The brass at Bayreuth have confirmed that recently concussed conductor Andris Nelsons will indeed keep his Friday appointment with Lohengrin.
In an email to the New York Times, Linda Wagentristl, a spokesperson for the fest, wrote: "Andris Nelsons is doing well and looking forward to conduct Lohengrin on August 2."
(Wait..so does that mean said door is closed now?)
Either way, Classicalite readers will surely recall that it t'was a door, itself, that kept the Boston Symphony Orchestra's music director designate from making last weekend's Tanglewood meeting with Verdi. And after Nelsons dropped out, the rest started dropping like the esteem for Frank Castorf's new Ring Cycle.
Speaking of direction, it's time to note that Nelsons has been to Bayreuth before. Both his and Hans Neuenfels' handling of Wagner's medieval fairytale of love and sorcery was hit back in 2011 (as were soprano Annette Dasch and tenor Klaus Florian Vogt).
Just listen, and look, for yourself.
Wagentristl went on to tell the Times, "Yes, [Nelsons] has been at Bayreuth to begin the rehearsals."
Well, given that the door Nelsons ran into was in Bayreuth--and that his doctors there had forbidden him to leave the area--we at least know the first part of the sentence is true.
And if any website could ever be fully trusted, Bayreuth's does have Andris Nelsons listed as the conductor of this train.
Break on through, then, Maestro Nelsons!
