MAJOR #cosoclassical news:
Gustavo Dudamel, Star Maestro, to Leave L.A. for New York Philharmonic
Dudamel, a charismatic 42-year-old conductor, will take up the Philharmonic’s podium in 2026, in a major coup for the orchestra.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/07/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-gustavo-dudamel.html
For those who don't follow elite-level orchestras and their conductors, this is as big a deal as Tom Brady leaving the Patriots for the Bucs.
@voltronic And the LA Phil is a better orchestra.
Yeah, I said it, and I'll say it again!
Sigh. I'm crushed. But, we replaced Esa-Pekka with Gustavo. I have no doubt we'll appoint an equally brilliant new maestro. Or *maestra*.
@LiberalLibrarian
I don't know that I agree that LAP is *better* than NYP, but Dudamel certainly upped their game where they should be considered in that same realm with the other US elites like Philly, Chicago, Boston, SF, etc. Each of those has something special. For example, no one touches NYP French horns, or Philly's strings.
I forgot you had Salonen before him. Another great.
And yes, it would be great to *finally* see a top-tier American orchestra appoint a woman as music director!
@voltronic I'd say Salonen turned the LA Phil into the world-class orchestra it always had the potential of being. His programming was more adventurous than many others. Dudamel continued that. And yes, time for a woman at the podium. Ever since Salonen the LA Phil has been known for thinking outside the box.
@LiberalLibrarian
Actually that sounds about right. I haven't heard many things from Salonen with LA, but I always pull out his Bernard Herman / Hitchcock theme record and it is amazing.
And don't forget that NY already has the other mega-superstar conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Metropolitan Opera (who also is the conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra because he apparently is superhuman handling both of those jobs.)