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The organizers had only two days to make this matching changing. On Tuesday, it was apparent that Mr. Levine could not conduct the season's opening with the Boston Symphony Orchestra due to his back pain problems. Levine's herniated disk in his back required immediate surgery, reports NY Times.
While one of the substitute conductors could have stepped up to the challenge in Levine's absence, the newspaper reports that the Orchestra wanted to have someone who is "a known maestro for this prestigious event."
Daniele Gatti, who happened to be in Manhattan, working on Verdi's Aida with the Metropolitan Opera, took up the challenge. In fact, Aida opens on Friday at the Metropolitan Opera.
Gatti conducted the entire program according to Levine's plan and only made one change. He replaced Berlioz's "Roman Carnival" - planned with Levine - with Beethoven's "Coriolan" Overture.
Other soloists that performed at yesterday's Carnegie Hall season's opening were famous Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin and the former principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Ann Hobson. Kissin brilliantly performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Hobson was the soloist in John Williams’s “On Willows and Birches,” written for her, a work that had its premiere on Sept. 23 in Boston.
Earlier on September 29 the administration of the Carnegie Hall released a statement for the media that Daniele Gatti would conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra as James Levine withdrew from the performance. However, the administration did not detail the reason of Levine's withdrawal.
We wish the Maestro Levine a quick recovery and thank Mr. Gatti that took the podium and gave the concert season a good start.
Written by Armen Hareyan
HULIQ publisher
Posted October 2nd, 2009 by Armen Hareyan
