Just in: Netrebko will join Hvorostovsky’s comeback recitals
mainThe Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky has not appeared on stage since December, taking time out for further treatment of his brain cancer.
Today, his agent told the state news agency Tass that Hvorostovsky will return for two recitals next month – in Toronto (April 25) and Dublin – partnered by his friends Anna Netrebko and her husband Yusif Evyazov.
Lovely gesture.
More here.
photo from 2014 Elena Obraztsova Gala in Moscow
These concerts have actually been on his website for some time now. The concerts have been sold out for weeks. Surprising that TASS has just noticed! Or maybe his agent is just confirming that they are really going to happen.
I hope my premonition is wrong but surely his friends know more than we do?
“At the end, each cast member took a bow bearing a single white rose, in honor of Mr Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who was scheduled to sing Onegin here but withdrew to continue his treatment.”
https://bachtrack.com/review-eugene-onegin-ticciati-met-opera-march-2017
He cancelled his participation in Onegin back in November, citing problems with balance which made it difficult for him to do staged operas. But he carried on doing concerts until he came down with pneumonia just before Christmas. These concerts in Toronto and Dublin were always on his schedule, and the Liceu Barcelona has just announced some opera performances for next season, so we will see what happens. So the withdrawal from Onegin isn’t a recent thing.
Let’s just leave it as heartfelt encouragement from his close friends. We should all do the same and not speculate. Dmitri has certainly earned our consideration.
I know of no ‘cure’ for brain cancer.
There are cures, but unfortunately they involve surgery and he hasn’t had that it seems (it is not possible in all cases). Sometimes people are cured through radiation, but because his tumor/s returned and he went through chemo, it unfortunately appears he is working to prolong his life (yay!!) but cure is not likely. He is a wonderful artist and any chance to see him is a gift.
It’s horrific; the whole disease. My son’s best friend died at 25 of it and he was a journalist and wrote a moving piece in a major Australian newspaper about what it felt like know you are about to die.
Here is the piece he wrote; he was 27, not 25, and his widow is still struggling 5 years later.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/journalist-peter-veness–27-dies-of-rare-brain-cancer-20120115-1q20o.html
Yes, that is horrific and very sad. But we don’t know what kind of tumour Dmitri has and we don’t need to know – it’s his private business. He has gone on record as saying that “every day is a joy and a victory” , so we can deduce from that what we will. He is very strong both physically and mentally. We can only offer support from a distance.
If wikipedia is correct, Otto Klemperer survived for more than 40 years after being operated for a brain tumor.
Statistically the prognosis for brain cancer patients is poor. Yet brain tumors are not created equal, and there are long term survivors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_brain_tumors
Moreover, statistics reflect treatments of the past. When Jose Carreras was diagnosed in 1988 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Carreras was supposed to have a 15% chance of survival. He was treated with what was then a new or newer treatment, and survived. Survival rates for acute lymphoblastic leukemia are now around 85%. Let us hope that Hvorostovsky will luck out in the same way.
There’s a difference between brain cancer and a brain tumour. One can be benign, the other malignant.
It’s just frightful that this magnificent signer has the latter. The same thing happened to Lucia Popp and others. Life is short and often cruel.
“singer”, of course.
All the best for a full recovery. Glad to see you back performing
Wishing the best to Dimitri and Ana, both of them great artists of our time.