Pappano - ROH plus

[Belgrove]

It has been announced that Antonio Pappano will continue as Music Director of the ROH until summer 2024. He has also been appointed as Chief Conductor Designate of the LSO in their 2022/23 season, then as Chief Conductor in September 2024.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Good News for the R. Opera House.

I presume that's not Rattle's post? (I'll have to look up the terminology....."Music Director"......"Principal Guest Conductor"......now "Chief Conductor"....).

[LHC]

Good News for the R. Opera House.

I presume that's not Rattle's post? (I'll have to look up the terminology....."Music Director"......"Principal Guest Conductor"......now "Chief Conductor"....).

I think it is to all intents and purposes Rattle's post. I assume they have decided to forego having a Music Director for the time being (Rattle was the first person to use this title at the LSO), and that Pappano was happy to use the new designation. Prior to Rattle, both Colin Davis and Valery Gergiev were titled Principal Conductor.

Edited to say that Chief Conductor (and previously Principal Conductor) are probably more appropriate designations for the LSO as a self-governing orchestra, rather than Music Director.

[cloughie]

It has been announced that Antonio Pappano will continue as Music Director of the ROH until summer 2024. He has also been appointed as Chief Conductor Designate of the LSO in their 2022/23 season, then as Chief Conductor in September 2024.

Probably a good one there - I like his recordings of Tchaik 4 5 6 and Rach 2 and I see he has RVW’s 4/6 with LSO to be released in April.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Probably a good one there - I like his recordings of Tchaik 4 5 6 and Rach 2 and I see he has RVW’s 4/6 with LSO to be released in April.

I wonder who will replace the irreplaceable Tony? Edward Gardner would be my choice largely on the strength of his ENO Grimes and Mastersinger...

[Cockney Sparrow]

Ed Gardner was engaged to appear last season - can't recall which opera. I do recall Pappano saying, in the Friends Magazine that it had taken a long time to get Gardner to appear at the ROH, with their respective schedules not being convenient, but he (Pappano) was delighted that it was, at last, going to happen.

A friend who sang in the the Chorus for a recording told me Ed Gardner is the real deal - which I know is the general, consensus view.

Also, there is reference to a Ring cycle with Barrie Kosky and Pappano with Rheingold in September 2023. I suppose that means Pappano conducting the rest of the cycle over a number of years into his successor's tenure?

[Lancashire Lass]

Ed Gardner's debut was in early 2019 with Katya Kabanova, which won the Olivier for best new opera. it was one of the best things I've ever seen, Amanda Majeski was heartbreaking and managed to get every ounce of passion out of Janacek's spare lines. I guess part of that was the orchestra -- a good conductor is going to lift the singers as well. The orchestra certainly made a good job of all the lush melodies which the composer gifted them with.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ed is also an exceptionally charming man - engaging me in conversation when I congratulated him on his Grimes on the steps of the Coliseum and replying the same day when I emailed more congrats over his wonderful Mastersinger. Though I wonder how interested he would be. I remember him saying in interview that he found the production of Benvenuto Cellini very stressful - though bound up In that would have been the underlying concerns re the future of the ENO. I get the impression there’s much more of a support structure for the music director at Covent Garden.

[underthecountertenor]

Ed Gardner was engaged to appear last season - can't recall which opera. I do recall Pappano saying, in the Friends Magazine that it had taken a long time to get Gardner to appear at the ROH, with their respective schedules not being convenient, but he (Pappano) was delighted that it was, at last, going to happen.

A friend who sang in the the Chorus for a recording told me Ed Gardner is the real deal - which I know is the general, consensus view.

Also, there is reference to a Ring cycle with Barrie Kosky and Pappano with Rheingold in September 2023. I suppose that means Pappano conducting the rest of the cycle over a number of years into his successor's tenure?

Pappano’s and the ROH’s press statements seem to make it clear that he will return to the House as a guest after his tenure has ended, including for the whole of the new Ring. Great news as far as I’m concerned. I’m relieved and very happy that Pappano is staying in London. The temptation to stick two fingers up must have been great. He’s a vital asset.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Pappano’s and the ROH’s press statements seem to make it clear that he will return to the House as a guest after his tenure has ended, including for the whole of the new Ring. Great news as far as I’m concerned. I’m relieved and very happy that Pappano is staying in London. The temptation to stick two fingers up must have been great. He’s a vital asset.

Heartily agree - the greatest of the three I have memories of. He can do the Italian repertory better than any one I can think of (recently) and makes a pretty good job of the German. Whereas with Haitink and Davis you never quite thought Verdi was their cup of tea....though BH did conduct the Inquisitor scene at his farewell gala somewhat to my surprise before being presented with a lambretta somewhat to his...

[Darkbloom]

Pappano's connections with the LSO have been long-standing so this isn't a particularly surprising announcement. I can't say It's a very exciting choice but I'm not sure how many top conductors would have been willing to commit long-term to a country that is rapidly turning into an artistic leper-colony.

It seems a bit odd, even greedy, for Pappano to bag a new Ring at his old job as it's usually a prize plum for any newly-arriving conductor. It's not as if he hasn't had several goes before. He did a reasonable job, by most accounts, but I don't think many people would put him anywhere near the Haitink class.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Pappano's connections with the LSO have been long-standing so this isn't a particularly surprising announcement. I can't say It's a very exciting choice but I'm not sure how many top conductors would have been willing to commit long-term to a country that is rapidly turning into an artistic leper-colony.

It seems a bit odd, even greedy, for Pappano to bag a new Ring at his old job as it's usually a prize plum for any newly-arriving conductor. It's not as if he hasn't had several goes before. He did a reasonable job, by most accounts, but I don't think many people would put him anywhere near the Haitink class.

Having seen both conduct the Ring and Tristan I would put Pappano in the Haitink class. However Haitink’s Meistersinger was much better than either of the two Pappanos I saw. A critic said it was a bit like some one conducting the accompaniment to the opera and that was just right. The dreadful Masonic production didn’t help nor did an out of sorts Bryn Terrell. The ENO Gardner / Paterson Mastersinger was for me the benchmark...wish I’d gone to every performance.

[Belgrove]

... I would put Pappano in the Haitink class.

I simply cannot agree with that. Pappano’s conducting of Wagner has been a huge disappointment throughout his otherwise illustrious tenure as Music Director over the past couple of decades. He is superb in everything else (especially Berg). But since Wagner is my principal operatic interest, it is a disappointment if indeed he conducts the next Ring in it’s entirety. It’s a job that has customarily gone with the Music Director at the ROH, and I hope that custom is maintained.

[bluestateprommer]

Probably a good one there - I like his recordings of Tchaik 4 5 6 and Rach 2 and I see he has RVW’s 4/6 with LSO to be released in April.

Agree that appointing Pappano is a smart move by the LSO, with or w/o Brexit as a confounding factor. It makes sense on many levels, with his long-standing guest-conducting relationship with the LSO, as well as residing in London. It occurred to me after the initial news of SSR leaving that Pappano might be on the LSO's radar, besides potentially Noseda, Roth, or Harding, ut I didn't think to post about it at the time.

Did see the news about his new RVW 4 & 6 on LSO Live, so will have to keep an eye out for that.

The news also has coverage across the channel, from Bavarian Radio's BR-Klassik page:

https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/antonio-pappano-dirigent-neuer-chefdirigent-london-symphony-orchestra-100.html

Note the last paragraph:

"Die Pandemie und auch der Brexit haben dem Orchester doppelt zu schaffen gemacht. So stark sogar, dass Sir Simon Rattle daran zweifelte, ob es die Krise überleben wird. Doch Pappano gibt sich zuversichtlich. Die Pandemie sei auch eine Chance gewesen, kreativ zu werden und sich über die Identität des Orchesters neue Gedanken zu machen, sagt er im Gespräch mit BR-KLASSIK: 'Das Orchester ist sehr stark, und die Hoffnung ist, dass es vielleicht eine neue Identität schöpfen kann in der nächsten Zeit.' Einen Weg aus der Krise sieht Pappano in Konzerten, die in nächster Zeit vermehrt innerhalb Großbritanniens stattfinden sollen, und in der Entwicklung neuer Formate. 'Wir haben eine Mission, ein Ziel ... we will bring it home!'"

Google Translation:

"The pandemic and also the Brexit have given the orchestra double problems. So strong, in fact, that Sir Simon Rattle doubted whether it would survive the crisis. But Pappano is confident. The pandemic was also an opportunity to get creative and to think again about the identity of the orchestra, he says in an interview with BR-KLASSIK: 'The orchestra is very strong and the hope is that it might have a new identity can draw in the near future.' Pappano sees a way out of the crisis in concerts, which are to take place increasingly within Great Britain in the near future, and in the development of new formats. 'We have a mission, a goal ... we will bring it home!'"

[CallMePaul]

I wonder who will replace the irreplaceable Tony? Edward Gardner would be my choice largely on the strength of his ENO Grimes and Mastersinger...

I have not heard Gardner conduct Wagner, but the ROH should seriously consider Sir Mark Elder for the post, although he would be missed at the Hallé. As recent Ring and Parsifal have shown, he is a superb Wagnerian, and his past tenure at ENO shows that he can conduct a wide operatic repertoire.