Overloaded Yannick crashes out of world premiere
NewsThe wildly over-committed Yannick Nézet-Séguin has suffered his seasonal bout of sickness on the eve of a loudly-hailed world premiere.
Last night’s first performance of John Luther Adams’ Vespers of the Blessed Earth in Verizon Hall was taken over by Donald Nally (pictured), leader of the accompanying Crossing choir.
In the second half of the concert – Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring – the Philadelphia Orchestra was conducted by Marin Alsop.
The same pair will take over this weekend at Carnegie Hall but, for the return performance in Philly, Conducting Fellow Austin Chanu will conduct the Stravinsky.
In the Yannick of time, as it were.
‘Wildly-over committed?’ Wildly over-promoted, rather.
His Lohengrin at the Met was FANTASTIC.
Bravo on the button at the end.
I guess Marin couldn’t learn the score in time. She was too busy campaigning for DEI.
He is sick over his hero’s indictment.
Don, to quote Bugs Bunny in regards to your comment: “What a maroon!”
I HIGHLY doubt YNS has even a modicum of sympathy for Tiny*. And unless you have documented evidence otherwise, this statement makes you an idiot. (Or a troll.)
* His appropriate nickname provided by no less an authority than Stormy Daniels
Keep your sick fantasies to yourself, “doktor.”
Oh, I don’t know. He’s had nearly 7 years preparation for it.
If anyone is doing the accompanying in that piece, it’s the orchestra, not the choir.
Yannick also missed the Met’s Lohengrin on Tuesday night, and will miss the Saturday evening performance as well. Those are being covered by Patrick Furrer, who was originally scheduled to conduct only the Mar 10 performance.
I hope he feels better soon!
How do the experts here rate him? I’m avoiding his performances at the Met, but The NY Times says I’m wrong…
You go to the Met, or any other opera, for the singers and the production – less so for the conductor. The conductor can not jump up on the stage and do the singer’s job for them. Neither can he/she tear down the set and redress the singers.
Everybody is wrong, except the NYT.
My opinion is that he is a thoroughly competent conductor, which isn’t a compliment. I’ve heard him conduct Faust and Don Carlo live and there was nothing wrong with them, but there was no joy, pathos, or magic in the score.
I actually liked more of what I heard of him at the Met than in Philly. But there is something off-putting about him. He’s a phony.
Talented, no doubt, but brainless.
I lost all respect for him and many other members of the PO after the oboe fiasco in Philadelphia…..hiring a European style player instead of an American. He can call in sick all the time as far as I am concerned!
And oboe finalist Nathan Hughes has gone to the Minnesota Orch. So 105 years of the Tabuteau oboe sound/artistry has come to an end.
I wouldn’t say he’s overcommitted. He is the music director in 3 cities, all of which are a short flight from one another. He doesn’t have a post in Europe or Australia.
I’m surprised that the Philadelphia Orchestra will be going on tour with Natalie Stutzmann and not with him.
In the past, the Philadelphia orchestra went on tour not just with its principal conductors, but also with distinguished guests. Some names are Klemperer, Enescu, van Beinum, Fruhbeck de Burgos, Tennstedt, Paray or Dutoit (before he became their principal conductor). So going on tour with their principal guest conductor is nothing unusual.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the big names in the conducting world would allow the young generation of aspiring conductors more opportunities?,things are improving, these are no longer the days of the 20th century (self appointed) masters of the baton. But still, these are the greediest grubbiest power hungry clique.
Orchestras should allocate 50% of concerts for young blood.
As it is, the classical music world is on its sure way for extinction.
Take it a step further: when a conductor leaves a position (especially to retire), replace them with someone considerably younger. Every new appointment to the MD post should be an opportunity to reinvent the ensemble for new times, and should also be an opportunity to get someone who will want to be there for a long period, not someone who will retire in 5 years.
Obsessing over the occasional missed date and offering no thoughtful assessment of the work he actually does is definitely a choice.
Donald Nally is a brilliant conductor/music director, and the Crossing—the ensemble founded by Nally that has won three Grammy awards among eight nominations in recent years—is astonishingly skilled, expressive, clear, and virtuosic. They are exactly the right ensemble to premiere Adams’ piece. I can scarcely think of a better conductor for the occasion.