Mastodon Ticciati to take over at Glyndebourne - with no Wagner in his repertoire, how fares the future? - The Wagnerian

Ticciati to take over at Glyndebourne - with no Wagner in his repertoire, how fares the future?

Written By The Wagnerian on Friday 1 July 2011 | 6:33:00 pm

What "the future of classical music" did next

Declared as "..the future of classical music" by the Scotsman two years ago, Robin Ticciati will take over from Jurowski at Glyndebourne in 2014 - an interesting decision. He has a lot in his repertoire so far: including Mozart, Verdi, Humperdinck, Janacek and Johann Strauss. But, as far as I am aware, no Wagner . Is this a hint of Glyndebourne productions post 2013, or simply that he will get a chance to extend his already wide repertoire (he is only 28) even further? Time will tell I am sure but given the success of this years Meistersinger it would surely make little sense to not continue with Wagner now. Ticciati seems ambitious, and his leadership of  Don Giovanni at this years Glyndebourne was well received. One feels that Wagner lies easily within his capabilities and we should note he is already  to conduct his first Rosenkavalier at Glyndebourne and Peter Grimes at Le Scala. And yet, no Wagner?

Ticciati is of course no stranger to Glyndebourne conducting the Flute in rehearsal there at only 21. 

According to the Guardian, the  normally media shy Ticcati said today:
"...Glyndebourne is a very special place to me. When I took that first rehearsal, it was not only the first time I'd conducted a big orchestra, it was the first time I'd ever been in an orchestra pit – and it felt like the one place in the world I wanted to be.
 "Glyndebourne is doing amazing things in making opera more accessible, incredible things like the Guardian's live streaming of Meistersinger which got tweets from all over the world
He went on to say, and I think something we all agree with - especially when one looks around a normal opera audience:
"If there's one thing I want to do in my time there, it's to find more ways of bringing opera to people under 30. It changed my whole life, and I want to share it".

Still, it will be a shame to see the end of Jurowski's time at Glyndebourne - especially given this years magnificent Meistersinger

This from the BBC:

The 28-year-old will take over from Vladimir Jurowski, who in 2001, aged 29, became the festival's youngest musical director.

Ticciati, who makes his debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera this year, will be the the seventh director in the festival's 77-year history.

He said Glyndebourne offered "unrivalled opportunities".

"Creating opera with such talented artistic teams and world class musicians in an organisation that places great emphasis on detailed musical preparation is a genuine privilege," he added.

Ticciati, who will be 31 when he takes over, is principal conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and balances orchestral and operatic performances.

This year he will be conducting The Marriage of Figaro at the Salzburg Festival and Don Giovanni in Glyndebourne.

Glyndebourne general director David Pickard said Ticciati would continue Glyndebourne's "long tradition of artistic excellence and innovation".

"None of us will forget the excitement when, as a 21-year-old assistant conductor on Die Zauberflote in 2004, Robin Ticciati stood in the pit at Glyndebourne for the first time and conducted the overture."

Those present at that rehearsal "were in no doubt of his exceptional talent", Mr Pickard added.

The Glyndebourne festival of opera, founded in 1934, presents six productions each year.

This year's festival, which runs from 21 May to 26 August, includes new productions of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg and Handel's Rinaldo.

Glyndebourne on Tour, which Ticciati directed from 2007 to 2009, takes three productions around the UK each autumn.