OMG OMG OMG as Opera Chic wrote yesterday, Milanese conductor Daniele Gatti is a big loggionisti favorite for the post of Music Director vacated by Riccardo Muti in early 2005; among the obstacles between Gatti and the prize seems to be, at least that's what intense Milan buzz repeats, a certain low profile as a safe, somehow unexciting conductor.
Then Gatti decided to grant a long interview to Corriere della Sera (not online sadly), saying things like:
a) "classical music needs more flair", and explaining that, wink wink, if it were up to him, wink wink, he'd establish in an opera house's season programma at least four or five "concerti al buio" (literally "concerts in the dark"), where the audience only knows the conductor's name but does not have a clue about the night's program: "Surprise!".
b) The Scala orchestra? (you know, the people who have veto power over his getting the job and will be able to fire him whenever they feel like it). Well, "they're old friends, some of them are even my ex fellow students at Conservatorio here in Milan". haah
c) The dress code? "In other countries, the rules are more relaxed, nobody cares if you don't show up in a tuxedo... We're Italians after all, not very disciplined, we like to talk. It's OK. What matters is: you need an audience that is lively and that loves music. I'm not here to teach good manners, I'm grateful to those who come to listen".
d) The loggionisti who like to boo? Lots of love for them too: "It's painful whenever the audience boos, but it's part of our job. Opera is hot-blooded by definition. Like soccer. I'm an Internazionale FC fan (ed: just like Juan Diego Florez and Opera Chic!), I understand that".
e) Music lessons in school? Lame, sez Gatti, on a roll. "Useless, just like Religion classes: it's useless to study Beethoven in school if the world around you revolves around commercial pop music. Learning data by rote in school is a waste of time: love for music begins elsewhere, almost always at home. I fell in love with Beethoven thanks to my father, he'd play small segments before bedtime... the Pastorale... Brahm's 4".
f) Being a conductor is similar to...? "It's like being a priest: it's a mission, and it's a lonely life".
This of course all means that he's all but declaring that he's running for the post, that he's not boring, that he'll never get the orchestra angry, that he'll try to woo young people at la Scala and will TOTALLY rock your socks off if you just give him the job lol rofl thx.
