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   IN THE NEWS 4/22-part one
   Edited by Melinda Whiting

   NEWS/FEATURES

   Sunday (4/21) in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Bryan Miller
   writes that Hans Vonk's departure from the St. Louis Symphony
   for health reasons "both opens and closes doors, and throws new
   opportunities - and new threats - at an orchestra that has had more
   than its share of both in recent months . . . No wonder SLSO president
   Randy Adams and general manager Carla Johnson . . . seemed surprisingly
   calm despite this latest development on Tuesday afternoon: having
   faced a threatened bankruptcy, they've already toured hell in the
   past year." Miller covers the fine points of a music director search,
   quoting American Symphony Orchestra League vice president Jack
   McAuliffe ("Every [search] process is different . . . The commonality
   is that you can't go terribly public"),Chicago Symphony president
   Henry Fogel ("You don't want to make X mad at you if you want two
   weeks from him each year."), and several orchestra managers who have
   recently concluded searches.

   Also in Sunday's (4/21) St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Bryan Miller
   considers possible candidates for the St. Louis Symphony position:
   "It may seem awkward to begin speculating about music director Hans
   Vonk's successor so soon, given the circumstances of his departure,
   but practically speaking, the Symphony needs to get someone on board
   as quickly as possible." She notes, "For many orchestra watchers here
   and elsewhere, the name of David Robertson sits at the top of the
   list. Robertson, 43, is a tremendous talent: musical, charismatic,
   at home with contemporary composers . . . and with the classical
   standards." Miller speculates on other possible contenders: James
   Conlon ("a long shot" with "charisma, experience on both sides of
   the Atlantic, energy, and a great reputation"), Alan Gilbert (who
   "made a tremendous impression here a couple of seasons ago"), Kent
   Nagano, JoAnn Falletta, and Sakari Oramo.

   In Saturday's (4/20) Montreal Gazette, Arthur Kaptainis comments,
   "Now that Charles Dutoit is well and truly gone as music director
   of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, who is next? It is a question
   worth answering quickly, as longtime MSO subscribers (or at least
   those who have not already tossed their brochure in disgust) mull
   over the pros and cons of investing in what was to have been the
   Swiss conductor's glorious 25th-anniversary season." Kaptainis offers
   suggestions on a possible successor, including Yakov Kreizberg, Ivan
   Fischer, Charles Mackerras, Kent Nagano, Roberto Abbado, JoAnn
   Falletta, Vladimir Ashkenazy, James DePreist, and Mark Wigglesworth.

   Also in Saturday's (4/20) Montreal Gazette, Arthur Kaptainis writes:
   "Cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich yesterday sent his best
   wishes to departed Montreal Symphony Orchestra music director Charles
   Dutoit -- and announced his decision to boycott the orchestra next
   season." In a personal letter to Dutoit, he wrote: "Because you
   invited me to celebrate your 25th anniversary as music director in
   Montreal, I now understand that=

   I have no more reason to celebrate.  That's why this morning, I let
   them know I'm not coming there next season." Kaptainis reports that
   MSO communications director Marie-Josee Desrochers "said the only
   contact between Rostropovich and the MSO of which she was aware was
   a message left by his manager." She said no artist has canceled as
   a result of the Dutoit affair: "We have been in touch with some
   agencies, and people have confirmed they will come." Desrocher also
   told Kaptainis that the MSO's two Carnegie Hall concerts next season
   "are not canceled."

Scott Morrison