Just in: John Williams to conduct at La Scala
NewsThe augustan US film composer, who turned 90 this year, will make his debut at the crucible of Italian opera next Monday.
He will conduct the Filarmonica della Scala in selections from his film scores. Both the concert and the open rehearsal are completely sold out.
Apart from being his Scala debut, it may also be John Williams’s first appearance in Italy as a conductor.
As if Godunov was not good enough.
The Italians will LOVE him, from his well-tailored appearance and supremely gracious manner to bringing out the very best in the orchestra, which will be absolutely thrilled playing his fabulous music! GO JOHN !!!
Well then let’s hope that someone is organising this once-in-a-lifetime concert to be recorded!
GO RAI, Universal, DG, DECCA, Sony Classical…
Or whoever…
Only 3 days left!
[Remember, it is not the guitarist!]
I don’t care what anyone says or how old he is, I’m just happy that he gets to end his career having all of these opportunities to conduct wonderful orchestras around the world. If anyone can be said to have truly earned it, it’s him.
He’s been conducting great orchestras for a long time, but it is nice to see even Vienna and Berlin – who many perceive as being these nose-in-the-air purists, guardians of the great Central European canon – getting excited to have him. After all, they grew up with his movies.
And the sold-out crowds clearly dig it.
I do hope I can get tickets to seem in Chicago early next year. I saw him in Milwaukee in 2016 (15?) but I don’t have any pictures or videos to show for it. He was supposed to help open Milwaukee’s new hall in ‘20 but the pandemic took care of that, and he has yet to reschedule…
Does he ever do any standard repertoire, like the Beethoven 5th?
If he should ever find himself in hard times and needing to pursue regular conducting gigs he’ll want to have those ready.
One of his first recordings with the Boston Pops was The Planets. When he’s conducted the BSO at Tanglewood (I don’t know that he’s conducted them at Symphony Hall) he often conducts music besides his own; I heard him conduct Copland (Tender Land Suite and Lincoln Portrait) years ago. I don’t think he does Beethoven, and at this stage he probably focuses on his own music, reasonably enough.