Uncle Normy, aka Norman Lebrecht, has just interviewed Riccardo Chailly, that sweet big bear of a man, for the BBC
... he has never headed a US orchestra, despite early triumphs in Chicago. But his eyes lit up when I pressed the point and he specified that he was in talks with 'one of the great American musical institutions'.
Should we get him a Red Sox hat already?
After la Scala's orchestra decided they'd rather be without a Music Director -- they're happy with Daniel Barenboim flying out to Milan every once in a while as guest conductor -- and Scala GM Stéphane Lissner allowed them to do what they wanted, the way he always does to keep them relatively quiet and keep all the power of the Artistic Directorship in his own hands -- Chailly has been ruled out as the successor to Riccardo Muti running la Scala. Which totally sucks because he had more than paid his dues -- if anybody deserved it, it was Chailly -- or Gatti.
As prestigious as his current Gewandhaus job is, it'd be awesome if Chailly finally managed to get himself an American music directorship -- he can conduct Varese and Mahler and Henze as well as he can conduct Puccini and Verdi and Respighi. He's a major conductor with great taste and deep musicianship and as a former young prodigy already has, at 57, a 35-year career. He'd be a wonderful choice -- Boston's audiences would be in for a treat.
Oh, and together with James Conlon, Chailly is responsible for the recent renaissance of Alexander Zemlinsky's music -- and you know how much Opera Chic loves Zemlinsky.
***update***
Anne Midgette weighs in.