Finn maestro takes second job at opposite end of Europe

Finn maestro takes second job at opposite end of Europe

News

norman lebrecht

November 03, 2022

The Gulbenkian Orchestra in Portugal has named Hannu Lintu as its next music director.

He continues as principal conductor of Finnish National Opera.

An easy north-south commute.

Comments

  • MacroV says:

    I like Hannu Lintu. Was hoping to see him get an American job, but Lisbon (?) isn’t bad. Good orchestras everywhere these days.

  • Herr Doktor says:

    I’m not that familiar with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, but Hannu Lintu is a major talent and deserves to be leading one of the world’s top orchestras, not a lesser-tier one. I’ve heard him live in 3 concerts – 1 in Iceland, 2 in Boston, and the worst has merely been “really good.” The best (Bruckner 5 in Iceland) was UNBELIEVABLE – by far the best live performance I’ve ever heard of that monumental symphony. The performance of Bruckner 5 in Iceland was cosmic and one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had in my life – easily one of the 5 best concerts I’ve ever heard out of hundreds.

  • Back desk 2nd violinist says:

    An excellent conductor. I wish we could see him more often in the UK.

  • Bulgakov says:

    I’ve seen him in action a number of times and have always been impressed. He‘s a powerful presence on the podium.

  • Barry says:

    maybe he’s after some warmer weather and who could blame him. an interesting choice, technically good but sometimes distant emotionally from the music he conducts.

  • Unvaccinated says:

    Maestro?

  • Sam's Hot Car Lot says:

    Has anyone been to the Gulbenkian?

    Their auditorium is unique. It has a wall of glass behind the orchestra that looks out onto a forested park. They have it floodlit during concerts.

    • William Ford says:

      I saw Lintu at the Gulbenkian doing Britten’s War Requiem. It was masterful and having the solid wall behind the orchestra disappear to provide a view of the Gulbenkian Gardens was wonderful.

  • Duque de Aveiro says:

    Excellent news.
    Especially after the Viotti disaster.
    I’ve been there several times watching Lintu and the orchestra simply flies.

  • Pedro says:

    Finns are everywhere in the Gulbenkian music department, from its director to the musicians he regularly invites. Salonen has been there twice and Mälkki was principal guest conductor for some years. I attended at least three great concerts conducted by her: Mahler’s Lied von der Erde and Ninth Symphony, both preceded by Sibelius works (the Seventh and Tapiola), and Bartók’s Concerto for orchestra preceded by Shostakovich first cello concerto with the magnificent Natalia Gutman. My only experience with Linntu there was Mahler 1. He didn’t seem very inspired on the day I heard it. Viotti can go elsewhere. A very bad Mozart, Brahms and Wagner conductor. So pretentious!

  • amazonian says:

    Good for my cousins in Lisbon. Lintu did very well in a São Paulo concert with Osesp before the world stood still.
    Maybe I should make a visit to dear cousins in Lisbon, a delightful city.

    Btw, Swiss Thierry Fischer has extended his tenure with Osesp until 2027. He’ll be music direector, along with his post as principal conductor, which he got after Marin Alsop left in 2019.

    This seems to complete the rearrangements at Osesp’s top staff after artistic director Arthur Nestrovski announced he was leaving.

    Thierry seem to have got along very well with Osesp. He and spalla Emanuelle Baldini look like old buddies.

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