Rattle to Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Sir Simon Rattle

Photo: Mark Allan / Courtesy of the London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) spent goodness knows how long hoping to lure Sir Simon Rattle from Berlin back to London, and a few years back, they finally signed him.

Now that Brexit has arrived, Rattle is heading back to Germany, this time to the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO, aka Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks) in 2023. Well, UK, you were warned about what might happen to the vibrant cultural scene if Brexit went through.

The mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena, who is Rattle's wife, and their children live in Germany, where the children are in school. Money quotes:

“My reasons for accepting the role of principal conductor in Munich are entirely personal,” he said in the statement, “enabling me to better manage the balance of my work and be close enough to home to be present for my children in a meaningful way.” Mr. Rattle’s family is based in Berlin, where he led the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018.

Mr. Rattle declined to comment beyond that statement. But he has been a vocal critic of Brexit, which was voted on after he accepted the London Symphony post in 2015. And progress has been sluggish on the Center for Music, the much-desired new home for the orchestra that was conceived alongside Mr. Rattle’s appointment.

He's succeeding the late Mariss Jansons at the BRSO.