Claudio Abbado’s grand return as conductor of the orchestra of La Scala, ending a 24-year dry spell, has been canceled. Mr. Abbado entered a Berlin hospital last week with exhaustion and has pulled out of all performances for the next several weeks, La Scala said on Monday.
Read more here.
I just received this press release:
JAMES LEVINE WITHDRAWS FROM NEXT THREE WEEKS OF BSO PROGRAMS DUE TO ONGOING BACK PROBLEMS
JAYCE OGREN TO CONDUCT BSO IN WORLD PREMIERE OF PETER LIEBERSON’S SONGS OF LOVE AND SORROW, MARCH 25, 26, AND 27
RAFAEL FRUHBECK DE BURGOS TO LEAD BSO IN MENDELSSOHN’S ELIJAH, APRIL 1, 2, AND 3, IN BOSTON AND APRIL 5, IN NEW YORK AT CARNEGIE HALL
CONDUCTOR FOR JOHN HARBISON’S DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND CELLO, WITH MIRA WANG AND JAN VOGLER AS SOLOISTS, ON A PROGRAM WITH MAHLER’S SEVENTH SYMPHONY, APRIL 8, 9, AND 10, TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK
BSO Music Director James Levine is withdrawing from the next three weeks of BSO programs due to ongoing back problems. These were to have been Mr. Levine’s final appearances of the 2009-10 season. Jayce Ogren will lead the world premiere of Peter Lieberson’s Songs of Love and Sorrow, featuring baritone Gerald Finley, March 25, 26, and 27. The program will also include Sibelius’s Finlandia and Valse triste, with Schubert’s Symphony in C, The Great, bringing the program to a close (in addition to the Lieberson premiere and Schubert’s Great Symphony, the original program was to have included Debussy’s Jeux). The following week, April 1, 2, and 3 in Boston, and April 5 at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos will lead Mendelssohn’s Elijah with soprano Christine Brewer, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, tenor Alexsandrs Antonenko, and bass-baritone Shenyang, as well the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver, conductor. These programs of Elijah mark the beginning of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus’s 40th anniversary season.
The conductor for the world premiere of John Harbison’s Double Concerto for violin and cello featuring Mira Wang and Jan Vogler, on a program with Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, April 8, 9, and 10, will be announced later this week.“This has been a difficult year for James Levine and we wish him the very best as he works with his doctors towards resolving his ongoing back problems,” said BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe. “Though we will miss James Levine’s presence, all of us look forward to the last six Boston Symphony programs of the season—the greatly anticipated world premieres by Peter Lieberson and John Harbison, Mendelsshon’s magnificent Elijah in Boston and New York under the direction of Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, the final program by Julian Kuerti as BSO assistant conductor, and two season-ending programs led by BSO Conductor Emeritus Bernard Haitink.”
Photos and full artist biographies are available in the BSO’s online press kit here.
Wishing Maestro Levine a speedy recovery.
I just read the following:
Please not the change of line-up and programme: Berliner Philharmoniker, Neeme Järvi (replacing Christoph von Dohnányi)
Fri 5. March 2010 8 pm
Sat 6. March 2010 8 pm
PhilharmonieBerliner Philharmoniker
Neeme Järvi (replacing Christoph von Dohnányi) ConductorJohannes Brahms
Academic Festival Overture in C minor
Johannes Brahms
Tragic Overture in D minor
Carl Maria von Weber
Oberon Overture
Edvard Grieg
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Edvard Grieg
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2Introductory presentation 7 p.m.
Although Christoph von Dohnányi was born in Berlin, he identifies himself equally with the Hungarian homeland of his ancestors, one of whom being the pianist and composer Ern? Dohnányi. It is therefore hardly surprising that Dohnányi should be involved in developing the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Hungarian theme this season.
The central work of this evening’s concert is Béla Bartók’s one-act opera Bluebeard’s Castle – an ambiguous composition in which a terrifying plot and the oppressive characterisation of the eponymous hero and his wife are artfully interwoven.
The first part of the concert is devoted to György Ligeti. We will hear his famous Lontano, in which one can lose oneself in the gently meandering sounds as if one were in a labyrinth. And we have the opportunity to hear again the composer’s Double Concerto for flute, oboe and orchestra, the first performance of which in 1972 was also given by Dohnányi and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Today, as in 1972, the soloists come from the ranks of the orchestra: 38 years ago, Karlheinz Zöller was the flute soloist and Lothar Koch the oboist; our soloists for this performance are Andreas Blau and Jonathan Kelly.
Obviously the content below the new program has yet to be updated. Wishing Maestro Dohnányi a speedy recovery.
I had read this earlier, but hadn’t thought to put it up here until now:
“Dear Friends,
Happy New Year to you all.
As you can see form my photo, I ended 2009 with a bang! The take off was good but the landing needs improvement!
I managed to shatter my right elbow and provide two hairline fracturesin my left write and hand. after a very successful operation, I am now the proud owner of 5 screws!
….”
The above, and and more, is from Sir James Galway. Can’t really play a flute with two broken arms. OUCH!
I just read that Seiji Ozawa has esophageal cancer. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
“I am perfectly fine right now. I have no problems drinking or eating,” the 74-year-old maestro said at a news conference in Tokyo. A doctor who accompanied Ozawa said the cancer is in an early stage.
“I will abide by the doctors’ advice. I will be back within six months,” a smiling Ozawa said.
(For the rest of this Tchaikovsky symphony go here and do a search on Ozawa.)
He is also known as the “world renown, very good sport”:
It’s not only about cello. Really. I just read some mighty fine stuff at Stark Raving Cello and I encourage you to do the same. Every thing she writes is true and I think I should require all my students who are thinking of music as a profession to read each entry. Honest!
On the First Day of Cellomas we are shown that this isn’t the Survivor set.
On the Second Day of Cellomas we are taught not to ignore pain. Ever.
On the Third Day of Cellomas we are instructed never to leave our instruments in our cars. Never.
On the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth days of Cellomas we are told … BEHAVE!
On the ninth day of Cellomas we are taught about negative voices and perseverance.
And now I must wish Emily quick healing for her ulner surgery. Repair, my friend!
Injuries and illnesses are a part of life, but it just seems odd to read about three well known musicians, all sidelined.
Itzhak Perlman (rotator cuff surgery)
Andre Watts (wrist injury)
James Levine (the removed kidney was malignant, but it appears they caught it early)
And earlier this month I blogged about Joan Sutherland’s broken legs.
I had read this earlier, but neglected to write about it. Joan Sutherland has broken both legs. Yikes. I’m sure everyone wishes her a speedy recovery.
