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For the first time in a decade, Carnegie Hall’s season will not include
the Montreal Symphony Orchestra's traditional autumn concerts, it was
revealed at a the 2003-2004 press conference held in New York on Jan.
7, 2003. The lack of a supremo at the MSO means there is no guarantor of the orchestra's
quality - and Carnegie only wants the best for its patrons at the fabled
57th Street concert hall (photo left). Diebold confirmed that when the
MSO names Dutoit's successor, the orchestra will have a chance to return
to Carnegie, all things being equal. But meanwhile, it would seem, the
MSO is not welcome at America’s most prestigious classical music venue.
The Montreal Symphony did not return a request for comment. [Postscript: On Jan. 15, 2003, two days after my story was posted on Scena.org, the Montreal Gazette's music critic Arthur Kaptainis ran a story which ended with the following paragraphs (compare the bolded passages above and below, and marvel at the similarities: "...there is some unambiguous bad news for the orchestra. The MSO will not appear at New York's Carnegie Hall next season for first time since the 1993-94 season and only the second time since 1982-82. While the lacuna nine years ago was related to the MSO's recording schedule - the orchestra was devoting extra hours to the mammoth Berlioz opera Les Troyens - the absence in 2003-04 is clearly a fallout of the resignation of Dutoit. The famous temple of music has remained loyal to the Swiss conductor, however. He will lead the Juilliard Orchestra on Oct. 26 - precisely the autumn Sunday afternoon on which New Yorkers could normally expect to hear the MSO. His program, with pianist Emanuel Ax as soloist, will comprise works by Debussy and Falla. (MSO spokeswoman) Desrochers said that Carnegie was pleased with the concerts under two guest conductors last October and that future trips are possible. A Carnegie spokesman has confirmed that the hall normally engages orchestras with their music directors." Oddly, Mr. Kaptainis did not acknowledge that this information was published
first on Scena.org. His "Carnegie spokesman" is a mystery,
since Carnegie Hall has only "spokeswomen" in their press department.
In any case, Carnegie Hall's press office informed Scena.org on Jan. 15,
2003, that it was not contacted by Mr. Kaptainis for this story.]
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The
Montreal Symphony is definitely taking its lumps this year. First came
the rancorous departure of Music Director Charles Dutoit (photo left)
in April 2003. Then a handful of major stars - including Mstslav Rostropovich,
Yo-Yo Ma, and Vladimir Ashkenazy - cancelled their MSO concerts in sympathy
with the maestro. Seat sales slumped. The search for a new Music Director
seems hopelessly stalled [Note: On Jan. 14 the MSO admitted to the Montreal
Gazette that it had passed a "short list" to the Board of Directors,
but would not reveal the names or number of candidates]. Now the MSO finds
itself unwanted at the premiere music venue in America.
In
an interview today, Carnegie Hall Press Director Ann Diebold, speaking
for Executive and Artistic Director Robert Harth, denied that the MSO’s
weak performance and poor ticket sales last year had anything to do with
their absence next year. “The decision had more or less been made [before
last October],” she said. Diebold stated that Carnegie Hall was primarily
concerned by the fact that the orchestra has no Music Director. “It is
much easier for us to work with orchestras with a Music Director in place,”
she said.