Unrepentant Maazel: "Two Hours Of Music Accomplished More Than 30 Years Of Diplomacy"

Earlier today in Milan, Lorin Maazel has spoken (in his truly excellent, basically perfect Italian that always embarasses this American expat) warmly of his experience conducting (the "Symphony for the Devil", per the New York Post's memorable turn of phrase) the NYPhil in North Korea two months ago (despite the heavy artillery fire of bad press the decision got him in the US press, aka "the liberal media"): "I am a musician, not a politician; but that experience taught me once again how art and music can aloow us to transced our differences. Two hours of music did accomplish more than 30 years of diplomacy to bring two different cultures together".

Maazel will conduct his own work, the Orwellian opera 1984, next month at la Scala (premiere on May 2).

Comments

[dino]

why would the "liberal media" attack Him? It would seem that the right wing media would do that.

But, I guess that you are being "sarcastic." :))

[NHB]

Good for him. There's too much blame and shame finger pointing going on. Although I have to add that I saw the premiere of 1984 and it's not a great opera. Of course the subject is fantastic and works well in the opera house but apart from a couple of powerful chorus scenes the music is banal regurgitated Berg.

N.