Riccardo Muti has withdrawn from conducting 'La forza' at Covent Garden

Riccardo Muti al frente de la Sinfónica de Chicago © Todd Rosenberg Photography | CSO

La oficina de prensa del Covent Garden nos remite la siguiente nota para su publicación. A joint statement from Antonio Pappano, Music Director, Elaine Padmore, Director of Opera and Tony Hall, Chief Executive of  the Royal Opera House. “It is with regret and extreme disappointment we announce that Riccardo Muti has withdrawn from conducting the Teatro alla Scala production of La forza del destino which opens on 16 October 2004. Antonio Pappano will replace him.

With his director/designer Hugo de Ana, Maestro Muti does not accept what we think are minor scenic changes which need to be made to the production for it to fit safely on the Covent Garden stage. We are totally perplexed by Maestro Muti’s last minute decision given the level of cooperation, goodwill and trust shown by the Royal Opera House towards the Maestro and the Teatro alla Scala.

We have been in negotiation with the director/ designer Hugo de Ana over modifications to the design of the production since early 2004. These changes will not, in our view, in any way diminish the audience’s appreciation of the production.

This type of negotiation is custom and practice when operas are restaged in different venues. In this particular case, in order to adhere to statutory Health and Safety Regulations, alterations were necessary to four pieces of extremely heavy hanging scenery. Despite numerous solutions to this problem being suggested, Mr de Ana showed no spirit of collaboration and rejected all options presented.

Mr de Ana’s latest rejection of the changes proposed has been supported by both Teatro alla Scala and Maestro Muti, so that although the production will go ahead – largely as originally seen at La Scala and still with the cast of Muti’s own personal choosing – it is regrettably without the presence of Maestro Muti. Patrizia Frini will be the revival director as originally planned.”

Tony Hall adds: “ Antonio Pappano has postponed a number of important international concerts and recordings with many distinguished colleagues in order to prepare the cast and orchestra and to conduct all performances. I know that this has not been an easy decision for Tony and is a tribute to his commitment to the company, the production and our audiences.”