Breaking: Vienna orchestra has new music director
NewsThe troubled Vienna Symphony Orchestra has chosen Petr Popelka, chief conductor of Prague and Oslo radio orchestras, as its next music director. He replaces Andres Orozco-Estrada, who stormed out 14 months ago.
Popelka, 37, has been a slow burner in a fertile generation of Czech conductors. Vienna could be his springboard to bigger things. He will start in 2024/25.
“I am very pleased about the outcome of the musicians’ vote” said Jan Nast, Intendant of the Wiener Symphoniker. “Following Andrés Orozco-Estrada unexpected departure, it was important for the orchestra to take its time and understand very carefully how his successor could match the Wiener Symphoniker’s personality. As such, the selection was less about names than about the art and the possibilities to bring to life shared visions. The performance of Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony with Petr Popelka was memorable for many musicians – and, indeed, for me personally – suddenly we all felt that something unique was in the air. Working with Petr Popelka is inspiring, fruitful, always dialogic and characterised by an unwavering shared creative enthusiasm. I am glad that Petr Popelka will step into the future arm-in-arm with the Wiener Symphoniker. I am firmly convinced that we have found an exceptional artist in him, with whom we can further develop the distinctive spirit of the orchestra in the long term.”
More meteoric rise than slow burner considering he was a full-time double bassist four years ago…
Cannot agree more with you. Played under him couple of times in last two years. He didn’t know his score well and had a poor stick technique.
Disagreed.Played twice under him, he was very prepared and has great musicianship. Fine technique,too.Though we don´t need a traffic cop .
He cannot keep his tempi straight. Mediocre musician, but a very friendly pal. Definitely not a better choice after Orozco-Estrada.
… full time double bassist of the orchestra that Nast (current manager of VSO) managed at the time. Talk about coincidences.
In an announcement about a new chapter, what’s with the (unnecessary) jabs at the previous conductor? Bringing him up front (“unexpected departure”), then “it was important for the orchestra to take its time and understand very carefully” – implying they didn’t with AEO – “how his successor could match the Wiener Symphoniker’s personality” – implying he didn’t. “The selection was less about the names than about the art” – again, another jab implying AOE was just a name without substance or something along the lines. There’s a lot of bitterness here for what should have just kept Popelka on the spotlight.
It’s like presenting a new partner to your family and friends by telling them just the ways this person is much better than the last, with them standing right there. Really bizarre.
Very true – and to use your analogy, it gives off serious ‘I’m not over my ex’ vibes!
To be honest, AOE was pretty bad: rushing tempi, no understanding of the works he conducted, brutal sense of dynamics, no musical cohesion whatsoever. I’m sorry but he is not a good conductor.
Interesting that Popolka was deputy principal double bass of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, 2010-2019, when Jan Nast was orchestra director there. There were reports then of discord between Nast and Thielemann; perhaps now Nast has got himself a more amenable conductor.
Considering this guy’s young Muti/Gergiev like musical temperament I’d imagine the slow burn is over.
… troubled Vienna Symphony orchestra?! Talk about a biased article. PR maschine at its work.
AOE is mediocre at its best. Musical, but no deep understanding of pieces. Sometimes it can work good but most of the time he just doesn’t make any sense. Shallow conducting. He and his technique may look good on stage but nothing more unfortunately.