti,
1977, V, Florence, Bel Canto
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Scotto/Obraztsova/Luchetti/Manuguerra/Ghiaurov,
1978, EMI
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Dimitrova/Pierotti/Beccaria/Bruson/Burchuladze,
1986, V, Milan, Warner
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Dimitrova/Pierotti/Beccaria/Zancanaro/Burchuladze,
1986, live in Milan, Lyric Distribution
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Eaglen/Urmana/Ombuena Valls/Bruson/Colombara,
1995, live in Ravenna, Lyric Distribution
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Boross/Malavasi/Poli/Nucci/Belosselsky,
2011, V, Rome, RAI
Verdi, Nabucco,
Muti/Serjan/Ganassi/Poli/Salsi/Belosselsky,
2014, live in Tokyo
Verdi, Otello,
Muti/Scotto/Cossutta/Bruson,
1980, live in Florence, Living Stage
Verdi, Otello,
Muti/Frittoli/Domingo/Nucci,
2001, V, Milan, TDK
Verdi, Otello,
Muti/Poplavskaya/Antonenko/Álvarez-C,
2008, V, Salzburg, C Major
Verdi, Otello,
Muti/Poplavskaya/Antonenko/Meoni,
2008, V, Rome, Premiere Opera
Verdi, Otello,
Muti/Stoyanova/Antonenko/Guelfi-C,
2011, live in Chicago, CSO Resound
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Muti/Gruberová/Bonisolli/Bruson,
1983, live in Vienna, Opera Lovers
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Muti/Dessì/La Scola/Zancanaro,
1988, EMI
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Muti/Rost/Alagna/Bruson,
1994, live in Milan, Sony
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Muti/Rost/Vargas/Nucci,
2001, live in Milan, House of Opera
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Muti/Agresta/Meli/Petean/Belosselsky,
2012, live in Rome
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Muti/Buratto/Meli/Petean/Belosselsky,
2014, live in Tokyo
Verdi, traviata, La,
Muti/Scotto/Kraus/Bruson,
1980, EMI
Verdi, traviata, La,
Muti/Fabbricini/Alagna/Coni,
1990, live in Milan, Handelman
Verdi, traviata, La,
Muti/Fabbricini/Alagna/Coni,
1992, V, Milan, Sony
Verdi, traviata, La,
Muti/Mula/Álvarez-M/Frontali,
2002, live in Milan, House of Opera
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Muti/Cruz-Romo/Cossotto/Cossutta/Manuguerra,
1977, V, Florence
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Muti/Frittoli/Urmana/Licitra/Nucci,
2000, V, Milan, EuroArts
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Muti/Frittoli/Urmana/Licitra/Dobber,
2001, live in Milan, House of Opera
Verdi, vêpres siciliennes, Les,
Muti/Studer/Merritt/Zancanaro/Furlanetto-F,
1989, V, Milan, Opus Arte
Wagner, Parsifal,
Muti/Meier/Domingo/Brendel/Lloyd/Welker,
1991, live in Milan, Handelman
Wagner, Rheingold (Der Ring des Nibelungen), Das,
Muti/Urmana/Begley/Kapellmann/Pederson,
1996, live in Milan, House of Opera
Wagner, Walküre (Der Ring des Nibelungen), Die,
Muti/Meier/Schnaut/Lipovsek/Domingo/Pederson/Hölle,
1994, live in Milan, House of Opera
Wagner, Siegfried (Der Ring des Nibelungen),
Muti/Eaglen/Zednik/Schmidt-W/Struckmann,
1997, live in Milan, House of Opera
Wagner, Götterdämmerung (Der Ring des Nibelungen),
Muti/Eaglen/Meier/Schmidt-W/Schulte/Rydl,
1998, live in Milan, House of Opera
Pace, i miei amici, I was being tongue in cheek, the spate of Verdi Requiem was during the 200th anniversary of Verdi’s birth, so of course it had to be Muti, the greatest Verdian since Toscanini
He’ll do Strauss with Chicago in a few seasons, Salome or Elektra. His friend and mentor Carlos Kleiber had long urged him to do Rosenkavalier. He will one day. And it will be eye opening.
+1
It’s all about money and audiences that are quite ignorant to the art .
Who starts in May? This isn’t Australia. So he’s going to start in February instead of September – 5 months or maybe 6 weeks of concerts later than originally scheduled. Hardly earth-shattering.
Just met Beckmesser while walking downtown, he say a fond hello to everyone:-)
He says. Darn typo.
I have to agree that some audience seems to be tone deaf. They are there to attend an event. For example, how many of alleged Lang Lang followers are there to _listen_ to Lang Lang, rather than to _see_ Lang Lang?
Not to digress too much, Petrenko is several cuts above Nelsons. No comparison at all. I attended some of Nelsons BSO performances at Carnegie. He’s a no doubted a great _performer_. The worst of Nelsons is that, he tends to make the orchestra accompany his gestures rather than using his gestures to communicate the music to the orchestra.
When I cannot see his gestures (e.g. his Salome with Vienna State Opera @ Carnegie a few years back), his music making is like highlighting which pages in the score would make people really excited, and do some great things with them; the remaining pages he just meddling along.
On the other hand, in the limited showings of Petrenko (two concerts in the Digital Concert Hall), the music is genuine and is all there. Minimal dramatic movement, no showboating. In fact, I don’t need to _see_ him to enjoy his Suk CDs.
Last but not least, I don’t understand why Nelsons is well loved by his orchestra musicians. Top notch orchestra musicians seem to have several hot buttons (but not limited to):
1) They don’t like chatty conductors
2) they don’t like conductors who keep stopping them
3) they don’t like being singled out to correct their playing repeatedly (this is why the genius of Kleibergram!)
4) they don’t like conductors who is clueless about the music (seriously,,,, there are some big name conductors out there who simply listen to some CDs and then try to mold a performance based on that!)
5) they don’t like anything visually distracting (that includes showboating gestures and/or provocative dress).
I am pretty sure Nelsons is a serious offender of at least two of the above. 🙂
Thank you for the interesting comments.
Which Petrenko do you have in mind in them? 😉
From time to time I pop into Slipped Disc,not for the articles but the comments which are a marvellous concoction of opinionated dross you can find. Actually the catch quiz is of more value.