It's increasingly clear that, along with Roberto Abbado, the
leading candidate to succeed Wolfgang Sawallisch is the 42 year old,
California-born, Royal Academy-trained David Robertson, who has been based
in Paris most of his professional career.  Both candidates had already been
announced as substitutes for this spring, and yesterday Carnegie Hall
announced that these two will lead the Philadelphians there next year;
Robertson will appear with this ensemble there this March.  Robertson was
recently named "Conductor of the Year" my Musical American magazine, which
described him as "the genuine article".

It is a very startling, but exciting turn of events.

Robin Mitchell-Boyask
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA