Just in: Leading composer tests positive for Coronavirus
mainThe composer Brett Dean, a former violist in the Berlin Philharmonic, has tested positive for the virus on returning to Australia from a visit to Taiwan.
Dean, 58, is composer of the operas Bliss, and Hamlet.
His agency has issued this statement:
Intermusica can confirm that Brett Dean has been diagnosed with COVID-19, as of 5 March.
Brett is currently receiving treatment in hospital in Adelaide.
Intermusica, along with Brett’s publishers Boosey & Hawkes, have taken the necessary steps to inform all those who have worked with Brett in the last 14 days, further to NHS advice and SA Health Australia.
Our thoughts are with Brett at this difficult time and we wish him well in his recovery.
Upon entering Taiwan, he filled out an entry form stated a coughing symptom. Taiwanese customs still cleared him because there was no fever. However during his 9-day stay, his condition got worsen. Now many many lives’ are affected and going through self-quarantine. He was coughing during the rehearsals with Taiwan Philharmonic and did not wear a face mask. He also went to a small clinic and got medicine. I wish him well and all the musicians and music lovers of Taiwan.
This is bad.
The orchestra members did want to ask Mr. Dean to wear a face mask, however the conductor apparently didn’t want to be rude. Obviously a huge mistake.
Lots of Chinese people have returned to Australia via the back door to avoid quarantine. I’m unsure how that back door works, but I think there has been a request to ‘self quarantine’.
There was a picture in the media 3 days back of a group of them standing on Bondi Beach. We have family in Western Australia and when the issue of self-quarantine was discussed – in the very multicultural city of Perth – my family and I both laughed.
No they did ask him to wear a mask and he claimed it was allergies and got angry with the orchestra. Now they are all under quarantine because of his refusal.
How terrible, is it true?
Was posted on Twitter by a close friend of an orchestra player. They asked and he got upset and claimed it was just allergies.
Just to clarify, that is definitely untrue.
We should also note that Dean entered Taiwan on a flight from London.
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/202003055015.aspx
Where had he been in the couple of months prior to Taiwan? Was it somewhere the virus was already known to be circulating, or did he come from a region without prior reported cases?
The statement from his agency could be potentially misleading. If he showed symptom of coughing upon arrival to Taiwan, he could already been infectious in mid-February when he was in London.
Or he could have just had a normal winter cold! Not all coughs are coronavirus!
Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery, Mr. Dean!
all my best wishes for a quick recovery to brett. he is an amazing guy….
Let’s hope no one at the Australian Bushfire Fundraiser has caught it from his performing/attending family members.
It has been confirmed by the agency and the event organizers that all three of his immediate family members present at the event have experienced no symptoms and were cleared as safe by the UK National Health Service.
We enjoyed Mr. Dean’s both performance with Taiwan philharmonic in NTCH Taipei Taiwan .
We wish Mr. Dean a speed recovery, and get well soon. Loves from Taipei ❤❤❤
How awful…. hope he recovers quickly.
gute Besserung aus Berls!
yer’ll be roight mate!
From Taiwanese Centre for Disease control investigations It looks likely that Brett Dean caught the virus while transiting through Bangkok.
https://www.mohw.gov.tw/cp-115-51852-2.html
I hope that he has a swift recovery and that none of the orchestra have been infected. In these strange times please don’t ignore symptoms of illness as you may be putting your colleagues and others at risk.
Well said Kath. Now more than 100 people are identified and under quarantine.
27 musicians
17 hotel staff
15 taxi drivers
3 Dean’s friends
18 flight attendants
23 audience who sat near Dean