When it rains in the Berkshires, well, it just pours in the Berkshires.
Andris Nelsons, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's brand new Latvian conductor, remains concussed in Bayreuth. Making his debut with "that other BSO," conductor Carlo Montanaro--an Italian protégé of Zubin Mehta--is still set, though, to lead Saturday's performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem at Serge's shed.
It's just the Tanglewood concerts on Friday and Sunday that have to be changed now. You see, poor Christoph Eschenbach has allegedly fallen victim to an inner-ear infection.
Until Classicalite hears otherwise, Eschenbach's Friday fill-in will be the Dutchman Edo de Waart--with Garrick Ohlsson taking on Eschenbach's other advertised role as pianist. And save for yet another substitution, Sunday afternoon will feature former BSO assistant conductor, current music director of the Seattle Symphony Ludovic Morlot on the podium.
The real reason for Christoph Eschenbach's cancellation, however, might be closer on the nose.
Classicalite's insiders claim that the German maestro, furious that he did not follow James Levine as Beantown's newest music director, is merely faking any "hearing problems." After his five-year flop in Philly, supposedly, Eschenbach was biding his time in Washington until a better offer came along.
When, back in May, such an offer went to Andris Nelsons instead, Eschenbach leaned on Alexander Pereira for some Mozart work. And when Eschenbach got the gig doing Da Ponte--again, allegedly--Eschy knew he was never going bach to the Berkshires.
