There is a bit of a flutter going on in the classical coterie about an article in VAN magazine which makes clear that Simon Rattle’s long tenure at the Berlin Philharmonic was not altogether harmonious.
Under the strapline ‘The orchestra doesn’t look at him anymore,’ the article quotes a number of dissidents (unnamed) and supporters (named) who confirm that the orchestra was divided about his leadership. Nothing new in that, nor surprising. Rattle was elected by a 60:40 margin over Daniel Barenboim and that proportion remained the same when tested in a second vote a decade later.
I made a film for the BBC in the early 2000s analysing mutterings of discontent in the orchestra and the audience, and I got roundly scolded for it in just about every corner of the classical world – because we don’t talk about such things, do we? Candour, I described elsewhere, was ever one of Rattle’s finest qualities.
I’m delighted to see that VAN has published such a frank and balanced account of a central musical relationship which, as Rattle himself admits, was never easy. And I’m appalled to find that the ostriches of classical music are still flaunting their thinking parts at anyone who dares to write that not everything in the garden is rosy.
Want to know what’s wrong with classical music? The ostriches.
They never seem to grow up.
The NYO will have its first US tour in the summer of 2019.
It will play at the Ravinia Festival and Carnegie Hall.
The announcement is timed to boost recruitment for next year.
The lecturer here is not part of the travelling party.
The Hungarian State Opera has, on orders from Victor Orban’s (pictured) government, taken off the musical Billy Elliot after 15 performances.
The reason: ‘all public bodies are obliged to protect the identity and Christian culture of Hungary.’
Billy Elliot is the story of a boy from a mining village who wants to be a ballet dancer. Some of the dancers he meets may be gay.
It’s Denis Matsuev.
He’s saying something like ‘Hurrah, Just like I said it would be, We can get to the final now!!!’
The tenor Zachary Stains has been placed on probation for 10 years in a plea bargain at Manhattan Supreme Court after images of child pornography were found on his Macbook.
Stains, 47, has enjoyed modest renown for a scene of male nudity in a Vivaldi opera.
We are saddened to hear of the death of Eve Edwards, formidable Executive Producer at Philips Classics who looked after Neville Marriner, Mitsuko Uchida and many more.
A 1956 Hungarian refugees, she started out as recording c oordintor for A&R chief Erik Smith before working with Antal Dorati on the Haydn operas.
She then took charge of Rossini and early Verdi, leaving no note unturned.
Costa Pilavachi, last head of Philips, says: ‘Eve was spectacularly efficient, capable, unafraid of everybody and respected and liked by all.’
She is survived by her husband Philip.
Eve Edwards with Plácido Domingo and Mirella Freni for a Philips recording of the Early Verdi Series.
Andrey Demin, concertmaster of the cellos in the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, has died in Moscow.
A Tchaikovsky prize winner, he spent several years in Israel, playing in the Rishon Lezion orchestra.
Message from the Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden:
Gothenburg Symphony has produced audio description introductions to its concerts … to allow more people to get a feeling of the interplay between conductor and orchestra, and to get an impression of the stage and how the musicians are seated.
Audio Description Introduction provides visual information verbally for people who are blind or visually impaired. We hope others will also enjoy these introductions of selected concerts of the Gothenburg Symphony provided by Jennifer Hawkins. This is a pilot project and we are committed to making it the best possible.
Here’s an example:
‘He is clean shaven, has full lips and long, straight nose, a square jaw and strong neck. He is slim and lithe. He is dressed …’
Statement from the elegant French cellist:
Due to a shoulder injury and following my doctor’s advice, I have had to make the very difficult decision to take some time off from concert touring from now until mid-August to rest my shoulder.
I am very sad not to be able to perform the next planned concerts but I should be back soon.
The Israel Phiharmonic has replaced him in four concerts this week with the young Kian Soltani.
Gautier will also miss a two-week residency in Verbier.
A vacancy has been announced at one of the world’s most adventurous and picturesque opera festivals.
(Thursday, 21 June 2018) Wexford Festival Trust is now inviting applications for the position of Artistic Director, Wexford Festival Opera. The successful candidate will succeed David Agler who retires at the conclusion of the 2019 Festival. Details of the position are available online. The deadline for applications is 20thJuly 2018.
The tragic death has been announced of the Polish virtuoso Dominik Połoński, a cellist who overcame physical disability to play with his right hand alone.
A winner of the Lutoslawski Competition, Dominik was starting to perform on the world stage when he was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2004. After several operations, he was left with the use of just one hand, but his determination to play drew a number of Polish composers to write pieces for him.
His battle with adversity was a national inspiration.
May his brave soul find peace.
Dame Evelyn Glennie writes:
I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dominik Polonski…no talent could shine brighter.
I had the great pleasure of playing with Dominik in the Double Concerto for Cello by Olga Hans, who wrote ‘The Second Cello Concerto on the Right Hand’ for Dominik. Indeed, ‘Songs for the Right Hand’ constituted a collection of pieces composed by a series of composers especially for Dominik talents.
My thoughts are with his family, friends and the colleagues who were privileged to work with him. He will be missed.
This concert is sold out, we hear. It is the closing concert of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s season, this Saturday.
上海交响乐团2017-18音乐季闭幕音乐会迪图瓦演绎音乐会版歌剧《莎乐美》
SSO 2017-18 Season Closing Concert Richard Strauss’s Salome (Concert Version)
