Just in: Vienna Phil decide on Yannick
OrchestrasFrom Vienna to the world:
We are delighted to announce that the 2026 New Year’s Concert will be conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin — marking his first time leading this world-renowned event. ✨
The artistic collaboration between Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Vienna Philharmonic began in 2010 at the Mozart Week in Salzburg. Since then, he has conducted the orchestra regularly in Vienna, Salzburg, and on tour, with one notable highlight being the Summer Night Concert 2023.
In selecting Yannick Nézet-Séguin, we continue our commitment to fostering collaboration with the next generation of conductors.
Slippedisc says: Do not mistake this for an arrtistic decision. It is a shrewd commercial assessment of who will play best in the Vienna Phil’s touring and television markets. Manbag and all.
After the boring conducting concert of tokay there’s no doubts that it will be better even if Jordan would have been a better choice for me.
It was fully expected with Muti on the podium.
Muti has been mostly a bore in concerts and lately even opera but he is a connoisseur in many areas
michael jordan? he’s retired.
They should get Shaq. He conducted the Boston Pops once.
I wonder when they will pick Manfred Honeck.
Right? He conducted the Czech Philharmonic New Years concert a couple years ago in a Vienna-ish program, and it was sensational. But I suspect they don’t want to invite back one of their former “own.” Has he ever conducted them?
Boskovsky for 20 years. The most obvious and idiomatic of all, even if not the most refined.
And Markus Poschner.
The “drive by criticism” of “down voters” on this comment is so energizing.
Their written, posted criticism is non-existent — which is par for the course for many so-called classical music critics.
Poseurs.
Never. He is one of them!
Worst decision from Vienna ever!!
Well, it’s time for the new generation to step in, otherwise the New Year’s concert will disappear together with the old conductors that have been handling it. Muti, Welser-Möst, Thieleman, Barenboim, Jansons…dead, dying, retired, or about to retire…
And wether you like Yannick or not, the tickets will sell like hot butter !
Yes just like “Last Tango in Paris”!
I think he could be actually a good fit for that kind of music.
The assumed bad taste and kitsch of this music needs good taste from its interpreters….
And today, it was probably the worst New Year concert, if not ever, at least in recent memory. The next conductor can’t do much worse.
You are beyond pathetic
It was a very decent one… probably Muti s last… Dudamel, Barenboim II, were among the worst
“And today, it was probably the worst New Year concert, if not ever, at least in recent memory.”
This is an easy comment to make about the January 1, 2025 New Year’s concert, but, unfortunately, one that is supported by zero written evidence.
It seems like every post here about YNS includes some comment about how his appearance/attire and it’s always about something that differs from how most older guys in classical music usually dress: “man bag”, the nails, etc. It’s actually pretty pathetic to feel the need to point it out every time! It’s almost feeling like casually homophobia at this point.
Is it really homophobia when it probably comes from mostly gay men? Or just pity for Yannick’s bad taste and desperate need for attention?
Tiredofitall, can you tell us if you’re in possession of a list of the sexual orientations of the commenters on this site, all of whom are anonymous?
If not, then on what basis can you state that these negative comments about YNS are coming “from mostly gay men”?
I look forward to seeing what evidence you have, if any. And in the absence of any such evidence, I find your comment moronic – and a few more adjectives that are far less kind.
He doesn’t need attention, he already has it. Besides, aren’t you tired yet?
Casual homophobia? You’re being kind. There are definitely a number of regular visitors on this site (who may be amplifying their presence with various aliases coming from the same source) who long for the days when gay people were regularly arrested simply for existing, and Rock Hudson was back in the closet – where they believe all gay people belonged.
Nah, the guy needs a new stylist. Whomever is advising him has done a rotten job thus far. One can have a signature style that respects the men and women one is leading. At this point, it would seem YNS as you call him shows little respect for the people in the orchestra. He’s off on a bizarre tangent.
“Almost… casually homophobi[c]?” It might not be intentional homophobia, but it’s really close.
YNS is very unlikely to conduct a boring concert, as that’s not his style.
Nor can he conduct a good concert, since it is beyond his ability.
Do you prefer “purse”?
The victim theory makes an entry…. you don’t have to be gay to have terrible taste, do you?
Agreed! Thanks for this post, Jim.
Cool decision. This will be the first energetic New Year with WPO since Dudamel and a great pleasure to watch. Today was less boring than last year (I finished after 10 minutes, last year I managed 2).
…..I didn’t even bother. Same old same old.
Dudamel’s is widely (and specially in Vienna) considered the worse New Year’s concert ever.
Completely agree, the orchestra was on complete autopilot… but he should be reinvinted anyway for being among the “energetic”…
Energetic…yeeeeeeah yipi!… Yannick is perfect for some audiences who go to concert as other go to Disneyland ‘s rides. Furtwangler and Klemperer were nice..but not so energetic….
What a terrible decision!
Agree, Hugely overrated conductor.
Almost all conductors are overrated in some repertoire, and underrated in other repertoire.
That includes Yannick.
agreed. why not klaus mäkelä?
you need to work with the orchestra for about a decade to get chosen. Klaus made his debut this year.
Just because….
Love YNS, but very much in keeping with the old boy’s club that we know so well. Not that we should be surprised, given that more than 80% of Vienna Phil orchestra members are white men. That’s the orchestra’s prerogative, of course, but it’s a sad face for classical music given the widespread exposure that this event receives.
I wouldn’t call Yannick, the first gay conductor to lead the concert, a part of the “old boy’s club.” The musicians are white because this is Austria, which is far less diverse than the States, and there are more and more women musicians and conductors every year. What would you have them do differently?
They could start by allowing women to join the orchestra beyond the current trickle. It’s truly shameful and in most other developed countries they’d be investigated for discriminatory hiring practices.
Yes Vienna geography is really a problem in heart of Europe, it should be moved to Africa or a Caribbean island….. it would be such a better capital then…these white men should be put and kept in some special and designated places , right? Especially the old ones. They have hurt the classical music world so bad through times .. enough is enough.
Sorry, sir, but you’re not a victim and you don’t sound like one.
Forget Vienna. The Berlin concert last night was fantastic. The entire program was engaging and the Strauss waltzes from Rosenkavelier could easily give the VPO a run for their money
I agree and as there. The concert was extraordinary with the best performance of Brahms piano concerto 2 I’ve heard, …the dance of the seven veils with Petrenko performing his usual magic at times almost dancing the part of as likewise stunning. Watch it on DCH far more interesting and inspiring than turgid VPO walzes
Like most conductors, and music directors/principal/chief conductors, Kirill Petrenko is excellent to oustanding in some repertoire and merely good in other repertoire.
Just because a conductor is chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic does not mean that they are somehow so much better than other conductors.
This is the corrected (spelling) post.
Like most conductors, and music directors/principal/chief conductors, Kirill Petrenko is excellent to outstanding in some repertoire and merely good in other repertoire.
Just because a conductor is chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic does not mean that they are somehow so much better than other conductors.
I attended the same program on the first night (29.12). Even in BPO standards it was extraordinary!
Muti was superlative today – slightly to my surprise. Amazing how much love was evident between him and the players. Some lovely tempi, emphases and artistic choices. And a decent programme!
Musically absolutely superb – and several interesting reinterpretations in the Blue Danube and Radestsky – really really good stuff.
Yes, completely agree, there was obviously a complicity here between musicians beyond cd selling…. which don’t sell anymore by the way. On this aspect, the choice of Yannick may be a decent economic choice even a very controversial artistic one..
Well, the bosses said it … Charisma trumps talent. Sadly, Beethoven wouldn’t qualify. “Bettler werden Fürstenbrüder wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.”
Brilliant decision!
The woke media wished a woman but lately was told that many musicians didn’t find any of those hyped in the liberal media was really appreciated – Mälkki though I find really good
Please give the “woke” stuff a rest. It’s the media’s job to hold the wealthy and powerful to account. The Vienna Phil is nothing if not wealthy and powerful. And it’s a bastion of white male supremacy if there ever was one. If anything, the “media” give Vienna far too much of a pass.
Thank heavens they didn’t choose Klaus Mäkelä. Perhaps in 30 years’ time when he’s tired of doing all the heavy-duty Mahler, Bruckner et al and can actually contemplate doing some “lighter” stuff, he might just be ready for Vienna. Though playing members of the Strauss family competently is not as easy as one might suppose.
Excellent, he’s really great. A nice change from the soggy old guys.
Norman: it would be nice if there was a way to have access to your newsy site, but without the snide (and frequently offside) personal commentary
When will they ever have a woman conduct this concert?????
If they did, who? Mirga? LMAO
There will, why not, if Yannick does it, anyone can, maybe an AI even…
YNS practically is one.
Have you been reading Slippedisc? Never, they can’t even tolerate a handbag.
You didn’t think they would ask Petrenko?
Fortunately he was in Berlin conducting a serious yet great fun concert
Leave Petrenko out of it! He has work to do in Berlin at the same time.
enough with this guy! he conducts
everything as if he was late for a
plane waiting to whish him to yet
one more orchestra. YNS is as much a politically correct conductor as a great one. he
dresses in sequined suits and he
paints his nails to match his suits;
isn’t he an original? no,he just has
the P.C. act down to a science.
In the late for a plane respect, YNS and KM are similar to Gergiev in his former international career days, when the assistants who did the rehearsals should have earned the credit for the performances.
Anyone feel Yannick is, uh, overextended?
Brave fashion choices.
I look forward to his black leather short shorts lederhosen outfit, as well as the wardrobe change to match each waltz.
It will be fabulous.
I don’t know why people love to hate on YNS. The man is a first-rate conductor, and every performance I’ve seen from him in the last 20-odd years (starting with a St. John Passion he led from the harpsichord in Montreal around 2002) has been excellent; last month’s Die Frau Ohne Schatten showed his mastery of the craft. Yes, I’d rather watch Petrenko in anything, Bloomstedt in Bruckner, Thielemann in Wagner or Strauss, or Sir Simon because I love his enthusiasm. But YNS and his man-bag have an incredible workrate and while the VPO choosing him for the New Years show no doubt has commercial motivations, it also means they respect him. So give it a chance; you can be sure he’ll embrace the challenge.
That said, I’d love to see them invite Sir Simon. Or Manfred Honeck.
As for today: Admittedly I didn’t find Muti to be that inspiring, but it’s still a wonder to hear the VPO in this music.
Great news!!!
And please, put the stiff and incredibly boring Maestro Muti on retirement!!!
I don’t think Muti has ever waltzed in his life, and it shows in his conducting of these pieces.
Note to all future conductors: these are dances, they’ve got to make you want to get up and dance down the aisles of the Musikverein.
Why not Manfred Honeck ?!
Muti was superbly Viennese today and the chemistry with the orchestra palpable. And btw. they only invite conductors they’ve collaborated with for at least 10 years, which would automatically disqualify the above-mentioned Mäkelä or Honeck (or any woman so far). Will be interesting to see what Yannick brings to the table next year.
After Dudamel, it was bound to happen … George Prêtre was kind of “new blood” even if he was obviously tired on the second one but brought some fresh air… but Yannick, …..why not Rattle, Honeck, Jordan….it’s like they ran out of options…. which explains why Muti is there so much…he did the job by the way….
I find the comments consistently more interesting than the articles.
The concert today was more of a snooze fest than usual… the entire thing seemed so tired and dull. Even more concerning was the audience leaping to their feet at the end.
Not so sure YNS is the right fit for this repertoire but perhaps he will breathe a little more life into proceedings than what we saw today… if you could stay awake.
“The concert today was more of a snooze fest than usual… the entire thing seemed so tired and dull.”
Perhaps such comments might lead one to believe that the purveyor would make a poor music critic.
The quoted words have the hallmarks of trite, cliched, rote criticism.
Jacob Hrusa!
They should stop inviting conductors and go back to the tradition of concertmaster conducting the New Year’s concerts. But I understand this is a commercial decision. Big names = Big money
Manbag – also known as a “murse.” 🙂
Doesn’t really matter since it’s really about the orchestra anyways. A special treat to have this great music played in incomparably sympathetic vibration and in a venue fitting it like a glove.
Did anyone mention that Yannick will be the first Canadian to do the New Year’s show?
He looks silly carrying that purse. There are over the shoulder bags that look better for a man.
I’m very sick of the Yannick bashing on this site. He’s an extraordinary artist and person. I’m in the Philly Orchestra so I should know. Back off.
I had such a nightmare last night. . .