Comments on: The Maestro miss

By: Krunoslav

Krunoslav — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:25:59 +0000

J. David Jackson is another` gifted conductor who has cropsse dover` from musical prep ( which he still does) to being formally assigned a show to conduct. H ehads done one HANSEL vice Jurowski, one QUEEN OF SPADES vice Ozawa and this year will lead one BOVCCANEGRA vice Levine.

It’s not just Nelsons. It’s simply incredible how many uninspired European conductors Gelb, Fiend and Billingsgate have been able to bring over for full runs while many gifted assistant conductors are leading the offstage bands…

By: isepo

isepo — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:17:31 +0000

I can’t think of any “house conductor” at the Met in the last 15 years that have conducted as much as those you mention. Most of the asst. conductors nowadays never make it near the podium, the few that do (Keenan, Nadler, Inouye, Colaneri) get maybe one or two performances a season unless someone cancels (Nadler and Fidelio, Colaneri and Tosca). Usually administration tries to book a big name if there’s enough lead time.

While “asst conductor” at the Met seems to be a glorified title for house coach/pianist, there is little opportunity for advancement for those on staff who DO conduct. Several have left the house to build their conducting careers elsewhere (Steve Crawford, Lucy Arner, Kathleen Kelly, Scott Bergeson…) and I believe Keenan took a haitus for a while to do the same. While it may sound great to get to conduct a show or two at the Met every season, you’re flying blind with no rehearsal in front of that very discriminating orchestra, and you’re conducting “the other guy’s interpretation.” These people have been paying their dues for decades, but not once do you see them get a complete scheduled run. If you’re a woman, the ceiling is even lower. I am sure it’s quite frustrating for these very capable musicians, especially when Gelb brings in an inexperienced non-talent like Andris Nelsons, whose constant fuck ups in Turandot had those who had to follow him on the backstage monitor cursing his ineptitude.

Levine seems intent on grooming the young Kazem Abdullah, but jaded voices carp that he just falls within the Maestro’s more personal predilections. Time will tell if he gets bigger assignments at the house.

By: Byrnham Woode

Byrnham Woode — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:17:36 +0000

Last time out Levine conducted the broadcast MEISTERSINGER, and the two performances that preceeded it. The fourth and last night of the run went to Keenan, by prearrangement and published schedule.

Woitach, Fulton, et al may have conducted more often, but their primary functions at the MET still were in the musical preparation and coaching area. And they were damn good.

By: poisonivy

poisonivy — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:17:31 +0000

Levine’s cancellations now make Caballe, Stratas, and Pavarotti look positively reliable.

By: Byrnham Woode

Byrnham Woode — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:14:08 +0000

Keenan is very good indeed. He led a RHEINGOLD last spring when Levine was feeling poorly. Jimmy always has good deputies for music – they are the heart of the musical preparation department at rehearsals and coaching sessions, and the MET wants it done right. When the conductor is ill, you get a first rate replacement who simply isn’t famous. Two years ago I got Paul Nadler at ONEGIN and didn’t miss Valery Gergiev for a minute.

John Keenan has been with the company at least since 1990. When David Stivender died suddenly that year, Keenan took over the chorus until they could find a full time successor.
He’s credited as chorus master for their video of GöTTERDäMMERUNG.

By: warmke

warmke — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:03:19 +0000

His conducting there has been sporadic at best; he has never risen to the level of being a true house conductor such as Woitach, Stivender, Adler or Tommy Fulton. He’s been affiliated with the theater for 20 years, it’s pretty clear to many that he has never been of the stature to be conducting there much. I’ve seen competent performances from him, not much more than that.

By: Arianna a Nasso

Arianna a Nasso — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:30:09 +0000

You’re getting lazy, Vicar. The Pring benchmark has been used rather often of late. Surely there must be some other Commonwealth mezzos deserving of mention in such situations.

By: mandryka

mandryka — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:46:20 +0000

John Keenan has been conducting at the met for 20 years or so. He has conducted most of the mozart operas, and even conducted an excellent meistersinger broadcast two years ago. I understand he’s scheduled for Saturday the 26th.

By: CerquettiFarrell

CerquettiFarrell — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:19:20 +0000

Hmmm Finnie, is she still singing anywhere?

By: The Vicar of John Wakefield

The Vicar of John Wakefield — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:10:51 +0000

If they are doing Sea Pictures they should have booked Linda Finnie, the best Fricka since Pring!

By: Quanto Painy Fakor

Quanto Painy Fakor — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:33:34 +0000

Sea Pictures? You want Sea Pictures?

By: violadamore

violadamore — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:40:50 +0000

The orchestra bows were short-changed also.

Watching on TV as the only opportunity to see it, I thought it too strange to have no in-door church setting. Was Bioni trying to depict a street scene with the oh-so-holy-madanna-on-a-float and the dark gravel substance on the floor between curbs?

If so, what was Caveradossi’s painting doing in the street? And why should Tosca bring flowers to dress the altar has her words clearly say, and then strew them on the pavement among the chairs?

I didn’t care for the sex kittens either. Scarpio’s not an ordinary sex addict.

By: Valmont

Valmont — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:27:44 +0000

I was also there Wednesday, and the only glitch I could find were some suspiciously fast tempi and one early entrance in act III. Other than that things were good. Watching Mr. Keenan, his conducting is very utilitarian with few grand gestures and good consistent beats.

By: olddansker

olddansker — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:14:43 +0000

I guess it was wishful thinking, even though I’m nowhere near going, 3rd or 5th. Thanks for the correction

By: squirrel

squirrel — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:00:48 +0000

The squirrel is no pushover with conductors, but this John Keenan keeps doing Yeomans work at the Met. Good for him! I hope they will properly reward him.

By: squirrel

squirrel — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:59:51 +0000

Nope it is the 5th, no singer, Blythe in Sea Pictures.

By: olddansker

olddansker — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:45:02 +0000

P.S. Anyone know if this will be broadcast, streamed?

By: olddansker

olddansker — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:43:40 +0000

Isn’t it Mahler’s 3rd, not 5th? Blythe as mezzo solist?

By: Lalala

Lalala — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:44:03 +0000

Just want to add, I was at the performance on Wednesday evening that John Keenan conducted for Maestro Levine. He did a very fine job. The orchestra and singers responded well to his conducting and it was a very fine night in the theater. The production isn’t my favorite but certainly not as despicable as some may have lead one to believe. I thought the soloists were all very good. And to me, it was great to see that not only were they fine singers but excellent actors as well. Bravi!!!

By: Byrnham Woode

Byrnham Woode — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:43:31 +0000

Yes; La Cieca is (of course) probably correct. Jimmy took the night off because he’s tired from concert rehearsal, perhaps under the weather (as are so many in this frigid atmosphere) – and wants to rest for the Saturday HD broadcast.

There have been countless times when a singer has cancelled on Tuesday (or Wed., or Thurs) in order to prevent having to cancel the Saturday broadcast.

As a sidenote, I thought the editing of the t.v. TOSCA was dreadful, and I note they really downplayed the presence of Colanari on the podium by not focusing on his own curtain call. We only saw him in the group lineup of principals. I was surprised at this, since they had done the typical photography of him mounting the podium for each act.

There were endless times when the cameras focused in the wrong place, or made little of important stage business.

But to the main point: get well Maestro!