Pappano - ROH plus

[Barbirollians]

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.

Agree entirely and I thought he conducted Tristan superbly with Nina Stemme a few years back.

[Dave2002]

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.

Your logic presents a somewhat negative vote for Antonio Pappano. Wagner isn't everything.

[Katzelmacher]

The ROH likes it Music Directors to stay for a LONG time. Pappano is now set to break Colin Davis’ record, isn’t he? Haitink was supposedly only going to be there for a short time but he ended up being there for a good while and overseeing some momentous changes.

Don’t like to sound like I’m damning AP with faint praise, but he’s been consistent and committed and has maintained high standards all-round, though a horrible production of Rusalka (set in a brothel, would you believe) sticks in the mind (I don’t think AP conducted it). I was sure I read that he’d committed himself to ten years and had told the board ‘not to even think’ of offering him a new contract after that time was up. Obviously, he changes his mind.

Edward Gardner would seem to be a logical successor atm. Only problem? His appointment will be made to look very Brexity.

[Belgrove]

I don’t think the Music Director can held responsible for individual productions. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducted (rather well) that production of Rusalka, which I doubt will be revived. Pappano conducted the controversial William Tell production, but that was produced under Kaspar Holten’s truncated stint as Director of Opera. Holten seemed to court controversy (but his King Roger, sumptuously conducted by Pappano, was superb).

I rather hoped that Jurowski would succeed Pappano, he excelled in all repertoire he conducted at Glyndebourne (including Wagner), but he is now happily located in Germany, where his family has always lived. Gardner is certainly a possible successor, I gather he is popular with the orchestra, which is a good sign. I’d like to see Richard Farnes given serious consideration for the role. He has successfully run an opera company and has no weak link in a wide ranging repertoire, encompassing that forming the cornerstones of any opera house of international rank.

[Darkbloom]

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.

Elder is in his 70s. I doubt he would be considered even if he wanted the job.

[Darkbloom]

The ROH will probably have to look at someone relatively young and inexperienced if Pappano does the new Ring. I can't see an established name putting up with it, and it would mean a minimum of ten years before the new MD got their chance. It would probably have to be someone who saw it as a learning opportunity and didn't have an enormous ego. There can't be many of those.

I'm a bit dubious when people cite the popularity of certain conductors with orchestras and see that as a good sign. It may just mean they're competent and pleasant. Orchestral musicians are overworked and underpaid, they would only be human if they didn't like an irascible perfectionist, even if they achieved great results.

[Darkbloom]

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.

Did you see Haitink conduct the revival of Tristan? I still get goosebumps when I think about that. The production was dreadful, the singing not much better, but we had this magician in the pit creating all these colours you'd never hear anywhere else. In Act 3 he was like a man possessed. In the first run he was still getting his eye in, so to speak.

[Katzelmacher]

Did you see Haitink conduct the revival of Tristan? I still get goosebumps when I think about that. The production was dreadful, the singing not much better, but we had this magician in the pit creating all these colours you'd never hear anywhere else. In Act 3 he was like a man possessed. In the first run he was still getting his eye in, so to speak.

I saw the first run and the revival of that (rather awful) Wernicke production and I’d agree the second run was stupendous orchestrally. But both productions were deficient in casting, including two appalling Tristans, the second of whom I didn’t think would make it through the third act. Lisa Gasteen was a very good Isolde, though.

[LHC]

Elder is in his 70s. I doubt he would be considered even if he wanted the job.

Although he conducts regularly at the Opera House in a wide range of repertoire (French, German and Italian), and appears to be popular with the orchestra, I agree that at 70 he is probably unlikely to be the Opera House's first choice to replace Pappano. Similarly, Semyon Bychkov, who was for some time considered to be a possible successor because of his close relationship with the orchestra, is ruled out because of age, and because he has said he is not interested now in being a music director.

Edward Gardner would appear to be the obvious front runner, as he doesn't have a current attachment to another opera house, and Brexit won't interfere with him travelling between Bergen and London.

Another possible candidate could be Michele Mariotti, who is currently in charge of the Bologna Opera House. He is a fantastic young conductor, although like Pappano his speciality is Italian opera, and the Opera House may want someone now with a different focus (although he has conducted the German symphonic repertoire with the Munich Symphony Orchestra).

I was going to suggest Gianandrea Noseda as another possible candidate, but I see he takes over as Music Director of the Zurich Opera this year, so I expect that rules him out.

[duncan]

Very happy with Pappano extending his stay at the ROH. I agree his Wagner doesn't hit the heights of Haitink (or Kirill Petrenko) but it has steadily improved over the three Ring cycles he's done. The rest of his repertoire, particularly Italian opera, has been very good indeed. He seems to manage the diplomacy needed in directing a major opera house: his directorship has been notable by it's relative lack of off-stage dramas.

I am not enthused by the LSO appointment. I had got out of the habit of going to the Barbican during Gergiev's reign (musical and other reasons) and this won't tempt me back.

[LHC]

The ROH will probably have to look at someone relatively young and inexperienced if Pappano does the new Ring. I can't see an established name putting up with it, and it would mean a minimum of ten years before the new MD got their chance. It would probably have to be someone who saw it as a learning opportunity and didn't have an enormous ego. There can't be many of those.

I'm a bit dubious when people cite the popularity of certain conductors with orchestras and see that as a good sign. It may just mean they're competent and pleasant. Orchestral musicians are overworked and underpaid, they would only be human if they didn't like an irascible perfectionist, even if they achieved great results.

The new Ring Cycle with Barrie Kosky is obviously a pet project of Pappano's, and I think commences with Rheingold while he is still Music Director, so it makes sense to complete the new cycle with him. I think as well that you could be overstating the importance of the Ring to any new MD. I don't think it will be a bar to an appointment in the same way you do, and presumably, once the individual operas have been completed, the new MD could take over for the complete cycle.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The new Ring Cycle with Barrie Kosky is obviously a pet project of Pappano's, and I think commences with Rheingold while he is still Music Director, so it makes sense to complete the new cycle with him. I think as well that you could be overstating the importance of the Ring to any new MD. I don't think it will be a bar to an appointment in the same way you do, and presumably, once the individual operas have been completed, the new MD could take over for the complete cycle.

The Ring ( and Wagner in general ) is nothing like as important in running an opera house than an ability to conduct Verdi - which I think in some ways is just as demanding. Even though I prefer Wagner I recognise that Verdi , partly for commercial reasons , is a core composer along with Mozart and Puccini. Maybe it shouldn’t be that way but it is. Davis and Haitink weren’t particularly gifted Verdi conductors .- Pappano must be one of the best. Have to say Elder also shines in this repertory as well.

[LHC]

The Ring ( and Wagner in general ) is nothing like as important in running an opera house than an ability to conduct Verdi - which I think in some ways is just as demanding. Even though I prefer Wagner I recognise that Verdi , partly for commercial reasons , is a core composer along with Mozart and Puccini. Maybe it shouldn’t be that way but it is. Davis and Haitink weren’t particularly gifted Verdi conductors .- Pappano must be one of the best. Have to say Elder also shines in this repertory as well.

Indeed, which is why I suggested Mariotti; he excels in this repertory.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Indeed, which is why I suggested Mariotti; he excels in this repertory.

Not familiar with his work sadly . There are a dearth of conductors who can really do Verdi/Puccini . There have been recent examples at ROH when things weren’t quite right in the Pit. Not sure whether he’d be interested but Semyon Bychkov has done some very good perfs there ....though largely Strauss, Onegin etc..

[Darkbloom]

I would imagine Pappano has his feet firmly under the table for The Ring. I can't see him handing over the complete cycles to someone else. Don't forget that these are all people with big egos and highly competitive in general. Pappano seems fairly normal but it would be asking a lot for him to basically do all the hard work for somebody else, and I can't see the new incumbent taking it over on those terms either.

It's because Wagner isn't really the daily diet for most opera houses that it takes on more importance, I think. Whenever someone new arrives it usually isn't so they can conduct the standard rep but because it gives them the authority to do what they've always wanted, and wouldn't get the opportunity elsewhere.