Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Holy Cow! MTT to Step Down in 2020

MTT, then and now


Who would have thought this day would come? Not me: Michael Tilson Thomas is going to leave his position as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.

Press release after the cut; in the meantime, various questions come to mind. This can't have been a recent decision, especially considering the prospective plans mentioned in the PR; was it a factor in Brent Assink's departure? Was Brent's departure a factor in this decision? Will there be further personnel changes in the orchestra? And of course: who's next?

(Personal to SFS: the Peer Gynt performance wasn't an opera; it was Grieg's incidental music and bleeding chunks of the Ibsen play.)

UPDATED with media coverage, 11/1/2017

  • Joshua Kosman, SF Chron. "Reputation for fast living" = the 1970s cocaine bust and perhaps whatever rumors there were back then about MTT's sexual orientation (gay, which you didn't discuss in the 70s except in whispers).
  • Michael Cooper, NY Times. I have absolutely no idea what his first clause means: "Michael Tilson Thomas, whose trailblazing leadership of the San Francisco Symphony spurred American classical music’s westward expansion,..." No, MTT did not pioneer classical music in the western United States; SFS was past 75 when he became its conductor, and his predecessors included eminent conductors such as Alfred Hertz, Pierre Monteux, Josef Krips, and Seiji Ozawa. The LA Phil is closing in on its own centenary season. San Francisco Opera is as well. Cal Performances originated with 1908 performances by Sarah Bernhardt. Etc.
  • Georgia Rowe, Merc.



Sunday, October 29, 2017

In the News

Sexual harassment has been in the news bigly a lot, ever since the charges against formerly-beloved comedian Bill Cosby came out. And then there was the Access Hollywood tape, the allegations that pushed out Roger Ailes, the allegations that pushed out Bill O'Reilly, and more recently the allegations about Harvey Weinstein, James Toback, and others in the entertainment business.

Classical music isn't immune to this problem. Here are a few articles on the subject:
The same in this field as everywhere else. What's being done to clean up this particular area? What are the unions doing?

The Exterminating Angel, Metropolitan Opera

Thomas Adès's new opera, The Exterminating Angel, is now playing at the Met, with an HD broadcast on November 18. The reviews are...interesting. I'm going to list 2016 reviews from its Salzburg premiere and maybe its ROH run, too.
Can't find a James Jorden review, which seems odd. Thanks to MEW for providing the link!

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Current Open Posts / Job-Hunting Conductors

Following comments from the esteemed Chantarelle: Philippe Jordan, who is already MD of the VPO, will be leaving the Opera de Paris for Vienna in 2020. Antonio Pappano's contract at the ROH is up in two (three?) years.


Current list of known openings:
  • San Francisco Symphony! when MTT leaves at the end of 2019-20
  • Sarasota Orchestra after Anu Tali  leaves at the end of 2018-2019
  • Royal Opera, when Antonio Pappano leaves in 2020
  • Opera de Paris, when Philippe Jordan leaves in 2020
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra, which Leonard Slatkin leaves at the close of the 2017-18 season.
  • Swedish Chamber Orchestra announced in May, 2017, that Thomas Dausgaard will be stepping down as principal conductor at the end of the 2018-19 season. Perhaps this was a tipoff about the Seattle appointment, which commences with 2019-20.
  • Dallas Symphony Orchestra (when Jaap van Zweden takes up his new post at the NYPO)
  • Milwaukee Symphony
  • Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
  • San Diego Symphony
  • Dresden Philharmonic: 2019 departure for Michael Sanderling
  • MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony: 2018 departure for Kristian Jarvi
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra: 2018 departure for Robin Ticciati
  • Orchestre National de Lyon: open now, with Leonard Slatkin's departure
  • Singapore Symphony: 2019 departure for Lan Shui
  • Vienna RSO: 2018 departure for Cornelius Meister
  • Toronto SO: 2018 departure for Peter Oundjian
  • Winnipeg SO: 2018 departure for Alexander Mickelthwate
  • Hamburg Symphony, following death of Sir Jeffrey Tate
  • Washington National Opera, departure of Philippe Auguin at conclusion of 2017-18 
  • San Francisco Opera, departure of Nicola Luisotti at conclusion of 2017-18
  • Opera North: open now, with Aleksandr Markovic's departure
  • Bavarian State Opera: with Kirill Petrenko going to Berlin and KP's Munich contract through 2021, it's sort of implied that he'll give up Munich
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: 2017 is Stephen Lord's final season as MD
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra: David Robertson will be leaving the SSO at the end of 2019. So he really will be without an orchestral home as of 1/1/2020.
  • Montreal Symphony Orchestra: Kent Nagano is leaving the OSM after 2019-2020. 
I am curious about all of these, but of course the San Francisco Opera opening is closest to home.

Conductors looking for jobs (that is, as of the near future, or now, they do not have a posting):

  • Antonio Pappano
  • Ludovic Morlot
  • Sian Edwards
  • Jun Markl
  • Ingo Metzmacher
  • Bramwell Tovey
  • Jac van Steen
  • Mark Wigglesworth
  • Simone Young 
  • David Robertson
  • Peter Oundjian as of the end of 2017-18
  • Philippe Auguin
  • Kwame Ryan
  • Ilan Volkov
  • Aleksandr Markovic
And closed:
  • Thomas Zehetmair is going to the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra in 2019
  • Matthias Bamert is going to the Sapporo Symphony in 2018 
  • Lorenzo Viotti was named music director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra, as of 2018
  • Joana Mallwitz appointed GMD in Nuremberg, effective 2018
  • Philippe Jordan to the Vienna Staatsoper / VPO (Dominique Meyer not planning to appoint a WSO MD; his contract expires in 2020.)
  • Semyon! Bychkov fills the vacancy at the Czech Philharmonic, following the death of Jiří Bělohlávek
  • Dennis Russell Davies becomes music director of the Brno Philharmonic, which had been open since 2015, as of the 2018-19 season.
  • Nicola Luisotti becoming an assistant music director at the Teatro Real, Madrid, 2018.
  • Seattle Symphony, where Thomas Dausgaard will succeed Ludovic Morlot; announced early October, 2016
  • Vancouver Symphony; Otto Tausk comes on in 2018
  • Orchestra Nationale de France; Emmanuel Krivine takes the post in 2017.
  • NDR Elbphilharmonie: Alan Gilbert becomes MD (or chief conductor) in the 2019-20 season.
  • St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; Stéphane Denève to succeed David Robertson
  • Hong Kong Philharmonic; Jaap van Zweden's contract extended through summer of 2022
  • City of Birmingham SO; Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla appointed 2/4/2016, succeeding Andris Nelsons
  • New York Philharmonic; Jaap Van Zweden appointed, 1/27/16, succeeding Alan Gilbert
  • National Symphony Orchestra; Gianandrea Noseda appointed, 1/4/2016, succeeding Christoph Eschenbach.
  • Leipzig Gewandhaus: Andris Nelsons appointed, 9/9/2015
  • LSO: Simon Rattle appointed, 3/2/2015
  • Orchestra de Paris: Daniel Harding, 6/11/2015
  • Berlin Philharmonic: Kirill Petrenko appointed, 6/22/2015
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard succeeds Donald Runnicles in September, 2016

Monday, October 23, 2017

FOCUS, Goddamnit

I have seen any number of hand-wringing articles from multiple sources at this point attempting to address Why Trump Won, the disaffection of midwestern and southern conservative voters, how to win back the hearts and minds of Obama-Trump voters, etc., etc., etc.

Folks, any article that fails to mention the following is simply missing what happened:

  • Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Trump. A clear majority of Americans preferred her. She made some serious errors (see "deplorables," Michigan) that contributed to her loss, perhaps fatally, but stop telling me what a terrible candidate she was.
  • Trump won the electoral college owing to about 80,000 votes in three states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin
  • Voter suppression efforts in Wisconsin kept tens of thousands of people from voting and Trump won the state by 23,000 votes. The state had far fewer votes cast than in previous presidential elections, undoubtedly because of voter ID laws.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Thursday, October 19, 2017

California Symphony Gets it Right

I've got an email in my inbox that I had to read twice, but now I see that the California Symphony is making correct use of "emerging." The layout made it a little non-obvious that what they are getting at is that their past support of young composers has been enormously valuable.

Composers they've presented when they were still young include Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts, Mason Bates, who has quite a booming career, Christopher Theofanidis (same), Katherine Balch, and others whose work I am completely unfamiliar with.

They further note that six of eight alumni of their Young American Composer-in-Residence program have gone on to win the Rome Prize.

If you want to donate to their ongoing efforts, you can do so; just click right here.

Keep up the good work, California Symphony. New works are the lifeblood of the future.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Davies to Brno, Bychkov to Czech Phil

I didn't particularly cover Dennis Russell Davies' upcoming move to the Brno Philharmonic, so here is a mention of it, along with the even bigger news that Semyon! Bychkov! has accepted the opening at the Czech Philharmonic created by the death of Jiří Bělohlávek. Honestly, I never thought Bychkov would take an ongoing post anywhere.

Here's the press release:

*SEMYON BYCHKOV NAMED CHIEF CONDUCTOR AND
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE CZECH PHILHARMONIC
STARTING IN THE 2018-19 SEASON*

*Mr. Bychkov to serve as Chief Conductor and
Music Director Designate during the 2017-18 season*

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (October 16, 2017) — The Czech Philharmonic today announced the appointment of Semyon Bychkov as Chief Conductor and Music Director starting in the 2018-19 season. Mr. Bychkov has been a frequent guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic since first appearing with the Orchestra in 2013, and he is also currently the Artistic Director//of/The Tchaikovsky Project/, which he launched with the Orchestra last October and which encompasses concerts and a Decca recording cycle.

Mr. Bychkov says:

   “The Czech Philharmonic is among the very few orchestras that have managed to preserve a unique identity. In a music world that is increasingly globalized and uniform, the Orchestra’s noble tradition has retained authenticity of expression and sound, making it one of the world’s artistic treasures. When the orchestra and Czech government asked me to succeed beloved Jiří Bělohlávek, I felt deeply honoured by the trust they were ready to place in me. There is no greater privilege for an artist than to become part of and lead an institution that shares the same values, the same commitment, and the same devotion to the art of music.”

In addition to conducting the opening concerts of the 2018-19 season, six subscription weeks, and two weeks of studio recordings, Mr. Bychkov will lead the Orchestra on tour and at the major Czech festivals and concerts that are an integral part of the Orchestra’s presence, including Prague Spring, Dvořák’s Prague, and Smetana’s Litomyšl. He will also lead the Orchestra’s Tchaikovsky residencies in Prague, Vienna, and Paris in 2019, when /The Tchaikovsky Project/ concludes with Decca’s release of the composer’s complete symphonies, three piano concertos, /Romeo & Juliet/,/Serenade for Strings/,//and /Francesca da Rimini./

Reviewing a recent Czech Philharmonic performance of Tchaikovsky’s /Francesca da Rimini /at Smetana’s Litomyšl Festival 2017, /Hospodářské noviny/ wrote: “The Czech Philharmonic is currently in excellent form and trusts Semyon Bychkov. And, being battle-hardened from working around the world with the best orchestras on the planet, he gives the Philharmonic players the room to develop their musical potential. The result is a unique musical creation.”

Czech Philharmonic Chief Executive Officer David Mareček and General Manager Robert Hanč welcomed Mr. Bychkov, with whom they have worked closely since he first conducted the Orchestra:

   “We are thrilled and delighted that Maestro Semyon Bychkov will be taking up the position of Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic. Maestro Bychkov brings out the very best in our musicians, as did his much-loved predecessor Jiří Bělohlávek, and he also shares many of the same values: uncompromising musical excellence, respect for tradition, and a rare gift for communicating great music to the world. The Czech Philharmonic already enjoys a particularly warm and harmonious relationship with Maestro Bychkov and with his appointment we look forward to building further on that work and to taking our music to ever wider audiences. With Maestro Bychkov at the helm of the orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic’s future continues to look very bright indeed.”

Josef Špaček, the youngest concertmaster in the Czech Philharmonic’s history and an “Associate Artist” of the Orchestra, says:

   “Maestro Bychkov is a charismatic artist who is artistically uncompromising. He is never superficial and is a true master of his craft. For him, music is everything, his entire existence. He is able to work wonderfully and effectively with the orchestra. Rehearsals with him are often very strenuous, in part because of his relentless pursuit of perfection, but the artistic result under his leadership is always a unique experience. His international perspective and activities will bring inestimable added value to the orchestra. I hold him in the deepest respect.”

Czech Republic Minister of Culture Daniel Herman says:

“I am enormously pleased that one of the world’s leading conductors, Maestro Semyon Bychkov, has accepted the offer made by me and by the Orchestra’s CEO, Mr. Mareček, and will become the next Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic. I am personally acquainted with Mr. Bychkov, and I have great respect for him, not only because of professional excellence and extraordinary artistic talent, but also because of his stances on humanitarian and civic issues.”

One of the world’s most esteemed conductors, *Semyon Bychkov* has achieved international recognition for an approach to music making that combines innate musicality with the rigors of Russian music pedagogy. He has conducted virtually all of the major orchestras in the U.S. and Europe and previously served as Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Grand Rapids Symphony, and Orchestre de Paris, and Chief Conductor of both the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and the Dresden Semperoper. Mr. Bychkov currently holds the honorary Klemperer Chair of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music and the Günter Wand Conducting Chair with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, with which he appears annually at the BBC Proms. In 2015, the International Opera Awards named him “Conductor of the Year.” For more information, visit semyonbychkov.com <http://email.kultureshock.net/t/r-l-jlujljky-kthjhjgdk-r/>.

The *Czech Philharmonic*, which in 1896 gave its first concert in its current form under Antonín Dvořák, is composed entirely of Czech musicians and has an extraordinary history which both reflects its place in the center of Europe and the country’s turbulent political history. Acknowledged for its definitive performances of the Czech repertoire—its première recording dates back to 1929 when Chief Conductor Václav Talich conducted Smetana’s /Má vlast/ for release on 10 discs—the Czech Philharmonic has always had a special relationship with the music of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler. Born in what is now part of the Czech Republic, Mahler conducted the Orchestra in the 1908 première of his Symphony No. 7. For more information, visit ceskafilharmonie.cz <http://email.kultureshock.net/t/r-l-jlujljky-kthjhjgdk-y/>.


Current list of known openings:
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra, which Leonard Slatkin leaves at the close of the 2017-18 season.
  • Swedish Chamber Orchestra announced in May, 2017, that Thomas Dausgaard will be stepping down as principal conductor at the end of the 2018-19 season. Perhaps this was a tipoff about the Seattle appointment, which commences with 2019-20.
  • Dallas Symphony Orchestra (when Jaap van Zweden takes up his new post at the NYPO)
  • Milwaukee Symphony
  • Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
  • San Diego Symphony
  • Vienna Staatsoper / VPO (Dominique Meyer not planning to appoint a WSO MD; his contract expires in 2020.)
  • Dresden Philharmonic: 2019 departure for Michael Sanderling
  • MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony: 2018 departure for Kristian Jarvi
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra: 2018 departure for Robin Ticciati
  • Orchestre National de Lyon: open now, with Leonard Slatkin's departure
  • Singapore Symphony: 2019 departure for Lan Shui
  • Vienna RSO: 2018 departure for Cornelius Meister
  • Toronto SO: 2018 departure for Peter Oundjian
  • Winnipeg SO: 2018 departure for Alexander Mickelthwate
  • Hamburg Symphony, following death of Sir Jeffrey Tate
  • Washington National Opera, departure of Philippe Auguin at conclusion of 2017-18 
  • San Francisco Opera, departure of Nicola Luisotti at conclusion of 2017-18
  • Opera North: open now, with Aleksandr Markovic's departure
  • Bavarian State Opera: with Kirill Petrenko going to Berlin and KP's Munich contract through 2021, it's sort of implied that he'll give up Munich
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: 2017 is Stephen Lord's final season as MD
I am curious about all of these, but of course the San Francisco Opera opening is closest to home.

Conductors looking for jobs (that is, as of the near future, or now, they do not have a posting):
  • Ludovic Morlot
  • Sian Edwards
  • Jun Markl
  • Ingo Metzmacher
  • Bramwell Tovey
  • Jac van Steen
  • Mark Wigglesworth
  • Simone Young 
  • David Robertson
  • Peter Oundjian as of the end of 2017-18
  • Philippe Auguin
And closed:
  • Semyon! Bychkov fills the vacancy at the Czech Philharmonic, following the death of Jiří Bělohlávek
  • Dennis Russell Davies becomes music director of the Brno Philharmonic, which had been open since 2015, as of the 2018-19 season.
  • Nicola Luisotti becoming an assistant music director at the Teatro Real, Madrid, 2018.
  • Seattle Symphony, where Thomas Dausgaard will succeed Ludovic Morlot; announced early October, 2016
  • Vancouver Symphony; Otto Tausk comes on in 2018
  • Orchestra Nationale de France; Emmanuel Krivine takes the post in 2017.
  • NDR Elbphilharmonie: Alan Gilbert becomes MD (or chief conductor) in the 2019-20 season.
  • St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; Stéphane Denève to succeed David Robertson
  • Hong Kong Philharmonic; Jaap van Zweden's contract extended through summer of 2022
  • City of Birmingham SO; Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla appointed 2/4/2016, succeeding Andris Nelsons
  • New York Philharmonic; Jaap Van Zweden appointed, 1/27/16, succeeding Alan Gilbert
  • National Symphony Orchestra; Gianandrea Noseda appointed, 1/4/2016, succeeding Christoph Eschenbach.
  • Leipzig Gewandhaus: Andris Nelsons appointed, 9/9/2015
  • LSO: Simon Rattle appointed, 3/2/2015
  • Orchestra de Paris: Daniel Harding, 6/11/2015
  • Berlin Philharmonic: Kirill Petrenko appointed, 6/22/2015
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard succeeds Donald Runnicles in September, 2016

Friday, October 13, 2017

Friday Photo


Please Destroy Cell Phones Before Entering
Seen on Ashby Ave., Berkeley
July, 2017

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Houston and Harvey

I'm late, very late, in reporting this, but Houston Grand Opera's house, the Wortham Theater Center, was flooded and badly damaged by Hurricane Harvey a few weeks ago. The Theater Center, which contains more than one auditorium, will be closed until at least May, 2018. The press release is very clear that the May date is the best-case scenario.

Meanwhile, HGO has that can-do spirit and rapidly announced that they'd be performing their first three operas at what they're calling the HGO Resilience Theater @ George R. Brown Convention Center. That's a mouthful, but hooray! If SF Opera could survive 18 months out of the War Memorial Opera House 20 years ago while renovations and earthquake work were being done, well, HGO can do what it needs to do, if under worse - unplanned - circumstances.

The three operas scheduled for the mouthful-house are La Traviata, Julius Caeser, and The House Without a Christmas Tree. No word yet on production number four: Elektra.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Cello Change Announcement / Vocal Change Announcement

San Francisco Symphony has announced a couple of soloist changes for the next few weeks of concerts. One was announced last week, but I let it slide.

  • In Krzysztof Urbański's upcoming program, Oct. 19-21, Joshua Roman will play the Dvorak Cello Concerto, replacing Sol Gabetta, whose newborn is "unexpectedly unable to travel with her."
  • In MTT's Thanksgiving week program, Nov. 24-26, mezzo Isabel Leonard will sing in Mahler's Fourth Symphony, where she replaces Susanna Philips, and additional works to be announced. A mezzo in the Mahler is somewhat unusual. Berg's "Seven Early Songs" will evidently no longer be on the program.

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Dausgaard to Seattle

I have to admit: I was not at all surprised to see that Thomas Dausgaard had been appointed the next music director of the Seattle Symphony. He's been their principal guest conductor for some time, and is popular in Seattle.

I saw him there, on my first visit to Benaroya Hall, when I was in Seattle on business a few months ago. The program was Strauss; Four Last Songs with Gun-Britt Barkmin and the Alpine Symphony. Both were well-conducted but I would not make any kind of statement about his overall strengths based on one program.

Current list of known openings:
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra, which Leonard Slatkin leaves at the close of the 2017-18 season.
  • Swedish Chamber Orchestra announced in May, 2017, that Thomas Dausgaard will be stepping down as principal conductor at the end of the 2018-19 season. Perhaps this was a tipoff about the Seattle appointment, which commences with 2019-20.
  • Dallas Symphony Orchestra (when Jaap van Zweden takes up his new post at the NYPO)
  • Milwaukee Symphony
  • Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
  • San Diego Symphony
  • Vienna Staatsoper / VPO (Dominique Meyer not planning to appoint a WSO MD; his contract expires in 2020.)
  • Dresden Philharmonic: 2019 departure for Michael Sanderling
  • MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony: 2018 departure for Kristian Jarvi
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra: 2018 departure for Robin Ticciati
  • Orchestre National de Lyon: open now, with Leonard Slatkin's departure
  • Singapore Symphony: 2019 departure for Lan Shui
  • Vienna RSO: 2018 departure for Cornelius Meister
  • Toronto SO: 2018 departure for Peter Oundjian
  • Winnipeg SO: 2018 departure for Alexander Mickelthwate
  • Czech Philharmonic, following death of Jiří Bělohlávek
  • Hamburg Symphony, following death of Sir Jeffrey Tate
  • Washington National Opera, departure of Philippe Auguin at conclusion of 2017-18 
  • San Francisco Opera, departure of Nicola Luisotti at conclusion of 2017-18
  • Opera North: open now, with Aleksandr Markovic's departure
  • Bavarian State Opera: with Kirill Petrenko going to Berlin and KP's Munich contract through 2021, it's sort of implied that he'll give up Munich
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: 2017 is Stephen Lord's final season as MD
I am curious about all of these, but of course the San Francisco Opera opening is closest to home.

Conductors looking for jobs (that is, as of the near future, or now, they do not have a posting):
  • Ludovic Morlot
  • Sian Edwards
  • Jun Markl
  • Ingo Metzmacher
  • Bramwell Tovey
  • Jac van Steen
  • Mark Wigglesworth
  • Simone Young 
  • David Robertson
  • Peter Oundjian as of the end of 2017-18
  • Philippe Auguin
And closed:
  • Dennis Russell Davies becomes music director of the Brno Philharmonic, which had been open since 2015, as of the 2018-19 season.
  • Nicola Luisotti becoming an assistant music director at the Teatro Real, Madrid, 2018.
  • Seattle Symphony, where Thomas Dausgaard will succeed Ludovic Morlot; announced early October, 2016
  • Vancouver Symphony; Otto Tausk comes on in 2018
  • Orchestra Nationale de France; Emmanuel Krivine takes the post in 2017.
  • NDR Elbphilharmonie: Alan Gilbert becomes MD (or chief conductor) in the 2019-20 season.
  • St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; Stéphane Denève to succeed David Robertson
  • Hong Kong Philharmonic; Jaap van Zweden's contract extended through summer of 2022
  • City of Birmingham SO; Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla appointed 2/4/2016, succeeding Andris Nelsons
  • New York Philharmonic; Jaap Van Zweden appointed, 1/27/16, succeeding Alan Gilbert
  • National Symphony Orchestra; Gianandrea Noseda appointed, 1/4/2016, succeeding Christoph Eschenbach.
  • Leipzig Gewandhaus: Andris Nelsons appointed, 9/9/2015
  • LSO: Simon Rattle appointed, 3/2/2015
  • Orchestra de Paris: Daniel Harding, 6/11/2015
  • Berlin Philharmonic: Kirill Petrenko appointed, 6/22/2015
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard succeeds Donald Runnicles in September, 2016

We Can't Scare People Off

I gotta say, I am discouraged to see concert write-ups like this on the SFS web page:

DVOŘÁK’S CELLO CONCERTO WITH THE SF SYMPHONY
Conductor Krzysztof Urbański leads an exhilarating program of virtuosic showpieces, featuring Dvořák’s celebrated Cello Concerto performed by Sol Gabetta, whose “wit, aristocratic poise, and elegance” (The Herald) lend themselves perfectly to the elaborate grandeur of this romantic work. Then, hear Mozart’s charming overture to his iconic opera, The Magic Flute.

It doesn't even mention the Lutoslawski. Look, consider actually OWNING that there's a recent piece on the program and then get excited about it! It's a wonderful piece! People will enjoy hearing it!

Especially since, you know, there's all this stuff in the email publicity and in the program book about how cool it is to have conductors playing music from their native lands (or whatever phrasing it is that you're using). I look forward to hearing Charles Dutoit conduct some Frank Martin one of these days, y'know?

Tip o' the Day

You'll want to see conductor Krzysztof Urbański at San Francisco Symphony this week and in two weeks. I caught this week's program, which was fantastically conducted: 

  • Penderecki, Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima, ten brilliant and emotionally intense minutes of string writing in many many parts. 
  • Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto, sweetly played by Augustin Hadelich. I didn't like him much in the Beethoven a few years back, and now I think....maybe I just don't like the Beethoven, or maybe it needs more muscular playing than his. A fine Paganinin 21st Caprice as the encore.
  • ....and the real star, Shostakovich's huge Tenth Symphony, fabulously done. I don't know the piece at all and won't say much about the specifics, but you should go!
Random observations: it is weird not to see Mark Volkert in the assistant principal violin chair. Carey Bell now has a goatee; Ed Stephan continues to amaze on the timpani; that must have been the new associate principal oboe, James Button, next to Eugene Izotov during the Shos and in first chair during the Mendelssohn.

The program two weeks out is also a winner: Dvorak cello concert with Sol Gabetta, whom Joshua Kosman raved about after her solo recital some time ago, overture to The Magic Flute, and Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra, a wild piece not heard nearly as often as its older brother by Bartok. Be there or be square.

Why???



I got a rather odd email this morning, one that is unique in my experience, from a Bay Area organization whose mailing list I've been on for a long time. Years, not sure how many.

Here's the text of the email:
We're tuning up for the new season and we noticed that you haven't opened one of our emails in several months.


We understand that everyone needs a break sometimes, and that you probably get a symphony of emails, so we've made it easier for you by taking you off of our email list. 


We would love to welcome you back if you'd like to continue hearing about our phenomenal concerts, performers, educational resources, and music. Just click here to resubscribe:

They must consider the information they will get about people who re-up to be more important than the downsides. But this isn't something I would do, for these reasons.

1. Every email sent by Constant Contact or Mail Chimp or other mailing list management software has an unsubscribe link. Presumably, people who really don't want to receive the emails will click that link.

2. It costs the sender little or nothing to send the email. I admit, I have not checked to see what the paid versions of mailing list software cost, so maybe I am wrong about this.

3. It definitely costs the recipient nothing to receive; email providers don't have quotas on mail you receive, though they may have storage fees.

4. Honestly, they really don't know why someone isn't reading their marketing emails. If the situation is that a family member is ill, or someone has died, or the person is traveling the world and can't attend concerts in the Bay Area, well, throwing them off the mailing list is a big mistake. The mind-reading, we-know-better-than-you-do aspect of this is mildly disturbing.

5. Describing your own concerts as phenomenal: quote a critic or it's not true. I would find complimentary quotes much more persuasive than self-description.

6. Possibly most importantly, does it make sense to call attention to the fact that these emails phone home? I know perfectly well about this function, and even I got that creepy "YOU ARE WATCHING ME" feeling from receiving this email. It is possible that most of the other recipients of this morning's mail don't know that the emails they receive send status back to the sender.

7. If you're sending email like this, an org might as well ask why its emails aren't being read, the equivalent of the question you get when you actively unsubscribe. Wouldn't that be useful to know?

I'm actually somewhat surprised to have received this particular email, because I've read plenty of emails from the org in the last year - but those were probably all press releases. I think it's a while since I attended one of their concerts, alas, but one does have to make choices. 

I don't think I'd do an auto-purge of this type myself; it seems like a gamble to get a response, or attention, or something, from your potential audience. I don't remove people from my dojo's mailing list because I send email to it only three or four times a year, and I figure people can unsubscribe if they don't want the mail - and they do, too: I get three to five unsubscribes annually. (Okay, if I knew someone had died.....)

So, in short, this seems like a gamble and not necessarily one that will pay off. Anyone else have thoughts?

Friday, October 06, 2017

Friday Photo


More or Less a Little Free Library, Birch Coffee, Long Island City
August, 2017

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Just Tear It Down, Already!


David Geffen Hall (Monica Simoes photo)


Well, it seems we will not be getting the makeover of Phi...er, Avery....ER David Geffen Hall that we've been waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting) for. Lincoln Center announced today that the major planned renovation is being canceled.

In the last few months, both Lincoln Center and the NY Philharmonic had personnel changes at the top, very much for the better. Deborah Borda came back to the Phil as its president, after 17 years at the LA Philharmonic. Deborah L. Spar joined Lincoln Center from Barnard College. Both had experience deeply relevant to any NYC construction project -- and they quickly discovered that the renovation project could not guarantee that the orchestra would be out of its home for only two years.

These two officials know what they are talking about if they say this is too risky for all involved. Unfortunately, despite my flip headline, they can't just tear it down and start over. That would surely take more than two years.

So we'll get more patching and interior renovation of the hall, not the major makeover everyone had been hoping for. Le sigh, but what can you do.

Michael Cooper has the scoop in full.

Remember, Dear, "Fan" Comes from "Fanatic."

I wrote an article about those of us who could not keep away from the amazing San Francisco Opera Elektra. How I wish I could see this one again. (Well, I can, in Karlruhe at some as-yet-known time and with a different cast. Won't be quite the same, though.) It's called Elektra Inspires and Rewards Endlessly

That it did, and everyone I know wants to see every member of the extraordinary cast again.


Monday, October 02, 2017

Si Newhouse

Si Newhouse (S.I. Newhouse, Jr.), owner of Condé Nast and published of many magazines, including The New Yorker, has died at 89.

I knew almost nothing about him before his death a few days ago. David Remnick and Alex Ross's touching memorial articles provide a glimpse of a smart, curious, man who was interested in everything. Rest in peace; eternal gratitude for your life's work.

Sunday, October 01, 2017

Behind the Scenes at the Opera House


Alfred Walker (Orest) and Christine Goerke (Elektra).
Cory Weaver Photo, c/o San Francisco Opera
Note the beautiful tunic she's wearing.

Susan Bullock (Elektra)
Prague State Opera

Keen-eyed observers will have noted that the costumes Susan Bullock and Christine Goerke wore as Elektra in the Prague and SF bring-ups were not the same! I asked San Francisco Opera about this, and the press office was kind enough to consult Jai Alltizer, who was the SF Opera Costume Supervisor for Elektra. Allitzer replied as follows:
So happy Lisa liked the tunic Ms. Goerke was wearing in Elektra. The tunic is black linen and it was constructed here in our costume studio, as was her trench coat.
We are the second company to perform this production and it is possible another version of the Elektra costume may be created.
The designer wants Elektra to be comfortable, wear black contemporary clothing, and generally be less stylish than Chrysothemis. 
These parameters allow great flexibility.
I also wanted to mention that when I chatted with her at the stage door after Elektra, Christine Goerke remarked on how great the makeup and wig people at SF Opera are. She loved her wig, and, really, it could be her own hair, but in black. She raved about the makeup artists as well, because she didn't look as though she was wearing makeup on stage.

My own observation is that this was also true of Adrianne Pieczonka (Chrysothemis) and Alfred Walker, while Michaela Martens, as Klytemnestra, was pretty clearly supposed to look as though she was wearing a little too much makeup.

Lastly, I thought the makeup artists did a fantastic job with Aurelia Florian's makeup for La Traviata. She went from looking slightly flushed in Acts 1 and II to looking pale, wan, and near death in Act III, and the makeup was pretty darned subtle in achieving these effects.