All-new classical power couples of 2017

All-new classical power couples of 2017

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norman lebrecht

March 19, 2017

We present, by popular request, a revised Slipped Disc power list:

1 Anna Netrebko and Yusuf Eyvazov

2 Minnesota music director Osmo Vänskä and concertmaster Erin Keefe

3 Powerhouse Daniel Barenboim, pianist and festival director Elena Bashkirova

4 LSO chief Sir Simon Rattle, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena

5 Boston chief Andris Nelsons, hyper soprano Kristine Opolais

 

6 Trumpeter Alison Balsom and new husband, director Sam Mendes

7 Tenor Roberto Alagna, soprano Aleksandra Kurzak

8 Soprano Sonya Yoncheva, conductor Domingo Hindoyan

 

9 Soprano Elina Garanca, conductor Karel Mark Chichon

10 Conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky and pianist Viktoria Postnikova, together since 1969

11 Conductor David Robertson and pianist Orli Shaham

12 Composers Kaija Saariaho and Jean-Baptiste Barrière

13 Cellist Alisa Weilerstein, conductor Rafael Payare

14 Glyndebourne hosts Gus Christie and Danielle DeNiese

15 Violinist Nicola Benedetti, cellist Leonard Elschenbroichn (UPDATE: Break-up)

16 Composer György Kurtág, pianist Marta Kurtág

17 Israeli composers Noam Sherriff and Ella Sheriff

18 Met boss Peter Gelb, conductor Kerri-Lynn Wilson

19 Pianist David Fray, director Chiara Muti

 

20 Cellist David Finckel and  pianistWu Han, chamber music entrepreneurs

21 Soprano Nino Machaidze, baritone Guido Loconsolo.

22 Soprano Diana Damrau, bass-baritone Nicola Testé.

Comments

  • Alexander says:

    “together since 1969” – it makes sense

    • Rachael Young says:

      I’ve had the pleasure of performing the Schnittke concerto for piano and strings with Postnikova twice in Berlin and London – she certainly is a great lady.

      https://youtu.be/Frv1cllnBYg

      • Alexander says:

        I am always interested in such kind of other people’s memories… thank you for saying it here aloud … I’ve had a friend before, now she is with angels, her name was Lyne Dourian ( mezzo at Paris Opera) .She told me she attended Maria Callas concerts in Paris when she was a student …
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Ib_AM1zFo
        this is her rendition of Faust

  • Sue says:

    Netrebko is packing on the pounds!!!

    I often wondered why Carlos Kleiber never married a star; his wife was once a ballet dancer but she was very wonderful woman, according to some people. But most said she was “nothing special”. Here they are in the later years;

    http://oekastatic.orf.at/static/images/site/oeka/20121042/kleiber_frau_body.5097419.jpg

    • David says:

      Nothing special? Such spiteful unfeeling rot.
      Following his wife’s death Kleiber told a friend:
      ‘she was a samurai. And what am I? A dishrag…’

    • Emma says:

      “Packing on the pounds”..? What sort of an ignorant comment is that – she’s fabulous.

      • Michael says:

        She may ne fabulous, but that doesn’t change the fact that she IS still packing them on. And that can’t be healthy, or good for her career for that matter. Let’s not pretend that looks don’t matter. Should they? No. Do they? Yes.

  • SoCal Dan says:

    Soprano Diana Damrau and bass-baritone Nicolas Testé (and thanks to both of you for a wonderful recital at Broad Stage in Santa Monica on March 12)

    Soprano Olga Peretyatko-Marriotti and conductor Michele Mariotti

  • Olassus says:

    1a Deborah Borda and Coralie Toevs

    (NY Phil and Met Opera)

    … unless gay couples aren’t counted

  • Cyril Blair says:

    Are film directors in the business of classical music?

    • MWnyc says:

      Obviously one of the greatest classical music power couples in history, but I think Norman’s list was limited to the living.

  • Daphne Badger says:

    What does any of this actually mean?

  • Emil says:

    Spelled “Keri-Lynn” Wilson.

  • Anon. says:

    I don’t understand the relevance of this post.

    • Steven Holloway says:

      You are not alone. And the suggestion in the post that this came to be “by popular request” is a bit worrisome.

  • Paolo Vanoni says:

    Riccardo and Cristina Muti?

  • Paolo Vanoni says:

    Michele Mariotti and Olga Peretyatko?

  • mario lutz says:

    VIOLÍN & VIOLONCHELO
    Pinchas Zukerman & Amanda Forsyth

  • Hm says:

    I’m not sure what makes Netrebko/Eyvazov a power couple when one is a star and the other piggy-backs their status.

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