Star pianist quits European tour with Covid infection

Star pianist quits European tour with Covid infection

Orchestras

norman lebrecht

August 22, 2024

The French soloist Hélène Grimaud has been replaced on both of the past two nights with the Basel Chamber Orchestra at the Edinburgh Festival and the Swiss Tannay Festival.

She will also miss the rest of the tour to Luxembourg and Poland.

Her management says: ‘Due to a recent Covid-infection Hélène Grimaud is unfortunately unable to continue the tour concerts in August 2024’.

Comments

  • Richard says:

    Whenever I see her face I remember how she treated the elderly Claudio Abbado.

  • Carl says:

    Wishing Helene a speedy recovery. Covid levels are very high in the U.S. right now – presumably elsewhere too.

  • Stop the spin says:

    Lol if you believe that then pigs have got wings and slipped disc is ad free.

  • Doug says:

    Why is it committed ideological leftists seem to contract “COVID” and not psychologically and intellectually balanced individuals? They, on the other hand, catch a cold, or the flu and recover, unless, of course, they are elderly or frail. And please don’t lecture me about tests. I once swabbed an overripe banana, and it tested positive for your favorite election season disease.

    • Beatitude says:

      With all due respect, are you a psychologically and intellectually balanced individual who suffers from ignorance, or stupidity? Oh, and assuming you have the reading comprehension of an 8 year-old, maybe make of habit of reading enclosed instructions, so you won’t contaminate and compromise your swab, sample and test results.

    • Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

      You may not need a Covid test but you may want to consider a cognitive one. You’ve lost your marbles. If you ever had any, that is.

    • Davis says:

      Are you a good example of an “intellectually balanced individual”?

    • David says:

      Doug, that’s like saying I tried to measure the temperature of lava with a thermometer and it only went up to 200 degrees celsius so the thermometer is not working! Every equipment is designed to be used in specific conditions. Otherwise, the results will not be reliable. You should’ve learned this in middle school science. And for the record, more people from the Republican states that denied the efficacy of vaccines and masks died from Covid. So no, “intellectually balanced” people did not just catch the cold and recover. Your kind also caught Covid and died more. Just check excess death statistics. The facts are in the numbers Doug, it’s time to live in reality.

    • Emil says:

      Because they happen to care about the health of others. Seems this says more about you than about them.
      And the “unless they are elderly and frail” means, in short – unless they die. Seems to me trying to not kill people is a perfectly reasonable position.
      (as a side note, if you have a bad “mere” flu, it’s still proper to try to avoid infecting a whole touring orchestra).

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    Does anybody still worry about covid?

  • Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

    My wife and I recently got Covid – again – and she was unwell for a couple of days and I was all but asymptomatic. Everyone reacts differently to this thing, I suppose. I am, however, concerned for Grimaud – one of the few truly interesting pianists around today – as she may be immunocompromised as a result of her recent cancer battle. Wishing her well.

    • David says:

      Yes, I’m worried as well, since canceling that many concerts in advance would imply that she’s suffering. I hope she is just taking a precaution.

  • Kate says:

    Absolutely love her. I hope she recovers soon. Please come back to San Francisco!

  • Kate says:

    She’s likely immunocompromised due to her other illness, and Covid can be deadly in that situation. Try being compassionate and kind. Why would she give up lucrative contracts to lie on bed sick if she didn’t have to?

  • Grabenassel says:

    ….just wondering if Busoni could imagine a discussion like this when writing this cadenza…..

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