Melvyn Krauss is a professional economist who often writes about music. He has published on music in the Wall Street Journal, Harper's, and Opera News. In his early years, he mostly spent his time in opera houses. But with the decline of great singers and production values, Mr. Krauss abandoned the opera house in favor of the concert hall where he found the standard of performing to be on a much higher level. He resides in Portola Valley, California with his wife Irene, two Irish setters, and two cats. He considers himself to be a New Yorker-in-exile.  
Tight Conducting Market is a Girl's Best Friend

Tight Conducting Market is a Girl's Best Friend

Melvyn Krauss

Shortages always have been a friend to outsider groups trying to burst into fields where they are discriminated against.

The growing shortage of top conducting talent in the field of classical music, for example, is opening doors for female conductors that would have stayed shut in more abundant times.

Whether the cause of the conductor shortage is a natural bunching of illnesses and retirements or man-made like the # Me Too Movement that has sidetracked several big names like Charles Dutoit and Daniele Gatti, the excess (relative) demand for conducting talent currently is booming for both top draw names and guest conductors—and that’s especially good news for the gals. 

Several events this week in San Francisco have turned attention to the topic of shortages and female conductors.

One was the cancellation of Antonio Pappano at the San Francisco Symphony for this week’s subscription concerts. His replacement on the podium was Simone Young-- a case where a female conductor directly benefited from the tight labor market and the ‘nonchalant cancellations’ it generates.

Another female guest conductor working in the Bay Area this week was Jeannette Sorrell who led the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (PBO) at Bing Hall on the Stanford campus and then at Herbst Theater in San Francisco. 

Jeannette Sorrell

Jeannette Sorrell

According to Ms Sorrell, when recommended for an audition with the Cleveland Orchestra for assistant conductor in 1991, she was told by Music Director Christoph von Dohnanyi that there was no point in trying to find time in the orchestra’s schedule for an audition because the audience in Cleveland would never accept a woman as conductor

That’s nonsense—and nasty nonsense at that. 

History shows that classical music audiences have come to accept female conductors just as they have come to accept female players that now form the backbone of many classical music ensembles. All they need is the chance—which is exactly what current shortages are giving them.

At the Bing, Ms. Sorrell showed herself to be an activist conductor who provided particularly strong rhythmic leadership to the PBO, an orchestra in need of prodding in a program of Mozart and Andre Gretry. 

She waved her arms, danced and cajoled the musicians into playing energetic Mozart and for the most part succeeded.  

The highlight of the evening was the Mozart Concerto for Oboe in C Major, K.314/271k played on a period instrument by the PBO oboist Gonzalo X. Ruiz. This is a virtuoso piece and Mr. Ruiz did a terrific job. He deserved the standing ovation he received. 

A strange thing happened though at the end of the concerto’s extremely difficult first movement. Ms. Sorrell suddenly left the stage only to immediately return with what I took to be a plastic bottle of mineral water. I thought to myself—how nice to be thinking of Mr. Ruiz who looked fatigued after the very taxing first movement. 

But instead of offering Mr. Ruiz a drink, she started drinking the water herself. I wondered—what happens if this artist gets hungry during a performance. Does she run off in the middle of a Mozart concerto to get a ham sandwich? 

Friday night was Ladies Night in San Francisco. At the same time Ms. Sorrell was leading the PBO at Herbst, down the road another female guest conductor, Simone Young was leading the San Francisco Symphony in a program of Strauss and Wagner at Davies Hall. 

Act I of ‘Die Walkure’ with a stellar cast that included Emily Magee, Stuart Skelton and Ain Anger was the big attraction there.

Soprano Emily Magee sings the part of Sieglinde with tenor Stuart Skelton as Siegmund in San Francisco Symphony’s performance of Wagner’s Act I from Die Walküre, conducted by Simone Young; Photo by Stefan Cohen.

Soprano Emily Magee sings the part of Sieglinde with tenor Stuart Skelton as Siegmund in San Francisco Symphony’s performance of Wagner’s Act I from Die Walküre, conducted by Simone Young; Photo by Stefan Cohen.

Personally, I feel Act III of the Wagner is a better choice for a concertante (opera-in-concert form) performance than Act I. The relationship between father and daughter (Wotan and Brunhilde) is more interesting and the music more moving than that of the sister and brother (Siegmund and Sieglinde) in Act I. 

Besides, Act III has a great overture substitute (‘The Ride of the Valkyries’) and the ending does not leave you hanging as much as does Act I. 

Still, the first act’s dark and foreboding music combined with its atmosphere of sexual yearning does pack a real wallop. 

And wallop was precisely what the audience experienced during the Davies performance last evening. 

Ms. Young may not be a great opera conductor but she certainly is a solid one. What I liked about her conducting is the sense of forward momentum she achieves, which is so important for a successful Act I. 

The SFS played great under her direction and special mention should be given to Peter Wyrick’s beautiful cello playing. Mr. Wyrick may not be the principal cellist in the SFS but he certainly plays like one.

Simone Young conducts the San Francisco Symphony in R. Strauss’ Metamorphosen; Photo by Stefan Cohen

Simone Young conducts the San Francisco Symphony in R. Strauss’ Metamorphosen; Photo by Stefan Cohen

What does concern me about Ms. Young’s conducting is a tendency to push the orchestra and singers too hard in spots, which is dangerous in the Wagner.   

The clear hero of the evening was the tenor Stuart Skelton as Siegmund. Mr. Skelton has emerged as the leading heldentenor of our times though a lyric rather than a dramatic one. 

The famous ‘Walse’ was thrilling and his expressive singing in the great ‘Winter’s Storm’ aria moved me to tears. 

San Francisco is indeed fortunate; Mr. Skelton will be returning in June, singing Erik in a semi-staged version of Wagner’s ‘The Flying Dutchman’.

The Walkure cast also included an outstanding Hunding in the person of Ain Anger and the Sieglinde of Emily Magee, who I found tentative in the role despite an attractive top voice. 

All in all, a great evening of opera at the symphony!

Note to Mr. Dohnanyi (wherever you may be)—the audience I sat with at Davies Hall last evening had absolutely no trouble accepting Ms. Young conduct a great Wagner performance!

(L to R) Bass Ain Anger, soprano Emily Magee, conductor Simone Young, and tenor Stuart Skelton take their bows following a performance of Wagner’s Act I from Die Walküre with the San Francisco Symphony; Photo by Stefan Cohen.

(L to R) Bass Ain Anger, soprano Emily Magee, conductor Simone Young, and tenor Stuart Skelton take their bows following a performance of Wagner’s Act I from Die Walküre with the San Francisco Symphony; Photo by Stefan Cohen.






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