Barcelona: Francois-Xavier Roth in line for the Liceu
OrchestrasWe’re hearing that the sidelined French conductor is poised to be named music director at the Gran Teatre de Liceu. Sources say he is the only candidate presently being considered by the artistic director Vincent Garcia de Gomar (pic).
Gomar previously favoured the Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki, who is managed by Dudamel’s agent, Mark Newbanks. But Mälkki was voted down by the orchestra and the search went back to scratch.
Roth, 52, has been declared untouchable across western Europe after being accused of sending dick-pics to female musicians. He is also low on opera experience. Barcelona, though, is a law unto itself.
UPDATE: Now off-line.
FXR is rather experienced with opera, isn’t he ? All these years as generalmusikdirektor in Köln, the numerous opera recordings and performances with his own ensemble Les siècles + other orchestras where he was guest conducting…
I am not surprised by the musicians’ vote against Madame Malkki, I only have painful memories from her tenure as Musical Director of the Paris – based Ensemble Intercontemporain ( I have been a member of the gr
oup for more than three decades now) so I would never wish any other colleagues to have to bear such a kind of (in)human
artistic collaboration .
what a terible news, who is advising him, clearly he has no idea.
OMG
Very good timing indeed by the Liceu when all Spain discusses male abuse on women in politics after recent events…
At least, Roth will have no problems with availability.
Maybe, just maybe, Barcelona prefers to make its own decisions and doesn’t just leap on every fashionable bandwagon.
You think objecting to receiving unsolicited pictures of his private parts constitutes a “fashionable bandwagon”?
I’m as opposed to snowflakery as anyone — my sympathy for that extra in the story about Dutch opera today is negligible. But I am also a bit tired of grossly disrespectful behaviour by oafs of men.
That’s not what I meant. I was referring to the fact that one example of oafish behaviour now means your career is over. What he did was boorish and repulsive but should he be forbidden to work because of it?
Not untouchable at SWR – financed by taxpayers’ money – this left-wing public broadcaster otherwise jumps on every idea that has anything to do with “gender” and screams “discrimination” at every opportunity that arises and does not arise – in the case of Mr Roth, however, we are told about a “second chance” that everyone deserves – well, the SWR orchestra is not important anyways, no reason to go to concerts, look at Mr. Roth and automatically think of – – certain events – – The fact that he thought he could do something like that with impunity in these times and in this environment is scandalous – but even more scandalous is that he is gradually getting away with it, although not at all surprising! Shame about the public mone!y
Not exactly inexperienced with opera – GMD in Cologne leading the Opera for 10 years (not his fault they didn’t have the opera house refurb finished!), several award winning recordings, Bayerische Staatsoper, Nederlandse Oper, TCE Paris
Why Roth? There are much better music directors who can do this job, such as Tugan Sokhiev! He doesn’t have a job since he left the Bolsjoi Theater
He’s doing just fine on the guest conductor circuit.