Cancellations and substitutes
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 4:08PM
The recent announcement that Jonas Kaufmann has pulled out of his engagement in Covent Garden's forthcoming run of Berlioz's Les Troyens for health reasons prompted me to wonder how other forum members have reacted when faced with a similar situation of a high profile cancellation. Have you asked for your money back (ticket sales t&c's permitting) or did you still attend? If you attended were you disappointed or impressed by the substitute?
Responses don't need to be opera related - it could be a recital or concert you were really looking forward to attending.
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 5:00PM
#2
RE: Cancellations and substitutes
I have always thought 'life goes on' in cases such as these, but then again I have never had a major concellation, bar Argerich once, which was to be expected!
This year at Lucerne Abbado was supposed to be conducting Mahler 8 with the Lucern Festival Orchestra. Only two weeks after tickets went on sale and were scooped up it was announced that the programme was being changed to include Mozart's Requiem. This led to a great deal of hard feeling on the part of some who were making the trip from all over the world to what is potentially one of the standout concerts of the year.
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 6:34PM
#3
RE: Cancellations and substitutes
I had a couple of those "bad" experiences. The most significant and extremely apocalyptic was the one with Mariss Jansons in Berlin, who was supposed to perform Brucker's Third. Usual story: last minute announcement that the guest conductor finds himself unable to perform due to flue (it was one of the bad winters over there, about 8 years ago). We were told that a totally unknown female conductor, named Simone Young, was about to perform the same program.
Out of idle curiosity, I stayed to attend her performance. It was a revelation! The BPO has never sounded that great, not even with Rattle, Haitink, Janowski or Abbado (of course on different programmes).
The History proved that Jansons, despite some good (to very good) live recordings on Bruckner, he never convinced that much, despite he used a glorious orchestra such as Concertgebouw. On the contrary, Simone Young has embartked on her cycle of Bruckner with almost astonishing, meticulous and consistent results.
Sometimes cancellations might be quite revelatory.
Parla
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 7:57PM
#4
RE: Cancellations and substitutes
Hi Caballe!
The only cancellation I have known in recent years was Argerich like Naupilus at last year's proms. The stand-in pianist was very good indeed but a new name and not a big name.
(There are some other comments re: cancellations by the way on the Proms 2012 thread).
The only other cancellation I have ever known was when much younger, in the late seventies. Peter Pears was supposed to be singing Britten but had gone dieoun with laryngitis as the posh announcer said. It was Ian Partridge. Superb - his performance of Britten's Winter Words. Very memorable indeed. I was lucky on that one.
In other words sometimes you can be lucky and get an established performer to replace, sometimes a novice.
Mark
(Added a few minutes later - I don't have a problem if a novice, just as long as they are decent!)
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 7:46PM
#5
RE: Cancellations and substitutes
Sometimes you are not informed of a substitute until you get to the performance, however I do not normally mind as the substitute could go on to be a star of the future.
Ian.
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 9:44PM
#6
RE: Cancellations and substitutes
Fabio Luisi was supposed to conduct Verdi's Requiem last October in San Francisco, but was needed at the Met due to James Levine's health problems. Fortunately in town the previous week was James Conlon who agreed to stay on and conduct the work he had done so many times before. No mention of the change was made other than listing James Conlon's name in the ads. Probably the name "Fabio Luisi" didn't race that many hearts. Anyhow, Conlon conducted the Requiem from memory and a splendid performance it was.
It's disappointing but I usually go to see the Opera and not necessarily the particular performers. However you don't usually get the choice at the Plymouth Theatre, you are usually only informed 5 mins before the performance begins. High profile in Plymouth usually means 'a tall person'. We get the Welsh National Opera twice a year if we are lucky. Welcome to the world outside of London.