Women in orchestras wash their hair. And the men?

Women in orchestras wash their hair. And the men?

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norman lebrecht

July 16, 2018

Watching the first nights of the BBC Proms, we were struck by a headline discrepancy.

All the women in BBC orchestras had washed and blow-dried their hair before the concerts, or almost all.

And the men?

Much less so.

Why is that?

Could it have something to do with the humidity at the Royal Albert Hall that reduces the best-groomed hair to a straggly mess?

 

Comments

  • Nik says:

    Who is “we”?

  • Hilary says:

    The first night inspired a very notable piece of music criticism: http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_prom_review.php?id=15605

  • steven holloway says:

    I’ve seen some weird posts on SD, but this one….

  • Duncan says:

    A lot of us were caught in a thunderstorm between rehearsal and show. Always an explanation if you try Norman 😉

  • Bruce says:

    Maybe it’s because the men know they won’t be judged harshly for their hair style (or lack thereof), and the women know they will.

  • Sharon says:

    Recently I attended a fundraising concert performance of “Promises, Promises”. Some of the female orchestral performers were primping in a women’s room which was also used by the audience. One performer asked another something like “How do I look?” I chimed in, “You look fine”. She replied, ” I don’t want to look ‘fine”. I want to look terrific.”

  • Sue says:

    As long as they’re not performing “Hair” in there I don’t care. Or “El Salon Mexico”.

  • Emil says:

    Slipped Disc: Only the Music matters, gender is irrelevant!!!!

    Also SD: OMG have you seen the women’s hair?!?!?!

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