Major Openings

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Photo by Lisa Hirsch

I'm months overdue on a big music director update, but last week's bombshell at the Boston Symphony reminded me that four of the big-budget U.S. orchestras now have music director openings:

• Boston Symphony, where there has been drama.
• Cleveland Orchestra, where there has not been drama. The orchestra announced in January, 2024, that Franz Welser-Möst would leave at the end of the 2026-27 season. Three years' notice, similar to MTT's three at SFS.
• SFS, where there has been drama, with Esa-Pekka Salonen deciding to part ways over differences with the board.
• LA Philharmonic, where there has not been drama. Gustavo Dudamel decided to move to the NY Philharmonic in February, 2023, and commences the new position with the 2026-27 season. Well, the return of Esa-Pekka Salonen in a non-music director position could be considered dramatic and could cause some conductors to rule out the appointment, because being music director when one of the best conductors in the world – who is also one of the best composers in the world – is in the office next door could be discouraging.

Today in Sexual Harassment

Updates to two stories:

• There's a second accusation against countertenor David Daniels, who is being sued by a University of Michigan student. The student is also suing the university. (Personal to San Francisco Opera: still waiting on that cast change announcement. The cover's web site says he is the cover, even.)
• After an investigation, the Cleveland Orchestra has fired its concertmaster and principal trombone. Note that the allegations against concertmaster William Preucil cover the period 1996-2007; in other words, this has been going on for a long time. I'll just guess that the orchestra chose to ignore any allegations that came to its attention.

There's no doubt that the Cleveland Orchestra could have done better. Here are the last few paragraphs from the WaPo story I link to above:

As for La Rosa, the report stated that the orchestra was approached about his behavior on at least three occasions, twice by universities. In one case, the orchestra was unable to investigate because the student did not make a formal complaint. La Rosa was issued a warning.

Gremillet said the orchestra will improve its whistleblower policy and create an anonymous hotline that will provide a better process for future complaints. “It’s a clear message that none of this will be tolerated,” he said. 

But he declined to discuss the report’s conclusion that the orchestra could have done more in the past. “The report speaks for itself,” he said. “That’s why we’re releasing it.”