Washington DC shuffles off a music director
mainpress release:
Washington National Opera (WNO) and its Executive Director Michael L. Mael today announce that Music Director Philippe Auguin will become Music Director Emeritus of the WNO Orchestra at the beginning of the 2018–2019 season. Auguin’s position as Music Director will not be extended after the conclusion of the company’s 2017–2018 season. He will then have completed eight seasons as WNO’s Music Director, having conducted 17 productions—including WNO’s first-ever complete cycles of Wagner’s epic The Ring of the Nibelung—and having filled 10 positions in the orchestra, including three principals, an assistant concertmaster, and an assistant principal.
This is horrible news as Auguin is often the best thing about a show and by a wide margin better than the great majority of guest conductors at the Washington Opera. But since Zambello came on board things have spiraled downwards.
On the other hand this was something to be expected because, even after Auguin’s triumph with the Ring he only conducted one opera this and last season – and he is still nominally still music director. And as I said, the roster of guest conductors was mostly substandard.
In an ideal world I would have renewed Auguin’s contract and have him conduct the majority of the works staged by the Washington Opera. Big loss and totally preventable.
very true. everything associated with Domingo and his deputy Scheppelmann must must be erased. Aguin brought serious stature to her little Ring.