Dresden Staatskapelle: Daniele Gatti, of all people, will succeed Christian Thielemann in Dresden

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opinion Dresden State Orchestra

Kicked out in Amsterdam, welcome in Dresden

Formerly in Amsterdam, soon in Dresden: Conductor Daniele Gatti Formerly in Amsterdam, soon in Dresden: Conductor Daniele Gatti

Director Daniele Gatti

Those: Marco Borggreve

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Last year it became known that Christian Thielemann’s contract with the Dresden Staatskapelle would not be extended. It is said that he does not stand for the future of musical theater. The Staatskapelle has now chosen a new chief conductor. The choice is not visionary.

Dhe new one is just two years younger than the old one. At the podium he seems even more stoic. His repertoire is cross-conventional (albeit a bit broader than that of the title holder). He is a white man who will soon be approaching normal retirement age, and has also been scratched by various #MeToo allegations that made headlines four years ago with his spectacularly immediate dismissal from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra.

So that’s the situation in Dresden. The Saxon State Orchestra has just voted in favor of Daniele Gatti (60) as the new chief conductor and successor to Christian Thielemann (63).

The Staatskapelle asked Barbara Klepsch, the Saxon Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, to start negotiations with Gatti about the future position. Incidentally, Klepsch is the same person who, in agreement with the orchestra, did not extend the Thielemann contract, which expired in summer 2024, in May 2021.

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Her reasoning at the time: “We see what is good today and still think about the opera the day after tomorrow. And an opera in ten years’ time will be different from the opera of today: In some cases, it will have to break new ground between traditional opera and concert performances and contemporary interpretations of music theater and concert art. The attraction for the diverse audience between established regular guests and new target groups should be retained or increased.”

Of course, these are empty clichés to wind up Thielemann, who was no longer acceptable because of his well-known stubbornness. Just as empty as the verbal wreaths of flowers for Gatti.

“Sensitive feeling for the special sound”

And even if Gatti’s abuse of female subordinates could never really be proven, a lot is said behind the scenes and the dispute with the Dutch elite orchestra ended with an out-of-court settlement – which largely lacks morality in #MeToo as well as in the current Ukraine/Russia positioning With this by no means future-oriented, not really surprising personnel decision, the classical music company gives itself a bad report.

“His sensitive feeling for the special sound of the Staatskapelle, his gripping musical visions and, last but not least, his international reputation have made him the ideal candidate,” the orchestra board babbles about the supposedly new savior.

So there is still an attempt, even if it is illusory, to claim a market value for the Asian tours, which until recently were the only profitable ones. Japan, like China, remains closed to the pandemic, and China is politically shady. Eyes and ears shut and through? The Staatskapelle in its subsidized carefree bubble seems to believe in it.

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And despite all the calls for female, younger, diverse management, Gatti still seems important enough to the company. Despite the allegations of abuse, the Rome Opera immediately hired him as music director in Macholand Italy. He is currently the chief conductor of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, led by the long-time artistic director Alexander Pereira.

The Staatskapelle, to which he has been invited regularly since 2000, has since continued to work with Daniele Gatti, as has the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and even the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. And also at the Bayreuth Festival, where he was initially removed from the “Ring des Nibelungen”, which starts this summer, Gatti will direct the next “Meistersinger” production in 2025.

It remains to be seen whether Daniele Gatti can lead Dresden into an innovative future. Of course, with this commitment he is back in the premier class of the guild. A perfect starting position for him, as he is also considered the top candidate to succeed Antonio Pappano at the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Thielemann had the Dresdeners exclusively, Gatti may have to share them.

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