Alondra is unchallenged as Germany’s media queen

Alondra is unchallenged as Germany’s media queen

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norman lebrecht

December 12, 2019

Now that she is no longer distracted by declining fortunes in Australia, the Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra can direct her full attention to her German profile, which just grows and grows.

It is reported that 1.5 million watched her Advent concert on ZDF – and just look what’s coming up:

3SAT zeigt am 1.1.2020, 20.15 Uhr Beethoven-Film mit Alondra de la Parra
Im Hauptabendprogramm des Neujahrstags trifft das 3SAT Publikum in Brisbane auf die Dirigentin. “Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt – Beethoven heute” heißt der Film von Lisa-Marie Schnell und Alexandra Hardorf. Hauptprotagonist in dieser Erstausstrahlung ist das meistgespielte Komponisten Ludwig von Beethoven. Was bedeutet Beethoven jungen Leuten in aller Welt heute? Eine Abenteuerreise auf den Spuren des Genies rund um den Globus. Die filmische Reise beginnt in Australien, wo Beethoven gerade in einer großen Umfrage zum nationalen Lieblingskomponisten gewählt wurde. In Brisbane trifft das Filmteam Alondra de la Parra, die während der Drehphase Chefdirigentin des Queensland Symphony Orchestra war. Ihr Orchester in Brisbane spielt im Film die 6. Sinfonie, die “Pastorale”. Über Beethoven sagt Alondra de la Parra, dass er in der DNA jedes Musikers sei – auch in ihrer eigenen. Musikalisch gesehen sei er so etwas wie ihr bester Freund.

Musica Maestra – Neue Folgen auf Deutsche Welle
Die Deutsche Welle startete mit Alondra de la Parra im Juli 2017 das multimediale Klassikformat “Musica Maestra”. Sie ist Protagonistin wie auch Reporterin in dem ungewöhnlichen Web- und TV-Projekt. Der jüngste veröffentlichte Clip zeigt Alondra de la Parra und Martin Grubinger wie sie sich auf die Uraufführung von Fazil Says Schlagzeugkonzerts mit der Kammerphilharmonie in Bremen vorbereiten. Die Deutsche Welle veröffentlicht ab sofort wöchentlich einen neuen “Musica Maestra” Kurzfilm auf deren neuen Youtube Channel und 2 Wochen zeitversetzt auf Facebook.

www.youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
08. Dezember 2019 Meeting Martin Grubinger
15. Dezember 2019 Thamos with La Fura dels Baus in Salzburg
22. Dezember 2019 Interview with Rolando Villazon in Salzburg
29. Dezember 2019 Flying Alondra in Salzburg
05. Januar 2020 Interview with Guy Braunstein
12. Januar 2020 Interview with Edicson Ruíz

No conductor of any gender or eminence is getting this kind of exposure on German TV. How did that happen?

Comments

  • Anon says:

    Really a pity what classical music is turning into. Publicity reigns over talent and trajectory: Same with countertenor Orlinsky… where do this Massive media „figures“ Come from… where no colleague of them approves of what they do.

    • Anon2 says:

      Orliński has a beautiful voice though. He isn’t just good looks, he actually has talent and works hard at his craft.

  • Brian says:

    Lovely menu at the end. I’ll have the Thamos, please, but without the Fura. Thanks.

  • We privatize your value says:

    “How did that happen?” Good looks, good genes. And a bit of racism helps, too – Mrs. de la Parra does not have the generic Mexican look, she could pass for Hungarian or Czech. And men love Central European women!

  • Tamino says:

    How did that happen? Management of German TV ZDF‘s culture department are show business minded people. They dance around the golden ratings quota.
    Alondra is good looking. What else do you want???

    Nobody with artistic ambition and integrity can possibly work there (for long).

    • Petros Linardos says:

      I thought in recent years December classical broadcasts have been a competition between the illustrious Dresden Staatskapelle and the Berlin Philharmonic, supplemented by the Vienna New Year’s Day concert. Am I out of date?

      • Tamino says:

        The ZDF and Dresden Staatskapelle connection dates back to Berlin Philharmonic asking too much money and them sticking to Thielemann, their Germanic hero (Joachim Kaiser approved), yet needing a new (cheaper) orchestra. But since the program got soapier and soapier.
        Maybe these populistic programs are important, to keep the interest in the wider public awake.
        But it should be combined with also more artistically minded programming of other TV concerts, but such are not happening anymore in the main channels. That’s delegated to specialist channels of arte and 3sat.
        I think the editors are too cowardish when it comes to pushing the high arts to the masses.
        The result are extremely boring, uninspired, light shows. Yawn.

  • Karl says:

    I saw her conduct several times about 10 years back at the Music Festival of the Americas in Stowe VT. She was a decent enough conductor. It was interesting to hear music by unknown Mexican composers like Gustavo E. Campa and Ricardo Castro.

    $$ maybe opens doors? I heard that the family has a lot of money. I looked it up and her grandmother was Yolanda Vargas Dulché, a successful writer of comics. She had enough money to construct an entire town in the state of Durango according to wiki. Sounds like an incredible woman in this article:

    https://mexicounexplained.com/the-beautiful-imagination-of-yolanda-vargas-dulche/

    “Sadly, many people in the United States, especially Mexican Americans, have never heard of Yolanda Vargas Dulché. At the time of her death in 1999 Vargas was one of the wealthiest Mexican women who ever lived. She influenced the popular culture of Mexico to a degree that has no equal among men or women. “

  • Max says:

    Beethoven’s music is so incredibly strong and full of integrity that even those superficial and shallow conductors like de la Parra or Kristjan Järvi can’t harm him…
    All that happens is that their empty shell of musicianship comes to light even more clearly.

    • John Borstlap says:

      Beethoven’s music is also very well-known by all performers, and orchestral players can play their B symph part, any part, while sleeping. Therefore, strangely enough, it is difficult music for conductors, because the players do it all by themselves.

    • Alexander Tarak says:

      “All that happens……more clearly “.
      And the meantime a conductor with more talent won’t get a foot in the door.

    • Greg Bottini says:

      Your own interpretations when conducting Beethoven are no doubt brilliant, right, Max?

  • deborath says:

    Maestro de la Parra is a good looking person, but as a musician she doesn’t have much to offers. Everywhere she goes musicians said the same thing; the jalisco orchestra, brisbane, ny, etc. I feel that her good looks is her opening card sadly not her skills. Sad news for future.

  • Caranome says:

    How did that happen? In a word: sex. Her concert with Lola and Hauser as soloists will blow up the Internet.

  • Calvin says:

    She obviously has capable representation.

    I gather she does not yet have her next permanent gig lined up?

  • Bruce says:

    As evidenced by the many wonderful conductors who never gained this kind of fame: dedication to PR and dedication to music are two entirely separate things.

  • Tracy says:

    All you misogynists make me sick.

    Time for people like Alondra to de-thrown those old white male conductors– just deal with it! The future does not care.

    • Herr Doktor says:

      I wouldn’t care if it were Bridget the Midget on the podium conducting Bruckner, if she secured results like Karajan routinely did. There are certainly misogynistic people on this board, and there are certainly ideological blowhards. But most of the people on this board care first and foremost about the MUSIC. And when it comes to the MUSIC, by many reliable reports, ADLP comes up shorter than even Bridget the Midget. I have no opinion on her because I’ve never heard her live (but came close once in Stowe VT; we had tickets for an ADLP concert but due to a medical emergency back home we had to cut our vacation short).

      • Anon says:

        It’s actually impossible to “hear a conductor live”. Their stick does not make a sound.

      • Greg Bottini says:

        “Bridget the Midget”? Apparently you’ve been watching way too much porn, Herr Doktor.
        Perhaps another allusion might have been more circumspect, no?

    • Sue Sonata Form says:

      “De-thrown”!! Absolutely priceless.

  • RW2013 says:

    After being thrown out of the Staatsoper in Berlin, the Deutsche Oper (Sleeping Beauty 2/20) will have her for breakfast.

  • Alexander Tarak says:

    Depressing…..

  • Mustafa Kandan says:

    Unfortunately looks make a difference when it comes to female performers. A less attractive female musician will not get as much exposure on TV.

  • Reverie Nocturne says:

    I met her years ago at The Plaza Hotel in NYC where I played violin in a trio for Sunday Brunch at the Palm Court, a great paying pleasant background music gig with delicious free food before they got rid of live music. Alondra was so charming and gracious with tremendous positive energy! I’m very happy for her success she certainly has earned it. I find her to be a very talented conductor especially in Latin American works – her looks are just a plus.

  • Anthony Mason says:

    The advent concert referred to in the introductory text is here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFKYVKXX7E It’s a rather splendid affair: much as I love the BBC and its orchestras, I can’t see them giving an hour of peak TV time to an advent concert.

  • Rafael Figueroa says:

    It´s easy Alondra is a beautiful woman without talent, but she comes from a powerful family linked to the entertainment world in Mexico; she also happend to be married to one of the sons of a Mexican president when he was in power. He even financed an orchestra for her (the infamous Philarmonic Orchestra of the Americas). Connections in high places can definitely boost a career……….

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