2 London orchs roll out maestro farewells

2 London orchs roll out maestro farewells

main

norman lebrecht

February 20, 2020

The London Phlharmonic and Philharmonia orchestras have simultaneously rolled out their next season. Both are changing chiefs.

For the LPO:
Vladimir Jurowski, Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, enters his final season in the role and conducts 14 Royal Festival Hall performances including two complete Wagner Ring Cycles with stellar cast

Edward Gardner, Principal Conductor Designate, opens the season with Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique and conducts three premieres.

For the Philharmonia:

In his final season as Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor, Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts a series of concerts made up of music inspired by the elemental tales found in Ancient Greek mythology including Strauss’s Elektra and the UK premiere of Salonen’s Gemini;

Philharmonia at 75, a year-long celebration (2020) marking three-quarters of a century of brilliant live music-making, definitive recordings, technological innovation and community-led outreach culminates with Riccardo Muti conducting Verdi’s Requiem and Isata Kanneh-Mason performing Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto.

Santtu-Matias Rouvali (pic) conducts three distinctive programmes that include Shostakovich’s 12th Symphony, Carl Orff’s choral epic Carmina Burana and Mozart’s Clarinet Concert0 with new Philharmonia principal Carlos Ferreira;

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

Comments

  • Anon says:

    2 relatively good guys replaced by two mediocre ones. Sad!

    • Larry W says:

      Let’s replace your mediocre comments with good ones.
      There is no conductor alive who knows Wagner’s Ring better than Jurowski. He is fantastic.
      Esa-Pekka Salonen is the most brilliant conductor/composer since Boulez.
      Edward Gardner is talented and sincere. He is a great choice for LPO.
      Need to see with Rouvali.

      • Hermann Lederer says:

        „There is no conductor alive who know Wagner´s Ring better than Jurowski“
        The year 2020 is still quite young but I am afraid this will remain best joke of the year!
        Where has Mr. Jurowski ever conducted the Ring in a staged performance?
        Really?
        „Knows“ better than Barenboim, Thielemann, Petrenko, Levine is still alive, Pappano, Young etc. They and many others conducted the Ring in many staged performances. But Jurowski ( whom I regard as a very fine conductor) knows it best…

    • Willymh says:

      Just wondering why “Anon” ? What would be the harm in letting your identity being linked to your opinion. Or are you perhaps someone who may depend on these “mediocre” conductors for future employment?

    • Saxon Broken says:

      When Jurowski was appointed he did not have much of a reputation. He is now considered one of the best conductors of his generation.

      Time will tell whether the new appointments will be viewed as a success.

  • Santtu-Matias Rouvali has a very good reputation I would like to see this director especially for Sibelius. He made his reputation with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra as a successor of Jarvi father and Dudamel. It’s a good start for a carrer.

  • Barry Guerrero says:

    Senior Rouvali . . . I mean Ravelli

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZV1o_jodV4

  • fflambeau says:

    Two Ring cycles in one year? That must be a first (and perhaps a last).

    Essa P. has set the same Greek mythology idea to work in San Francisco, where he will move. They have an amazing year with guest artists.

  • MOST READ TODAY: