Just in: Barenboim jumps in at Berlin Phil
OrchestrasThe Covid travel cancellations just keep coming in.
Mikko Franck (pic, right) is unable to make it for this weekend’s concerts ‘due to the current pandemic situation and the associated travel restrictions.’
Daniel Barenboim lives locally.
A conductor in town is worth two on a plane.
in future musicians may have to work
locally to avoid all the travel.
who knows ?
that might work out better for some than others, we shall see
in future there will be no musicians (if we continue on that path we are on now)
Most likely a gift to have Daniel Barenboim instead of Mikko Franck.
Goes without saying really.
Barenboim is special of course but I have heard very good opera performances by Frank, in Helsinki (Tosca with Mattila), Vienna (Elektra with Stemme) and some excellent concerts in Düsseldorf, Paris and Rome.
They’re old friends, and whatever one may think of him, he’s been a good sport about being passed over a couple times as their chief conductor, a job he probably dearly wanted at one time. Credit to him for that.