Breaking: Concertgebouw boss is gone

Breaking: Concertgebouw boss is gone

main

norman lebrecht

May 31, 2019

Jan Raes, managing director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, will leave at the end of this year.

Statement:
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra hereby announces that its Managing Director Jan Raes has decided to resign from his position at the end of December 2019. Jan Raes was appointed as general director in 2008 and by the end of 2019 will have led the orchestra for more than 11 years.

It looks like he is being scapegoated for the sacking of music director Daniele Gatti.

 

Comments

  • Manu says:

    Good news, this was an incompetent guy who managed the Gatti affaire in the worst possible manner. It was a incomprehensible choice already when they hired him and it does not say much in favor of the orchestra they have kept him so long at the peak of this important institution for the music world.

    • Pieter says:

      He handled the Gatti case poorly, but under his leadership the orchestra did some great things, the RCO meets Europe Side by Side project for instance. Or the recently opened RCO house.

  • Trevor S. says:

    Retaliation will be required

    • Rgiarola says:

      What reason for retaliation? I think an institution can fired an employee that isn’ doing well in their opinion, don’t you?
      For example, an I am saying example. Let’s say if the employee caused a hughe money loss after an Out-of-Court Settlement, besides almost a second scandal in less than 1 year. Don’t you think it is enough?

  • Clóvis Marques says:

    As he should (be scapegoated). Someone should be made responsible for this awful mistake: firing a music director because someone SAID this or that DECADES AGO and other persons ALSO MIGHT have found his behaviour inconvenient at the Concertgebouw. Everything too hasty and unthinking and “let-us-be-politically-correct-like-our-American-puritan-friends”, just to stay on the good side of what people think and say

    • John Borstlap says:

      Nonsense, the misbehavior was going-on quite recently. I know this from inside sources, and it was very unpleasant for the women concerned.

  • trivisani simone says:

    It is very logical.
    If you fire a great maestro who is not guilty, your destiny is to be fired.
    Shame on Jan Raes, the worst manager in the world.

  • Karl says:

    Scapegoated? The definition is a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others. It looks like most of the blame for the Gatti debacle falls on Raes. He does have my sympathy though. Workplace situations like this, with nothing but he said she said allegations are difficult to handle, especially in the politically charged atmosphere we have now.

  • BP says:

    Does this mean a longer delay in naming a new music director ?

  • Rgiarola says:

    I told you Jan… 😉

  • Peter says:

    I heard that the orchestra and staff members are relieved by this decision and are looking forward to start the next chapter of this iconic institution. By taking this decision he probably avoided a motion of no confidence. Very wise decision!

  • Pedro says:

    I hope Gatti will be back soon.

    • John Borstlap says:

      My fly on the wall informs me that he is studying various books about Dutch culture and customs. A bit late, I think.

    • Trevor S. says:

      Don’t think he would agree on return to them. It’s still hard to think that someone in orchestra said about your misbehavior. I think he’s going to be great again in less than half an year. Shame on RCO management but you always have a second chance

    • Rgiarola says:

      He will be as a guest even before the 3 cds conducted by him being issued. I can bet with all thumbs down here.
      Metoo = Anglo saxonics fighting the world to prove their political correctness isn’t just hysteria.

  • MOST READ TODAY: