Just in: New York Phil drops Tugan Sokhiev
NewsMessage from the New York Philharmonic:
Out of regard for the current global situation, and following discussions with Tugan Sokhiev, it has been mutually decided that Mr. Sokhiev’s performances with the New York Philharmonic, March 31–April 2, 2022, will not take place. The Philharmonic very much looks forward to welcoming him next season. He will be replaced by Anna Rakitina in her Philharmonic debut. The program — featuring Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Haochen Zhang as soloist, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 — remains unchanged.
The message could hardly be more diplomatic if it had been written by the State Department.
Both, btw, are very good conductors.
Rather than bringing in this talentless replacement, the orchestra would be far better off if played without conductor at all
Stupid comment…Played a concert under her in December.She was fantastic.
classic comment on this website!
Actually, any orchestra is better without conductor. This profession is dead, either it’s Karajan or Sokhiev. So you can at least be happy for the young ones, not many of them are on the podium today (except the shitty competitions). Moreover I assume she’s talented as soon as she’ve got these jobs (Boston Symphony assistant, LAPhil assistant). Good luck, Anna!
I don’t know what you are basing your comment on, but Rakitina can hardly be talentless if she got second prize in the Malko and is now the BSO’s assistant conductor. Several recent concerts with the BSO received very good reviews. She is also substituting in Chicago later this month.
Anna Rakitina a “talentless replacement”? I very much doubt you’ve attended any of her performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in person, Insider, which would make you something of an Outsider on this topic. Those of us who have heard and seen her conduct, though, have had no doubt whatsoever of her talent. Though I speak here only for myself and my circle of BSO friends – both on stage and in the seats – Rakitina’s first performances here have also drawn critical acclaim and appreciation.
Your slur, however, is not appreciated by me, nor should be by anyone else. It’s an ad feminam, and it stinks.
I actually don’t understand. So he’s “welcome next season” but not this season, just because…he’s Russian? and not for any particular view he has voiced in support of Putin in the past? And if Putin’s war extends to next season, he’ll be re-postponed and re-welcomed the following season?
If every American conductor was treated like that during every American war, American conductors would have no job.
Respect!!! Very clear and true! Thank you brother/Sister!!!
You’re absolutely right, waw.
More information is needed – this is very poor reporting on NL’s part.
First it was the Met to substitute a Russian artist with a Ukrainian artist and now it’s the New York Philharmonic to substitute a Russian with an artist with a Ukrainian mother. The virtue signally is nauseating.
Since you talk about ethnicity of musicians, T. Sokhiev is Ossetian.
So, a Russian replaced by, er, a Russian. Did one virtue signal and the other not?
I’ve never quite understood how Sokhiev has had such a stellar career after crashing and burning stupendously at WNO (so badly they had to bring back Carlo Rizzi to help out). Can anyone enlighten me, please?
Because he has developed.Like every conductor..Carlos Kleiber stopped in his first Tristan in Stuttgart twice,because he got totally lost..It was a real disaster. Musicians who played in that performance still speaking about it
The appointment wasn’t a good one, much like Welser-Möst at the LPO. It doesn’t mean neither is a good conductor. Both have had very successful careers since.
He’s an excellent conductor, ambitious, and crashing and burning at age 26 should be neither here nor there if you’re able to pick yourself up quickly. Hope this helped.
He’s a fabulous conductor!
We could say he didn’t squander his chance in Toulouse. Fortunate to get the gig, though, considering what happened at WNO.
That’s what I was getting at – amazed he got a second chance after making such a hash of the first.
If Sokhiev doesn’t know the difference between a (no doubt flawed) liberal democracy (France) and a kleptocracy run by a paranoid, psychopathic megalomaniac and his cliche it is good riddance and there should be no way back for him. Toulouse should man up and condemn him.
At least it won’t be Jaap…
New York nonsense . This Orchestra is now very average and they are succumbing to the woke world. Let just “cancel” them as there are so many better Orchestras.
Vienna nonsense.
Poor guy , he just resigned from both his French and Russian positions , he can not even work as a free lancer … Being Russian is apparently a sin big enough …
By the way , he is replaced by a Chinese conductor … since only nationality counts , May we talk about the Chinese government s treatment ( extermination ) of Tibetan and Ouighour people ? Or rather , no western nation dares to confront China ?
So he is not welcome in NY…but next year he is…
Can anyone please exlpain??
He is not welcome right now…because he is russian??
But next year it is ok to be russian???
This sounds stupid!!!
Besides he is a great musician…
I do not understand, sorry…
Has anyone asked Ukrainians if Russians artists everywhere in the world should be fired because of the war. President Zelensky is an artist/actor. I would like to hear their opinions.
He is also a wunderkind pianist: https://twitter.com/AllbrightHunter/status/1498089076884443138
An expupil of mine sang the lead role in Prokovief’s Les Fiancailles au Couvent in Toulouse. I met and had a brief conversation with Tugev. I liked him and I am very sad for him at the moment
This war is not his fault.
But they still perform Prokofiev? Scandalous!
Prokofiev was born in Ukraine. The Donetsk International Airport is named for him. Which is not to say that he identified himself as Ukrainian…. The NW Florida Symphony was scheduled to play an all-Russian program on 3/18, including Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto, and jettisoned the Prokofiev in favor of a Mozart concerto and Shostakovich 5. SMH…
The Northwest Florida Symphony was not scheduled to play the Prokofiev, rather it was Tchaikovsky’s 2nd Piano Concerto.The Prokofiev had been abandoned months earlier due to the soloist’s choice.
Replacing him with a talentless Russian conductor?
She is fantastic.Played just a concert under her a few months ago..The usual nonsensic armchair conductor bull….
Sokhiev’s work in France has been largely considered mediocre: perhaps he makes more of an effort in the States – – – fees are higher too….
Why not let someone younger have a go? Forget politics : promote talent for God’s sake!!
Largely considered mediocre???LOL!!!!He got rave reviews for shaping the orchestra into a first rate band….He is regular guest with the Berlin Phil…and believe me,my friend…they can tell talent from mediocrity.
He got rave reviews for shaping the orchestra into a first rate band
Er, I think you’ll find Michel Plasson did that before him.
The orchestra plays much better now than in Plasson´s days.especially the winds are way better now.
Dear Stephan Catalano,
Might you be related to the Catalano family that had such a big influence over the San Francisco (CA) Musicians’ Union Local 6?
– kind regards, Greg
Hypocrisy of the ‘First world’. You haven’t canceled yourself during the murders of the Iraqis and Afghanistanis by your regimes, and in millions. You just proved to the World you are just as tribal as the rest.
Isn’t Gatti available?
No, he is busy replacing Gerghiev in Europe…
So it seems that any Nationality gets extra points for not being Russian, especially if one is Ukrainian. How does that help to stand against the war, it’s a mystery. What about people that have both Russian and Ukrainian in them, I wonder if they consider percentages before they drop them…
Let’s stand against the Russian Cultural Boycott. Please sign and share:
https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/cultural_institutions_stop_russian_cultural_boycott/
I will gladly pick him up.
Why is a Russian conductor is replaced by another Russian conductor?? it is ok, because the replacement is a woman?
To be clear:This is a comment by”Music Lover”….It isn´t a comment by “music lover”(me)….I never would post such misogynist nonsense.