Maestra move: New job for BBC conductor

Maestra move: New job for BBC conductor

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norman lebrecht

May 20, 2020

Dalia Stasevska, Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, has been appointed Chief Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in Finland from September 2021.

She succeeds Dima Slobodeniouk, who has lasted one term.

HarrisonParrott was the broker.

Comments

  • Zubil Menta says:

    Why move? She isn’t leaving the BBCSO.

  • Olassus says:

    There is really an explosion of women conductors.

    Once there was only Sarah Caldwell.

    • Bruce says:

      As with female doctors, lawyers, politicians etc. (really everything but teachers and nurses), who were also vanishingly rare once upon a time: the talent and intelligence was always there, but the opportunities were not. Women haven’t changed.

    • IP says:

      I still shudder at the thought of her Don Pasquale… an opera of which I know no bad recording except for this crime against culture.

      • Olassus says:

        I do hope Cecilia Bartoli’s plan for Don Pasquale happens. I guess we’ll know in a few days.

        I have lived with the Muti, but it isn’t funny !!! because Freni just isn’t Norina and Muti, who has a great sense of humor, can’t convey it in music.

        What’s wrong with the Caldwell?

        • IP says:

          It’s culturally blind. For example, when Don Pasquale hears about Sofronia, he breaks into a minuet, just like Dr. Bartolo in the singing lesson. In the midst of the 19 century, this implies they are really antique, and it is part of the humour. Caldwell turns it into a shapeless slapstick, Tom and Jerry, and Sills sounds every inch the cheerleader. You’d better hear it with the likes of Schipa, Valetti, Poli, Bruscantini . . . not because only dead singers are good singers, but because cultural awareness is essential for an opera not really profound but certainly stylish.

          • Olassus says:

            Thanks, IP

          • Saxon Broken says:

            “In the midst of the 19 century, this implies they are really antique, and it is part of the humour”

            Look, this is a great point. But no modern audience would get this subtlety. So some other way of conveying the humour needs to be found.

  • Wurtfangler says:

    Have they actually seen and heard her conduct?

  • PL says:

    Saw her in Ottawa – she’s super talented

  • Rodger Greenman says:

    I was so disappointed in my local symphony orchestra for how they treated her when she came to visit Detroit earlier this season. She deserved far better behavior from those who claim to be professionals. Perhaps when their new maestro appoints a qualified concertmaster, our city will not have to suffer such embarrassments from childish egotistical diva behavior.
    Good for Dalia!! She is a marvelous talent. It is great to hear some good new for a change. Ms. Stasevska deserves all the applause.

  • Doug Grant says:

    Slobodeniouk had a contract extension to his first term. It is not unreasonable that he move on given his expanding career.

  • SSD says:

    Norman, I respectfully request that you reconsider your liberal use of “maestro” or “maestra” when referring to conductors. As we know, it is an honorific title of respect. Therefore, it should be used judiciously, not applied to every person who conducts. Furthermore, no feminine version is needed. Women conductors prefer to be called “maestro” but again, I believe one has to earn that title. We should not use the term conductress, either. They’re all conductors, unless they’re far above the rest of us.

    For the benefit of all, here’s another example: a woman sitting in the position of concertmaster should be called concertmaster; concertmistress conveys an entirely different meaning. Times have changed. Women actors are simply actors, not actresses. For some reason, we’ve never referred to women astronauts as astronettes, or women pilots as aviatrix.

    • norman lebrecht says:

      thank you. headlines require short nouns

    • Rodger Greenman says:

      Or another way to wipe the importance of women off the face of the planet. Do wisen up won’t you! For your enlightenment, English does not have a generic pronoun. To favor the male pronoun with all gender norms is contrary to the very purpose of gender equality. For all you misogynistic fools who get your giggles from debasing a women conductor because she is different than your normal expectations, you are an embarrassment to this industry and should learn how to respect other perspectives. Ignorant egotistical arrogance should be called out for the buffoonery that it is not educated opinions.

      • SSD says:

        Rodger Greenman, you’ve made several incorrect assumptions about me. I, myself, am a woman, not a misogynist fool. Though highly accomplished, I’m neither egotistical nor arrogant. I’ve held positions of leadership as a professional musician and I firmly believe women are just as capable as men. As a woman who believes in empowering others, I certainly do not get giggles from debasing women. Please ask any woman, or just believe me. Special nouns can be marginalizing, as if there’s something very unusual about a woman standing on the podium. A woman doctor just wants to be called doctor. Same is true for lawyers. See? Women can do anything, just as well or as poorly as men. No biggie.

        • Rodger Greenman says:

          SSD, I was not addressing you specifically. I apologize that it appeared as such. In matter of fact we made quite similar points with differing language. There are Fools with louder mouths than I, some of them have commented in this very post, who believe that women should bot be conductors at all. This angers me as much as you. Keep up the good fight!

    • Michael Hunt says:

      An interesting point, SSD. In Austria, professional women have become so frustrated by the gender neutralising of specific job titles – e.g. director, teacher, manager, conductor – that last year saw a law passed requiring females to be addressed by the specifically female forms of their job titles, so a female condctor would be properly addressed as Frau Dirigentin.

  • David says:

    One term being four years (appointed 2016).

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