Detroit shocks Leonard Slatkin on his return from heart surgery
mainSlatkin returned to his orchestra this weekend for the last time as music director, not knowing that they had prepared an extraordinary surprise.
Leonard blogs about it here.
I was overwhelmed. My entire being became inhabited with a spirit I did not know existed. More than joy, more than pride and more than admiration, I experienced a new understanding of this young man’s talent and the sincerity on display. Tears were rolling down my cheeks as the work progressed. Audience members were likewise moved by the piece and its personal significance. How was it possible that someone so new to the world of composition could produce a piece so authentic and moving?…
Find out who is was here.
And we have some video of Leonard’s last appearance before his operation. Good times in Detroit.
Yeah, never was nepotism so touching, not since Wolfgang Amadeus senior showed off his son to the world.
What a nasty comment ‘Anon’. The man has just returned from extremely dangerous surgery – one can surely understand that this was a deeply touching moment for him. As for his great praise, well, it was only on his personal blog and he obviously genuinely feels that. Obviously it will be taken with a grain of salt and others will judge this young man’s talent. I challenge you to do three positive things in the world today to counterbalance your negative comment!
See a doctor. You need help.
How is it nepotism if it was done without the father’s knowledge?
Thank you for comparing my son to Mozart.
Haha!
+1+1+1+1+1+1
*Leopold* Please, if you’re going to insult a person who had a recent heart operation at least pay a slight attention to historical detail.
Gosh some of the ladies in the orchestra have bare arms!
Why not? It’s 2018.
LOL. Next thing you know, they’ll be allowing them to perform without bonnets 😀
^^this two wouldn’t recognize sarcasm if it hit them like a meteorite.
I was being sarcastic as when he conducted a BBC orchestra he complained that the ladies had bare arms and I don’t think any of them had bingo wings!
The Carmen’s Hoedown wasn’t his last performance before his heart surgery- it is actually his first performance since his surgery, and how wonderful to see him back on the podium!
Is there anywhere that this piece can be heard?
Coming soon.
I’m still hoping for a “Salome’s Hoedown of the 7 Veils.” Any chance of it?
Any explanation for the photo on the main page? On my mobile phone screen it looked like an extremely fat child, but I can now see on the desktop version of the site that it’s actually a child holding a cushion on his abdomen.
It was from a thing they did a couple years ago where they gave children with disabilities a chance to conduct.
OK, that’s interesting to know, and a very laudable initiative. I am curious to know, is the cushion purely for this individual child’s comfort, or is it a technique used in teaching conducting? I remember one of my early violin teachers had a small soft toy (a mouse I think it was) that she used to get me to hold in the palm of my left hand while holding the violin in order to ensure that there was space between the palm of the left hand and the neck of the violin.