Breaking: Dresden votes for Gatti
NewsMusicians of the Staatskapelle Dresden has voted unanimously for Daniele Gatti to succeed Christian Thielemann as chief conductor.
Gatti, 60, has been music director of Rome Opera and Maggio Musicale in Florence, following his dismissal by the Concertgebouworkest in connection with allegations of inappropriate sexual activity.
The state of Saxony will now approach him with a contract offer.
The incoming state opera director Nora Schmid said the musicians had chosen a maestro ‘who, due to his enormous musical experience and his pleasure in a diverse repertoire, will set the tone in opera and concerts both in Dresden and on international stages.
Thielemann will leave in 2024.
This part of Germany is often referred to as “The valley of the clueless”.
They seem to have adopted Haitink’s opinion on Gatti’s excommunication in Amsterdam.
Ironic.
What was Haitink’s opinion?
https://slippedisc.com/2019/06/haitink-concertgebouw-were-hasty-over-gattis-dismissal/
The term “Tal der Ahnungslosen” (“valley of the clueless”) was used before unification. It referred to the fact that you could receive West German radio and TV just about everywhere in East Germany – except for the Dresden area. Too far away; out of range.
Nobody has used the term seriously since 1990. When you encounter it after unification, it is either satirical or derogatory.
Rightly so.
A great choice and he’s an expert Mahlerian. Thielemann – see ya and don’t come back!
What the hell is “an expert Mahlerian”?
The troubles days in Amsterdam are far now for him. I will not say that it’s a scandal because I don’t exactly what he did in Amsterdam. And we will never know. But the Staatskapelle Dresden is a very very house.
“I don’t exactly know what he did in Amsterdam”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/arts/music/daniele-gatti-concertgebouw.html
But industry insiders DO know, everyone is just turning a blind eye and pretending not to know, or else choosing NOT to know, a case of willful ignorance.
I’am talking about the articles in the dutch press who were published few months after this article. One part of the orchestra thought that he was fired too quickly and unfairly. Many think that in Europe. Me I don’t know. Anyway it was not the good choice for the RCO as musical director he was not enough popular inside the orchestra. After that the RCO found a way to end this story with him that’s why I’am saying we don’t know everythings. And don’t forget that the former administrativ boss of the RCO left his position after this story and because of that story. I don’t want to take the defense of Gatti especially.
https://slippedisc.com/?s=Gatti
What is a “very very house”??
very good house
No sex, please, we’re German.
Saxons like sex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKG8ZxEOdwE&t=5032s
Merveilleuse nouvelle !
So it’s back again to an Italian, after Luisi and Sinopoli, in between Haitink and Thielemann.
Dresden seems to like to swing between North and South.
Hmmm, in that case, why not stay married to Thielemann? What has been achieved by that change?
They keep the highest quality in terms of conductorship.
Great news. The best choice by the musicians of one of the five best orchestras in the world. I hope to go to their Mahler 9 with Gatti next month at the superb Semperoper.
He is just the best.
I’m disappointed. Very much so.
I’m hopeful that this will be the match that it potentially could be. It’ll require Mr. Gatti to restrain himself and be as professional as he possibly can be (he has enormous talent). On the other end, it’ll require the Dresdeners to keep an open mind in mind in terms of repertoire and programming (I think). It might work. If I were DG, I’d be knocking on the door (they won’t be).
This is a potentially excellent appointment. The Dresden Staatskapelle is one of the world’s best orchestras and merits a conductor on its musical level. There aren’t many of those around today.
In his past work with the Royal Phil and French National, and in his guest stints in New York, Boston, and elsewhere, Gatti has shown a level of expressive musicianship that is uncommon among today’s conductors.
Behavior that was said to be common in Italy when Gatti was young is unacceptable today, and rightly so. One hopes he has learned from his mistakes and won’t repeat them.
Gatti deserves a second chance, and the musical world needs a conductor of his artistry.
Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Saxony is a stronghold of Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that the people of Saxony had the courage to risk their lives and livelihood to start the fall of their evil communist goverment.
As history shows, the far-right (and especially Nazis) have a special animosity for communism.
Hmm… More than “interesting” choise! Hopely Gatti will be better human being now/in future
One of the best conductors I have ever seen in front of an orchestra, and it worries me that the Concertgebouworkest dismissed him in connection with allegations, no police reports and no court sentencing. Just with allegations.
It brings back to memory very dark times, when a simple allegation or an anonymous accusation could get someone summarily fired; ostracized; or out in a Gulag, in a concentration or re-education camp; and in the worst cases, killed.
Glad the Staatskapelle decided to hire that extraordinary conductor.
A good decision. Unlike Thielemann, Gatti is a competent conductor in a wider variety of repertoire. From Thielemann, it can only get better for Dresden.