Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Argerich's concert is cancelled... not her fault!

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.

Talk to her? That would turn me as many shades of green as the Emerald Isle.

or OZ

It's not about preference, it's about being professional. Sometimes arrangements have to be changed at late notice. It happens fairly frequently in Australia, it doesn't mean that performers cancel their commitments. And before you accuse me of being unqualified as an arbiter on this, I'll happily wager that I have more direct experience with this than you. Let me tell you the story: When I was doing my final year recital for guitar it involved performing a concerto. I was to play Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez with the university orchestra. The conductor was a visiting Italian by the name of Piero Gamba. We had done two rehearshals for this performance, then he was taken ill just before the performance. Of course, I wasn't about to cancel my performance, so we got a guest conductor in at the last minute. Of course, I had to sit down with him and go through the piece and inform him of how we had been practising the concerto, he took down notes and marked his score accordingly.

In the end, the performance went fine and without a hitch. Sure, it was a little different in places, but certainly worth doing and not that hard to adjust to. I have, to date, performed 9 guitar concertos. So before you accuse me of having no knowledge on the subject, maybe you should be sure who you are talking to. I would also ask you to describe some of your own experience with playing a concerto under different conductors.

Yes, it feels a little different, but changing conductors is no reason to cancel a performance. I know of plenty of top-flight performers in Australia who have had to adjust to a new conductor at short notice. They don't worry about it at all - they just do it. We don't have to be so precious just because we play classical music. There are all kinds of intangibles in any performance and you just have to roll with it.

Feel free to tell me further how little knowledge I have on the subject...

Is there no place for jokes on this forum? Lighten up...

Well it's not that surprising that somebody called "argerichfan" would leap to her defence, is it?

I'm not downplaying her preference to play with certain conductors. I'm just saying she could have gone through with the performance. Chemistry is nice and all, but what about all her disappointed fans who bought tickets? And this isn't the first time she has cancelled a performance... Personally, I find that disappointing. My teachers taught me that you don't cancel a performance unless your arms are in a cast.

By the way, Mark C and others who feel like taking a swipe at me - are you aware that for many conducted performances, there are understudy conductors who are assigned to take over in the event of illness or cancelation from the conductor? That would imply that it is expected that performers can adapt quickly to a new conductor.

What makes you think you have more experience at it than me?
No need to make it personal. It doesn't help your position or make you look real good to say things like that.

But anyway: I don't want someone like Argerich to be "professional," not in the way you said.

There are thousands of people who are professional. If she made herself be "professional" in the way you're saying, she wouldn't be Argerich.

One of the things that often enables people like Argerich to be what they are is that they're highly particular, in whichever kinds of ways. (In case you never noticed.)

I'm not saying that being "professional" requires that you be so particular -- but she is. That's a big part of what makes her Argerich. She has extreme intensity, individuality, and yes, 'particularity.' And I think I can assure you that her concern goes beyond having the concert "go fine and without a hitch." When you say something like that, regardless of how much experience you may have and regardless of how excellent you may be, you make it sound like you just don't appreciate some of the considerations, as was the case with that earlier post.

I didn't 'take a swipe' at you; it was about what you said. It's fine to have a strong preference for performers to be more flexible about such things, but I think it misses something to say that it's necessarily "not such a big deal" to play with a different conductor.

My purpose wasn't to bignote mself, it was that your comment implied that I didn't know what it meant to change conductors. I have directly experienced it. It wasn't so bad. Your comment actually made me suspect that you haven't been through the same experience - more that you are accepting Argerich's rationale without having tested it yourself (of course, this is speculation at this point since we don't know what she has said about it, this is just in theory). If you have experienced it, I stand corrected.


I find that surprising. If I had bought tickets I certainly would want her to be professional enough to show up.



You are quite right there. Most great performers are particular/peculiar, but for me I draw the line at accepting them not performing what they are scheduled for. I can't really accept that as a peculiarity. I don't believe other odd performers like Kissin would do that. If you can accept it, that's fine.



I'm not saying it's ideal, but if you bought tickets for her performance and she canceled, would you be celebrating her individuality or would you rather see her play, even if it wasn't under her ideal circumstances? I certainly can appreciate what great conductors bring to the table. Indeed, even the rehearsals I had with Maestro Gamba were an inspiration. What I am talking about is making the best of a situation. I don't see why you would equate that with being undiscerning.



Ok then, it's a big deal. Do you still think a performer should cancel for this reason? Is there a point where you just have to soldier on? Do you think performers who do accept a change of conductor are somehow less discerning? I don't think they are, I just think they are fulfilling their responsibility to perform. When I had a change of conductor, I went from a internationally renowned and great man, to a virtually unknown local. It was a little disappointing for me, but I was able to adjust and I'm glad I did. No, I'm not Argerich, not even close, but does my willingness to accept a change of circumstance say something negative and undiscerning about me? Also, what about the other top-flight artists who have accepted a late change of conductor without complaint? I think it actually speaks highly of them and their adaptability.

The answers to all the questions you just asked are implicit in the post that you were replying to.

Let me add, though, that I could have made my points in a nicer way -- and I'm sorry I didn't. All I mean to say is that there could be aspects here that you weren't taking into account. I just got carried away because I was feeling defensive on Argerich's behalf -- partly because of my regard for her, and partly because I myself can identify very much with this kind of "particularity."

Gosh I hope she doesn't cancel her March performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall. I've already bought tickets! Hopefully Dudamel won't have any herniated disks....

I walked out of an Argerich recital once. I delayed buying the ticket until one hour before showtime, specifically asking if she was in the building and going to perform. The first person to come onstage was a man with a microphone who made the dreaded announcement that they'd fortunately been able to find a "replacement" for the indisposed Ms. Argerich. They even gave me a hard time when I asked for the ticket to be reimbursed.
I guess the show must go on, but what the heck!