All’s quiet at the Concertgebouw tonight
NewsThe RCO concert passed conducted by Semyon Bychkov without incident.
The only unusual aspect was the both managers – orchestra (Dominik Winterling) and venue (Simon Reinink)- made themselves visible.
Reinink, 58, is the one who made the decision to cancel the Jerusalem Quartet. He then rowed back to reinstate their Saturday concert. His head may yet be on the block.
Our reporter adds: ‘Reinink went downstairs at the interval to speak with audience members and didn’t return to his usual seat for the second half.
‘The situation in the city is on the tenser side (with the square outside the hall coincidentally the centre of protests). I do see the re-introduction of the Saturday concert, and the wording of the message alongside, as relatively strong from Reinink compared to what many others in the country would do.’
There’s a history of questionable decisions by management. The resignation of longtime maestro BH comes to mind. However, hiring Klaus Makela was an excellent choice. There is a reason Klaus is in great demand. He’s a super star with a great future! Congratulations to the CSO also! He will breathe new life into both great orchestras!
Dear Roger,
I am affraid, here again an obvious example of confusion of the two different and separeted organizations and managements. Notably the worldfamous Orchestra, and the even worldfamous Building as well…
No confusion. This week they worked hand in glove.
Dear Norman, well: ‘last week they worked hand in glove’. If so (any proof?), what would the KCO as an orchestra have to do with a(ny) performance of the JQ in a chambermusic series of the Koninklijk Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal? Might be useful to check the websites of both institutions, and their complete different judicial structures.
(By the way, great admiration and respect for your website! I just hapen to discover it, because of this very inconvenient and sad incident in my beloved
Amsterdam and Concertgebouw…).
Has our saviour of classical music said anything about the cancellations yet? He heads the resident orchestra at this venue.
What I would have done — hold a press conference with the Dutch police and have them tell the audience their security may not be guaranteed. Then proceed to cancel the concert and blame it on Netanyahu’s regime.
What does “His head may be on the block” mean?
Does it perhaps mean “if nothing happens, you won’t even remember I talked about managerial decapitation?”
Since the French occupation 1795-1813 there has been a guillotine installed in one of the cellars of the Amsterdam Palace, which is taken-out only on symbolic occasions, to show what the population think of culture imported from abroad.
So the news is that Bychkov didn’t say anything from the podium as was promised by Norman?
Dear Erik, well, I suppose Norman’s musical arm reaches pretty wide indeed. But I really doubt weather he might urge Mr Bychkov to speak some words from his rostrum about this incident…