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[INDEX]
 The
Bavarian State Opera in Munich announced today that Kent Nagano (photo
left) is its new Music Director (Generalmusikdirektor), taking up his
duties in September 2006. This announcement almost certainly means that
Nagano will not be the next Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
Nagano was widely touted as the public and media favorite to replace Charles
Dutoit at the MSO after the orchestra’s search committee announced it
had made a decision in January.
Canadian journalists whipped the public into a frenzy of anticipation,
praising the 51-year old Nagano’s musicianship, his ability to speak French
and his “cool” image. “The MSO needs a new face. Here he is,” announced
La Presse, Montreal’s leading French daily. “Nagano would be a dynamic
choice for the OSM. He's one of the most accomplished and adventurous
conductors of his generation,” chimed the Globe and Mail. "MSO directors
[...] must contend with subscribers and newcomers who expect a certain
conductor to be named and who might be prepared to punish, with their
chequebooks, any failure to secure him," threatened the Montreal Gazette.
To add fuel to the fire, Nagano’s conducting gig with the MSO in late
January was greeted with rave reviews. La Presse called his traversal
of Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 a “miracle.”
But Nagano refused to confirm the rumors. He issued a statement pointing
out that "no agreement has been made for me to become [the MSO’s] new
music director."
Nagano succeeds Zubin Mehta at the prestigious and wealthy Bavarian State
Opera. His duties there will include conducting approximately 40 performances
annually. He remains chief conductor of the Los Angeles Opera and music
director of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester in Berlin.
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