Seiji Ozawa was supposed to be the conductor for Martha's concert (Beethoven's first) and he apparently had surgery recently (for a herniated disc!!) and needs a (very) long recovery time. The concert was planned for April.
I kind of expected this when I bought the tickets almost a year ago, because Ozawa was diagnosed with some GI cancer (esophageal?.. ).. Sorry for him and for missing Argerich! Who knows when /if she will ever perform again solo (or near solo).. I bet she is relieved.. For a change, she did not initiate the cancellation. I don't know why they could not get a substitute conductor..

I'm so sorry for you! How disappointing. I hope you can get a chance to hear her again.

I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a substitute conductor. I bet she was fussy about who she'd work with.

^ That's pretty much always been the case. No one was really surprised about the total cancellation on the Argerich db.

We have tickets too, also bought way in advance, on the day that the tix became available last August; I had marked down the date and made sure to be working the phone at the exact moment when the sale began. And I likewise was ready for anything about it. Sorry to hear it of course, but thanks for giving the news -- this is the first I hear it.

If I were Martha Argerich, I probably would not accept a substitute conductor. In fact, that is probably what happened. It's not like there are no conductors available.

Really? Ozawa or none?? Somebody of her calibre could easily get just about any conductor flown in for the evening or even make use of the NYPhil conductor or James Levine, or her buddy Dutoit etc..
Actually, I think the bigger problem was that this was in a "Japan" series that featured Ozawa and his group (? Japan Music Academy or somrthing of the sort); they also had another -different- concert on the following day that was cancelled.

^Well it's not for just one concert. Ozawa has cancelled all of his concerts until august this year.
I had tickets to see her in Paris in april... so disapointed

I hope he is not very ill from his cancer. He may be frail from chemo, but such a long recovery following simple back surgery is inauspicious..

I've heard Argerich three or four times including a semi solo recital at Carnegie Hall. She never cancelled any of her concerts that I had tickets for. Probably because she knew I was coming.

I don't think that works, especially with someone like her but really to some extent with anyone. It's not just getting someone who's real good and who knows the piece, etc. etc. It's having someone you really want -- in her case probably the person she wants.

Gee, what a surprise...not.

No no......for "not" jokes, you need to pause longer!

More like: "Gee, what a surprise..........not."

There was a little tutorial of sorts about that in "Borat."

True. Although, for both you guys, I have to ask: what do you have against spaces? You shouldn't connect words by ellipses... without... spaces....

Or:

Gee, what a surprise.

Obviously most definitely there should be a separate thread on exactly how many "dots" we need before "not," and exactly how much bigger the "not" font should be!

Not to mention if there should also be 'spaces.'

Notation, as we know, is important.


...........NOT!!!

Funny: I don't hear much sympathy expressed for Ozawa and what he might be going through.

Regards,

Very true.
For better or (mostly) worse (as per what you said), we're focused on Argerich's performance not happening.

Amongst seasoned concert goers and those who have followed classical music for a long time, Ozawa's physical challenge is a cause to be very sad for.

But realistically, if Argerich had not cancelled, but had agreed to play with another conductor, how many ticket holders would have stayed away because of Ozawa's absence?

None. But that would have nothing to do with any disregard to his misfortune.

People aren't disregarding it - it's just that it's unavoidable that Ozawa can't be there so there's not much you can say about it. That Argerich isn't playing is totally avoidable and, lamentably, this has come to characterise the late phase of her career - that's why she attracts so much commentary. She is now seen as an unreliable prima donna by many - regardless of her undeniable talent. It's a shame. She needs to get over herself. It's not such a big deal to play with a different conductor. All she needs to do is give some detailed instructions about how she wants the piece to be conducted. No conductor would fight her on an interpretation.

I agree. Ozawa looked very frail last year (saw a then recent picture). But MA should show more flex.

thank goodness for you tube.

( I do have a delightful video of Argerich playing a duet with Kissen (I think) in Germany in the 80s. It's somewhere in my house.

apple, she is even more awesome live. Incredible stage presence, fluid seamless technique.. she looks like she is part of the piano and in a very unassuming way.. and she gets screaming groupies and flowers like a rock star..

Ando, be nice!!! She is over herself.. We are just not over her..

I would LOVE to hear her play.. I don't know that she would make it to Kansas City.

What skill she has.

That wasn't you throwing pairs of underwear to her, was it?

Not sure about that one.

You may be right there.

I don't agree.

IMO all you're saying is that you don't think there could be a good reason why she might not wish to play with someone else. Maybe the reason she wanted to play this concert at all was because she wanted to play it with Ozawa. Maybe there aren't very many conductors that she feels comfortable with, or wouldn't find it interesting to work with. And maybe all kinds of other things that would be valid too.


I think you just disqualified yourself as any kind of arbiter on this.

I heard her in London several times. You may collectively eat your hearts out.

My, how that description brings back memories.
yeah, I screamed... and those flowers I bought were expensive.

ando, I'm going to have to agree with Mark on this. That's really an oversimplification and a bit disrespectful of Argerich. How much do we know about the chemistry between her and her favoured conductors?

No I am not capable of such a class act..
Sheesh ando.. Get with the program..


Afan
Yes I am definitely jealous.. But I just might get to see her in Lugano this year (and I mean see her play and talk to her, thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend!), though info on that is still unclear.