It seems that poor attendances at concerts featuring anything but the old reliables is a disease not limited to the UK.
Here in Dublin, our National Symphony Orchestra is currently in charge of a new artistic team (principal conductor Alan Buribayev, principal guest conductor Hannu Lintu, associate artist Finghin Collins). They are transforming the concert experience here, with the 2011-12 NSOI season especially a quite remarkably ambitious one, crammed with innovative and imaginative programming. My last concert had Hannu Lintu conducting Sibelius's 3rd Symphony and Zemlinksy's Lyric Symphony (soloists Amanda Roocroft and Wolfgang Holzmair). I guess it was the Zemlinsky that made the unadventurous shy away, as the hall was less than half full. The poor attendance was a shame, as the concert was an exhilarating one. The Sibelius was astonishing, while the Zemlinsky was fine, though let down by Amanda Roocroft's contribution).
I dread to think what the numbers will be like at the next concert on my list, the centrepiece of which will be Evelyn Glennie joining the orchestra for a performance of Christopher Rouse's Der gerettete Alberich.
Here in Dublin, our National Symphony Orchestra is currently in charge of a new artistic team (principal conductor Alan Buribayev, principal guest conductor Hannu Lintu, associate artist Finghin Collins). They are transforming the concert experience here, with the 2011-12 NSOI season especially a quite remarkably ambitious one, crammed with innovative and imaginative programming. My last concert had Hannu Lintu conducting Sibelius's 3rd Symphony and Zemlinksy's Lyric Symphony (soloists Amanda Roocroft and Wolfgang Holzmair). I guess it was the Zemlinsky that made the unadventurous shy away, as the hall was less than half full. The poor attendance was a shame, as the concert was an exhilarating one. The Sibelius was astonishing, while the Zemlinsky was fine, though let down by Amanda Roocroft's contribution).
I dread to think what the numbers will be like at the next concert on my list, the centrepiece of which will be Evelyn Glennie joining the orchestra for a performance of Christopher Rouse's Der gerettete Alberich.
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