Further rush of cancellations at Verbier Festival
NewsNext week’s Mahler first symphony is off.
Also fallen are Schoenberg’s chamber symphony on the 31st and the Andras Schiff concert on August 1.
UPDATE Here’s the press release:
The Verbier Festival announces the latest programme changes to its 28th edition. Two of the iconic Rencontres Inédites will move from
Église de Verbier to Salle des Combins, opening up the performances to a larger public. The Festival’s July 23 presentation of Tristan & Isolde’s second act has been cancelled, but opera-lovers are invited to a newly programmed concert that same evening featuring rising stars of from the Academy Atelier Lyrique in a concert of arias at the Église.
The Festival will now close with a performance of Puccini’s La Bohème, featuring the Academy singers in collaboration with the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO) and its Music Director, James Gaffigan on August 1.
That’s a teenagers’ amateur orchestra.
The small print at the bottom of their press announcement says no refunds. Seems a bit off doesn’t it?
One wonders why an international festival was attempted during a pandemic in the first place…
Considering the situation up there I think the bigger news story is who hasn’t cancelled.
Seems like going bare in a brothel, as they say.
I can think of quite a few “teenagers’ amateur orchestras” that play considerably better – and with a great deal more insight and commitment – than a couple of professional outfits I could mention.
Serously, you’d pay festival prices to hear a kids orchestra?
In the midst of his withering slander campaign, I hope we all continue to bear in mind that it is not the critic who counts…Kudos to the Verbier Festival for staying the course in spite of the unexpected heavy weather.
Damn you are such an ass
This “kids orchestra” can play anything written and play it well. https://www.google.com/search?q=national+youth+orchestra+usa&client=safari&rls=10_13_6&ei=DVT4YPy2DPrl5NoPpviAiAM&gs_ssp=eJzj4tLP1TcoTzcwqTA0YPSSyUssyczPS8xRqMwvLclQyC9KzkgtLilKVCgtTgQAI1cOlQ&oq=national+youth+orchestra+&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYBDIECAAQQzICCAAyAggAMggILhDHARCvATICCC4yAgguMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoHCAAQRxCwAzoGCAAQFhAeSgQIQRgAUPOAEViCixFg1uYRaAFwAngAgAHXAYgB_QSSAQUyLjIuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXrIAQjAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz
Sad to hear, but not surprising I suppose. I see no fault in planning classical music festivals as we have to move out of this fear culture that strangles everything just now. Great that a Youth Orchestra have stepped up but I wouldn’t pay top prices to hear anything but a top professional outfit. The Proms are to go ahead with no social distancing but proof of vaccines must be shown or a negative test. Let’s hope it can stay the full season.