OMG: Conductor absails into audience
mainThey have a series of New Year concerts throughout January at the South Denmark Philharmonic.
In order to rouse the bucolic audience from festive stupor, the enterprising conductor David Riddell decided to absail down from the roof – a matter of 15 metres – while the orch struck up the Radetzky March.
The effect was so exhilarating, a spokesperson said, that the orch is thinking of making it a requirement for all other conductors.
photo (c) SDP/Slipped Disc
Might work well in Vienna.
He stole that move from Mike Leckrone, the septuagenarian leader of the Varsity Band at UW-Madison, who has been doing it for years. He still does, and sells out four concerts every spring at the university’s Kohl Center (basketball and hockey venue).
I was personally present at Carnegie Hall on New Years Eve 1967, when Prof. Peter Schickele entered by swinging down to the stage from the first tier of boxes. All the greatest musicians do this all the time.
“All the greatest musicians do this all the time” especially the guest soloists
Yes, and maybe next time they will have a herd of elephants lumber across the stage. Fine for New Year’s concerts
A pity Zubin Mehta didn’t try this in Wien. It might have livened up the mess he made with the same piece. Sleepy performance.
Are we talking about South Jutland Symphony Orchestra?
Yes, Tommy. It is South Jutland Symphony Orchestra. Now known as South Denmark Philharmonic 😉