Intermezzo

Gergiev double protest

It wasn't just the anti-Putin protestors who had it in for Valery Gergiev on Wednesday night. 

The Munich Philharmonic's new chief conductor-in-waiting has drawn flak from critical quarters too.

The Merkur's Markus Thiel describes Gergiev's Gasteig concert as "poorly rehearsed". Apparently at the first rehearsal, just a couple of days beforehand, some of the works were run through only once. And an hour before the concert began they were still hurrying to rehearse one of the pieces.

No surprise then that the orchestra "coped only tolerably", "intent on avoiding accidents" and at one point playing "simply to get through". The Bulgarian choir drafted in to supplement the Munich Philharmonic's own singers - but not mentioned in the concert programme book - is described as an "expensive rescue bid."

Birmingham gets a Russian Ring

The much-derided Mariinsky Ring Cycle (as seen at Covent Garden in 2009) goes West.

West Midlands, that is. The Birmingham Hippodrome, which "annually mounts the biggest pantomime in the country" is well-qualified to host the Gergiev-led extravaganza in November 2014.

The Maestro himself has, inevitably, "not yet had the chance to inspect the venue," so cross fingers he can fit his assortment of totem poles and Valkyries through the door.

Tickets go on sale on 9 December 2013. No word yet on prices, but given that they're offering a direct debit option don't expect it to be cheap.

 

*PRICING UPDATE* A brochure and booking form are now available, showing prices ranging from £252 to £756 for the full cycle.

For an additional £35, you can become a Hippodrome 'Friend', which gives you priority booking privileges, meaning you can book right now.

For £2,750, you can join the Ring Cycle Syndicate, which includes 5 nights' accommodation as well as various tours and activities.

Single performances will be on sale from Spring 2014.

Gergiev's cheap Romeo

Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra take another bash at Roméo et Juliette tonight (13 November) at the Barbican.

A ticket (normally up to £37) with a free cocktail thrown in can be yours for just £15 using the online discount code 131113.  

Keep your eyes peeled for more offers from the same source.

Hector et Valery

Roméo et Juliette - LSO/Gergiev - Barbican, 6 November 2013

Another night, another lacklustre crack at Berlioz from Valery Gergiev. The conductor's challenge in this episodic work is to respect the very different character of each individual section while knitting them together into a coherent whole.  The unremitting loudness of Gergiev's account couldn't disguise its overall flabbiness, distinguished only by exceptional solo contributions from vocalists and winds.  

Eugene Onegin opens Met season

Eugene Onegin - Metropolitan Opera, 23 September 2013

Opening night at the Metropolitan Opera is more about the occasion than the opera. There were gowns galore, celebrities of varying wattage, roped-off VIP areas and even the odd genuine opera singer to add to the festive vibe. Outside on Lincoln Center Plaza, orderly rows of seats were set up for a big screen relay. Inside there were extended intervals, formal wear in the cheap seats and the occasional glimpse of Heather Graham holding court amongst the glittering visitors.

Gergiev's mystery millions

In 2012, Forbes magazine reported Valery Gergiev's annual income to be 3 million dollars. That's probably more than the whole of the LSO put together. But it's not out of line with the earnings of top US conductors like Michael Tilson Thomas and James Levine. They picked up well over $2 million apiece for far less than busy Gergiev's 200+ events.

However the 2013 figures from Forbes show Gergiev's annual income leapt to $16.5 million in 2013 - a rise of $11.5 million in one year.

How has Putin's favourite conductor managed to pick up so much so quickly?  He's not conducting any more concerts than he used to, and his fees surely can't have risen to $80,000 a gig. His reported 15% holding in Russia's largest turkey producer? Gobble, gobble.