Two conductors take the tram
OrchestrasPaavo Järvi and Gianandrea Noseda, music directors of Zurich’s orchestra and opera house, took the number 8 tram to talk through some of their issues.
Can one be a democratic person, asks Paavo, or do you need to be a despot to keep the opera running?
Noseda: ‘At the end of the day, there is one who has to take decisions.’
Järvi: ‘How do we put Zurich on the map?’
Speaking of hairstyle…
I find the question about “how to put Zürich on the map” rather strange. As a US based musician, I see them both as major forces within the European. Yes, Tonhalle might not carry the same name as Vienna and Berlin Phils, Concertgebow or London, likewise, and undeservingly so, Zürich Opera might not get the same recognition as operas in Vienna, Paris, Berlin, ROH, La Scalla etc… yet as an orchestra player, should I ever need to leave the US, Zürich, along with Munich, would be my targeted destinations.
Good promising futures in these cities classical music appreciated and civilized lifestyle
Let’s not forget the most important fuel for the professional high arts: lots of money in Zürich. Not sure how civilized that is, it’s also a lot of blood money, but it certainly helps.
Noseda is conducting this weekend the IPO in Tel Aviv and Haifa – Mahler 4th and Barber violin concerto (James Ehnes the soloist )
And a very good performance it was.
I would argue that Fabio Luisi put Zurich Opera firmly on the map.
Not to dismiss maestro Luisi’s achievements, but I think the Zurich opera was already on the map way before that. One can think of the landmark Ponnelle – Harnoncourt – Monteverdi cycle. Or even before that, at the premieres of Lulu, Mathis der Maler, or Moses und Aron.
Somebody must have complained that the trams never had conductors on them, I guess.
Love of music, maybe. Of money for sure for at least one of them..
Zurich is fortunate to have Noseda – fine Conductor and a lovely chap.