In Friday’s (5/6) Boston Globe, Jeremy Eichler writes, “The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced today the first season of performances in its new era without a music director. James Levine, whose resignation goes into effect Sept. 1, is not scheduled to appear at all next year. ‘We really wanted to give Jim time to focus on his health,’ said managing director Mark Volpe in a phone interview. … For the 2011-12 season, many familiar guest conductors are scheduled to return, including Bernard Haitink, Charles Dutoit, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Kurt Masur, but the season also promises a large number of Symphony Hall conducting debuts, including those of Riccardo Chailly, Andris Nelsons, Jirí Belohlávek, Juraj Valcuha, Juanjo Mena, and Jaap Van Zweden. Details of the season will be closely scrutinized by onlookers eager for indications of whom the orchestra is considering as its next music director. How much the details will actually reveal may be another matter. Volpe explained that the BSO’s newly established search committee had no influence on this new season. … One appearance likely to draw close scrutiny will be that of Chailly. The Italian maestro has never conducted the orchestra before, but he is now scheduled to lead two full weeks of performances next season, including Mendelssohn’s ‘Lobgesang’ and a program with works by Prokofiev, Debussy, and Stravinsky (‘The Rite of Spring’).”
Posted May 6, 2011
