Philly loses maestro to visa issues

Philly loses maestro to visa issues

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norman lebrecht

April 16, 2019

Here’s the public version:

(Philadelphia, April 16, 2019)—Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Assistant Conductor Kensho Watanabe have graciously agreed to lead The Philadelphia Orchestra’s April 25-27 concerts. Nézet-Séguin will conduct the April 25 and 27 performances while Watanabe will conduct the April 26 performance. They replace Myung-Whun Chung, who was unable to obtain his visa due to rehearsal and concert schedule conflicts in Europe.

The program will include Weber’s Overture to Der Freischütz, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”), and Schumann’s Piano Concerto, featuring pianist Jonathan Biss, as previously scheduled.

Comments

  • Dimitri Vassilakis says:

    I thought he was a US citizen …

  • Bill says:

    Concert and rehearsal schedule conflicts make him unable to obtain a visa? Say what?

    • Bill says:

      A number of thumbs-down votes — I take it you think that a concert or rehearsal schedule conflict is a rational explanation for not being able to get a visa? Maybe you could explain how (you think) that works…surely a big-name conductor has a bunch of people he can dispatch to handle such matters, even if (heaven forbid) he is busy leading a rehearsal or concert when the embassy or consulate is open.

      • Saxon Broken says:

        Er…many countries insist visa applications are in person from the home country.

        • Bill says:

          The US is not one of them. And Chung is presumably a citizen of the ROK, which participates in the US Visa Waiver program. Not saying that there couldn’t be some snag, but this is not his first rodeo…

  • Tony says:

    He is an USA conductor.
    What is a VISA problem occured in Europe?

  • Jamesay says:

    I don’t believe this PR junket ! Not for one moment. Similar bollocks last year when a certain soprano cancelled with an ear infection which a dose of antibiotics would have sorted in two days. Real excuse was she couldn’t afford tax wise to come back into USA. Chung shouldn’t have USA visa problems. Why do they lie to their audience. It’s just pitiful. And Yannick jumping back and forth. He’s got an ongoing repetitive strain shoulder issues so Gelb looks great in PR terms but actually this cannot continue. One of these institutions is gonna say no at some point and piss the other off.

    • Barry says:

      Yannick is also scheduled to conduct the Eroica next season and I included that in my choose-your-own subscription series. While I love the Eroica, …

      I actually had a ticket for the Friday concert, but after reading the news, I traded it in for an extra ticket for Yannick’s Mahler 9th next month. I’d rather have more company for that than go to a concert that has lost its luster for me. I’m very disappointed that I won’t get to see Chung conduct live for the first time.

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