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La Scala’s Acclaimed Daniel Barenboim the Latest to Lash Out at Concertgoers

Acclaimed conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim has become the latest in a string of musicians to berate the audience from the stage. Angry at the audience for taking pictures, Barenboim slammed flash-happy fans at La Scala, Milan's prestigious opera house, as "badly educated.”The outburst came during a performance of Franz Schubert’s "D845 Sonata" where Barenboim, who was in his final week at La Scala, warned audiences — and one woman in particular — that he had asked several times for people not to take photographs during his performance and was beginning to lose his temper."Madam, I am trying to give you my best, but you have no respect for it! Those who take photographs during concerts are badly educated,” he said. "I have asked at every concert. The first time nicely, but now it's serious.”After a round of applause, the 72-year-old Argentinian conductor and pianist returned to the sonata.Music fans are all too familiar with this behavior with a string of controversial lash-outs coming from musicians.
By Jaime Prisco