It's fair to say orchestra director Jan Nast is pretty excited about Christian Thielemann taking the reins as principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Just look at the slogan on the Staatskapelle's website (above). Not to mention the 'Arrived' posters he's had plastered over Dresden bus stops (below).
But he may have outdone even himself at yesterday's 2012-13 season announcement, comparing "the Thielemann effect" to both the Sistine Madonna and the AMD microchip factory - one a local tourist draw, the other the economic saviour of the region.
Nast's enthusiasm is modest compared with J. Helfricht's exclamation mark-peppered tribute in Bild though.
"Dawn breaks on a new era in Dresden. Because baton genius Christian Thielemann (53) will be officially introduced at the Semper Opera as principal conductor of the Staatskapelle!"
J goes on to enumerate the economic benefits of Thielemann's appointment. Concert seats will sell out, local businesses will benefit from wealthy concert-going tourists, and sales will increase for CDs, DVDs, "and even souvenirs like the golden Staatskapelle tie".
With Thielemann's Dresden salary estimated at €1m ("every euro is well spent" - J), that's an awful lot of ties.
