Noseda joins in war chorus

Noseda joins in war chorus

News

norman lebrecht

March 04, 2022

The Washington DC conductor, who refrained initially from condemnation of Russia, has changed his mind.

We hear that last night Gianandrea Noseda, violinist James Ehnes and the NSO wore blue and yellow ribbons, Noseda mentioned the war and and the concert started with the Ukraine National Anthem. Their performance of the Beethoven concerto seemed especially inspired by the occasion. Also, the exterior of the Kennedy Center was bathed in Ukraine’s colors.

Comments

  • Mock Mahler says:

    On the same night, the Baltimore Symphony also played the anthem, conducted by Kevin John Edusei, preceded by an announcement noting that Joseph Meyerhoff, whose name graces the hall we were sitting in, was born in Ukraine.

  • Anonymous says:

    Noseda. A very decent human being and lovely to work with. Doesn’t surprise at all, despite being Gergievs assistant many years ago…

  • The View from America says:

    The Ukrainian national anthem was also performed by the Buffalo Phlharmonic Orchestra this week, replacing the Ruslan and Ludmila Overture.

  • GWB Obama says:

    Has the Kennedy Center ever been bathed in light of a foreign flag when a majority Arab, Asian, African, Latino country is unjustly invaded?

    • Vira says:

      Sorry to disappoint, but reaction to the war in Ukraine is not the result of white-on-white solidarity. This war is a serious threat to peace and stability in Europe. This is why the reaction is so strong.

  • Gabriele says:

    Norman, Noseda has never supported Putin. Not expressing feelings in public does not mean supporting a criminal. Instead of demonizing people, it would be more appropriate if you wrote about music.

    • NSO musician says:

      Agreed. I know from conversations with other musicians that there were other conductors who didn’t make statements that first weekend. They didn’t appear on this page in inflammatory posts.

  • ElDragon says:

    The hypocrisy of the Westerners. You were all silent during the bombing of Yugoslavia, destruction of Iraq, Libya and Syria. You are condemning Russia for the same and worse, your countries were/doing – the tally is somewhere around eleven million people. It’s too late for the virtue signaling

  • Vira says:

    Author of this article is a useful idiot at the best. At the worst he is a paid stooge. Two wrongs do no constitute one good. Civillian deaths in Baghdad do not make civillian deaths in Kyiv OK. Peace in prosperity in 1945 to 2022 in Europe is the result of security agreements. Russia’s aggression takes the world back to 1914. Beware

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