Putin promises cheap flights for touring artists

Putin promises cheap flights for touring artists

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norman lebrecht

January 10, 2019

The Russian president, alerted by Valery Gergiev to the soaring overheads of touring artists, has said he will look into subsidising flights for frequent flier artists – so long as they fly Aeroflot.

Gergiev himself goes by private jet.

Read here.

 

 

Comments

  • V.Lind says:

    Wonder if he would extend it to incoming artists. Wonder if it will apply to cellos needing seats.

  • If my count is correct, there are 12 full time orchestras in Moscow:

    Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
    Moscow Chamber Orchestra
    Moscow City Symphony Orchestra
    Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
    Moscow State Symphony Orchestra
    Moscow Symphony Orchestra
    Moscow Virtuosi
    Russian National Orchestra
    Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
    State Symphony Capella of Russia
    State Symphony Cinema Orchestra
    Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra

    One of them, the National Philharmonic of Russia, was founded at the initiative of Putin.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Philharmonic_of_Russia

    Moscow also has more opera performances per year than any other city in the world, including Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and London.

  • Correction: The Marinksy is, of course, in St. Petersburg.

  • Anonymous says:

    As ongoing investigations into the Russian and Global Laudromats gain momentum, it is reasonable to suggest that a number of large international opera houses and orchestras should be very worried about large donations that they have received over the past decade or so, whose sources have not been as rigorously checked as they might have been.

    It’s about to get VERY interesting indeed…

  • Most Americans think it’s normal for major cities to have just one full time symphony orchestra, but that is not the norm internationally. It is normal in Europe for larger cities to have multiple orchestras, something made possible by far higher levels of public funding. Due to a lack of public funding, only *one* city in the USA (New York) has even two orchestras.

    I list here the 12 full time orchestras of Moscow, and the multiple full time orchestras in London, Paris, Munich, Vienna, and Berlin. I also added new listings for 8 additional cities. Corrections and additions especially for the last 8 are welcomed.

    Moscow
    + Moscow Chamber Orchestra
    + Moscow City Symphony Orchestra
    + Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
    + Moscow State Symphony Orchestra
    + Moscow Symphony Orchestra
    + Moscow Virtuosi
    + National Philharmonic of Russia
    + Russian National Orchestra
    + Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
    + State Symphony Capella of Russia
    + State Symphony Cinema Orchestra
    + Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra
    (Moscow also has more opera performances per year than any other city in the world, including Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and London. Meanwhile, New York is no longer even in the top 10.)

    London
    + London Symphony Orchestra
    + London Philharmonic
    + Royal Philharmonic
    + Philharmonia
    + BBC Symphony Orchestra
    + BBC Concert Orchestra
    + Royal Opera Orchestra
    + English National Opera Orchestra
    (There are several other worldclass orchestras in London that are not full time such as the London Sinfonietta, English Chamber Orchestra, and Academy of St Martin’s in the Field.)

    Paris
    + L’Orchestre National de Radio-France
    + Orchestre de Paris
    + Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
    + L’Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris
    + Ensemle Intercontemporain
    + Orchestre de Chambre de Paris
    + Orchestre des Concerts Pasdeloup.
    + Orchestre Colonne,
    + Orchestre Lamoureux
    (The Paris Opera Orchestra has 170 members since the services must be rotated to meet demand. The last two orchestras are more marginal and may not be full time.)

    Munich
    + Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
    + Bavarian Radio Orchestra
    + Munich Philharmonic
    + Bavarian State Opera Orchestra
    + Gärtnerplatz Opera Orchestra
    + Munich Symphoniker
    + Munich Chamber Orchestra

    Vienna
    + Vienna Philharmonic
    + Vienna Symphony Orchestra
    + Vienna State Opera Orchestra
    + Vienna State Radio Orchestra
    + Volksoper Orchestra
    + Vienna Klang Forum
    + Tonkünstlerorchester
    (The VPO and State Opera Orchestra use the same personnel, but the ensemble has 149 positions so that they can rotate the services. I think there might be other orchestras in the city I don’t know about.)

    Berlin
    + Berliner Philharmoniker
    + Konzerthausorchester Berlin
    + Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
    + Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
    + Orchester der Staatsoper Unter den Linden/Staatskapelle Berlin
    + Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
    + Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin

    BELOW ARE SOME NEW LISTINGS I’VE ADDED. CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS WELCOME.

    Prague
    +Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
    +Prague Symphony Orchestra “F.O.K.”
    +Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
    +National Theatre
    +Prague Chamber Philharmonic

    Stockholm
    +Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
    +Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    +Royal Opera House

    Budapest
    +Budapest Festival Orchestra
    +Budapest Philharmonic
    +Hungarian National Philharmonic (ex- Hungarian State Orchestra)

    Madrid
    +Madrid Symphony
    +Spanish National
    RTVE Orchestra
    (If someone could give more accurate names and additions if necessary, I would appreciate it.)

    Athens
    + State Orchestra of Athens
    + Orchestra of Athens
    + National Opera
    + Radio Symphony Orchestra
    + Philharmonia Orchestra

    Thessaloniki
    +State Orchestra of Thessaloniki
    + Orchestra of Thessaloniki
    + New Orchestra of Thessaloniki

    Minsk
    + Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus Orchestra
    + Belarusian State Academic Musical Theatre Orchestra
    + National Academic Concert Orchestra (jazz/pop)
    + President’s Orchestra
    + State Academic Symphony Orchestra
    + State Chamber Orchestra
    + National Zhynovych Folk Orchestra
    + Radio Symphony Orchestra
    (If someone could give possible corrections and more accurate names I would appreciate it.)

    Bucharest
    + The George Enescu Philharmonic
    + The Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra
    + The National Romanian Opera Orchestra

    • Una says:

      There are major and very fine orchestras in the UK that are not London-based. Certainly three in Glasgow and two in Manchester. And they offer far more than the same old programme three nights running of pot-boilers!

    • Roberto says:

      Thanks for your comment, Mr. Osborne. You always add some color to this site. I learn a lot with you.

      San Francisco:
      SF Symphony
      SF Opera Orchestra
      SF Ballet Orchestra
      Philharmonia Baroque
      New Century Orchestra
      Oakland Symphony (just across the bay)
      Marin Symphony (also, just across the bay)
      There is also an orchestra for the San Jose Opera

      Of course that some of these orchestras are not full-time.

      I still prefer the American system. I don’t think is fair for a taxpayer that doesn’t have anything to do with classical music to support orchestras.

      • Saxon Broken says:

        Roberto writes: “I don’t think is fair for a taxpayer that doesn’t have anything to do with classical music to support orchestras.”

        I agree. And I don’t think people who don’t drive should subsidize roads. I think law-abiding people shouldn’t pay for prisons or the court system. Young people shouldn’t pay for old-age pensions. I don’t use the hospital so I don think I should pay for it. I have a job, so I shouldn’t pay money to the unemployed. I don’t have children so why should I pay for their education. And as for people who don’t live in my locality, they should get nothing from me. :>}

    • Martinu says:

      In Prague, right now the National Theater hosts two opera companies- the State Opera and the National Theater – each has its own orchestra. The one of the State Opera is far less than average in quality, in my limited experience.

    • jsot says:

      To complete your Budapest list:
      – Hungarian state opera (same case as Vienna Phil and opera, two orchestras (Bud. Phil. And Hun Opera) runned by the same institution, but a large personnel so they can cope the needs.
      – Hungarian radio
      – Concerto Budapest
      – Óbuda Danubia orchestra
      – Budafok Dohnányi orchestra
      – MÁV symphony orchestra
      – Zugló Philharmonic orchestra
      – Duna symphony orchestra

      And not to forget smaller chamber orchestras such as
      – Liszt Ferenc chamber orchestra
      – Budapest strings
      – anima musicae chamber orchestra

      Not to shabby for a 1.8 million people city 😉

  • Sanda Schuldmann says:

    Really? On Aeroflot, no doubt. I wouldn’t fly AEROFLOT even for free! Also depending on one’s country of origin, he might decide you are a spy, and cart you to jail. Let’s not forget that one of his money boys is a cellist! THANKS but NO THANKS!

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