The conductor writes in today's Financial Times:
I arrived in Vienna with only my tailcoat and briefcase containing some scores, a copy of my birth certificate, and $100.
...
So who am I, after all? A Russian: born into the beauty of St Petersburg. An American: one of many millions who found refuge and acceptance in that country. A Frenchman: being part of a French family and sharing its destiny. A German and an Italian when conducting Wagner or Verdi, Beethoven or Berio. To interpret music truthfully I must identify with the culture and language in which it was born. The roots of my life’s tree might be in one place called Russia but the branches have spread wide and far.
...
So who am I, after all? A Russian: born into the beauty of St Petersburg. An American: one of many millions who found refuge and acceptance in that country. A Frenchman: being part of a French family and sharing its destiny. A German and an Italian when conducting Wagner or Verdi, Beethoven or Berio. To interpret music truthfully I must identify with the culture and language in which it was born. The roots of my life’s tree might be in one place called Russia but the branches have spread wide and far.