Barcelona backs off Roth

Barcelona backs off Roth

Opera

norman lebrecht

October 29, 2024

Message from the Gran Teatre del Liceu:

The selection process (for music director) is being conducted in collaboration with the Orchestra, and François-Xavier Roth was a name considered in the initial stages along with other distinguished conductors. However, Mr. Roth’s candidacy was ruled out due to the public allegations also mentioned in the article, and he is not currently under consideration for the position.

Additionally, the selection process is still open, and we are carefully evaluating all options to fill a position that is central to the Liceu’s artistic mission and future direction. The Music Director role is vital to us, and we are committed to making a thoughtful and strategic decision to best serve the institution’s vision and artistic goals.

Comments

  • Philipp Lord Chandos says:

    A rothless selection process.

  • WU says:

    At least they have the decency to not consider him – contrary to our “wonderful” public broadcaster SWR who keeps him. And the beautiful – oh (every now and then) so very morally correct – Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (he is announced as conductor for the Pfingstfestspiele).

  • Malcolm James says:

    I certainly don’t condone what he did, but hopefully there can be redemption sometime. He appears to have made a serious misjudgement which, as far as I can tell, he fully accepts. Redemption is therefore conditional on nothing similar happening again.

    • Hans Kümmerling says:

      “Misjudgment” implies that FXR wasn’t aware of just how inappropriate unsolicited dickpics are. That can’t be true. He knew what he was doing.

      Maybe he thought he’d get away with it, maybe he was just anxiously awaiting the moment his behaviour would blow up in his face. That we don’t know.

      But we do know that a grown man knows the difference between right and wrong and he chose to abuse his power to do wrong. I personally don’t see any reason to allow for public redemption.

    • Wilbur says:

      I think what makes people so angry is because they see that same capability/wants/needs within.

  • Rosario says:

    Interesting, I noticed the Berlin Phil already cancelled their concerts with him for next year as well.

  • operacentric says:

    Isn’t it ever so slightly excessive to deny an artist their livelihood forever on the basis of one side of as yet unproven allegations of poor judgement but seemingly no physical harm, surfacing from a decade earlier, possibly out of other motives?

    • Hector says:

      That’s “cancel culture” for you, with the side display of fear, exemplified by the Catalan chickens.

      But I’m looking forward to FXR’s Boulez 100 concert with the SWR SO in Baden-Baden in May! It will have been a year of penitence.

      • CGDA says:

        Cancel culture or wilful blindness of those who allowed workers and people to suffer? The music cult where gurus get away with murder is simply destroying itself.

  • Nanomusician says:

    At least it’s not Alondra de la Parra, as they chose for the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid in Madrid.

  • CGDA says:

    If his acts in Les Siecles are well investigated by the police and are confirmed, he should be in jail and on the sex offenders register. Then the management would have to answer as to why they didn’t do anything about it in well over a decade. Scandals don’t just happen. There is usually a lot of wilful blindness that goes with it.

  • Manu says:

    The press release is ridicolous. They say the position of music director is vital for them but they don’t have anybody for next season. How are they planning 25-26, 26-27 and further if they don’t have a music director? Fact is: They prefer to plan without him and then find a puppet who says yes to what they have planned. Maybe that is why all the people they have asked have declined?

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