Can Currentzis survive his special measures?

Can Currentzis survive his special measures?

News

norman lebrecht

April 11, 2022

People have been wondering for years how Teodor Currentzis keeps his balls in the air.

A Greek of certain musical gifts, he made a name for himself in the Russian city of Perm, recording well-received operas for Sony. This took him out onto the international circuit with his MusicaAeterna ensemble, earning ovations at Salzburg and Vienna.

What nobody asked was how he kept the balls in the air.

In other words, who paid?

Up to last month it was the corrupt VTB bank, a Putin channel for covert deeds, plus some connections in Vienna.

Now VTB has gone and Vienna is shut, cancelling not just tomorrow’s concert but next year’s as well.

The equivocal Currentzis has failed to take a stand on Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, itself a war crime, and others that followed. He has tried to dance on two hot coals and is now seriously burned.

He still has the backing of the SWR orchestra in Stuttgart, but for how long?

Currentzis is compromised, politically and morally. He needs to decide where he stands, but decision making was never his forte. He is caught right now in a trap of his own indecision.

Can he spring free? Will Salzburg rescue its damaged attraction?

 

 

Comments

  • RW2013 says:

    Sounds like his balls are dropping.

  • RW2013 says:

    And of all things Metamorphosen was on the program.
    Let’s see if Hamburg has the balls to react.

  • Monsoon says:

    There’s a long, overdue reckoning with just how much blood money funds cultural institutions. And it’s not just Russian corporations linked to Putin. It’s banks like Credit Suisse, who when they get caught helping Iran avoid sanctions, they suddenly become the global sponsor of major arts organizations. Or the Koch family trying to clean up its name by donating enough to get naming rights at concert halls, theaters, and museums all over the U.S.

    The level of moral bankruptcy and spinelessness is really depressing.

  • Bone says:

    Sounds like the balls are in his court, so to speak.

  • The View from America says:

    “People have been wondering for years how Teodor Currentzis keeps his balls in the air.”

    This SD article gives us the answer: https://slippedisc.com/2019/02/the-conductor-who-shows-off-his-parts/

  • Flora says:

    It seems to me, Mr. Lebrecht, that you are not indifferent to Currentzis and Netrebko. You take such sadistic pleasure. You spew so much venom. Isn’t it time for you to see a therapist?

    • Dave says:

      The sadistic pleasure is all Putin’s and his apologists. Anyone not condemning them deserves venom. Read the news (not Kremlin drivel) and imagine Russian soldiers abusing you.

  • Ms.Melody says:

    Just look what happened to Netrebko a couple of posts ago. The noise will subside and he will be reengaged, unfortunately for the music

  • Couperin says:

    Balls and hot coals. What could possibly go wrong?

  • BP says:

    The benefit concert for Ukrainian refugees on Tuesday night has been cancelled, but the other dates have gone ahead in Vienna. Not sure what “next year’s” concert being cancelled is about. Currentzis has several dates planned in Vienna in 22-23, no information about any change has come out.

  • Paul Johnson says:

    I find him somewhat overrated.

  • G says:

    Christ. Never seen such an unrelenting decade long attack on a single artist. It’s great that the statement from SWR saying that he is pro-peace falls on deaf ears as it expertly illustrates how hard Currentzis haters are prepared to stick their fingers in their ears. Your hands are coming out the other side at this point. Remarkable too that, whatever the supposed negative moral ties the orchestra has to a Russian bank are, that this is more important to you than the fact that they intended to raise funds for Ukraine. Once again, you are choosing to stare very hard in one direction and ignore a great deal else.
    Keep it up though; it’s important to all of us with more than half a brain that you and all your acolytes stay this stupid, so that we can continue to be confidently certain that this entire website is nothing more than a irrelevant joke.

  • Sue Sonata Form says:

    Has he got balls? I think the jury is still out.

  • A13df says:

    (one of) the worst image marketing figure in this field. Also medias were sucking his balls because it’s cool. Vomit

  • wiener says:

    Weichei

  • Wiener says:

    Im Kasperletheater in der Urania kann er ev. überleben.

  • corruption spread from RU says:

    I have been discussing this on here for weeks.
    At last someone is taking notice.

    Thanks Norman, Currentzis is corrupt.
    It’s well known in Perm.

    Now all is needed is cancel all visas to the orchestra.
    As of this weekend, not one Russian or Belorussian truck or car is allowed across the border.
    Why doesn’t this apply to members of an organisation that has been directly financed as part of the Russian sponsored “star system?

    Netrebko and Gergiev are toast.
    Now is time to start on the Spivakovs conspicuous by their silence.

    None of them ever said a word about Navalny, who is unjustly stuck in a miserable prison at Putin’s orders, never mind the rapes and murders taking place daily in UKR

    • Andrey says:

      I find pleasure to hear another musical voice from Russia (albeit one) expressing the same views about thsis conductor. Stay strong, comrade.

  • MOST READ TODAY: