It is June 25 2020. The world remains in the grip of COVID-19 pandemic. Concert halls have been shuttered for months, and worldwide, musicians languish in agony of canceled performances.
But yesterday's announcement of a new recital tour for Nobu in Japanhas rekindled a glimmer of hope that we may be able to see Nobuyuki Tsujii in live performances again -- as early as this fall!
Looking over the schedule of Nobu's Upcoming Concerts (what's left of them, sadly), I saw that of particular interest is a UK tour with the Tonkunsler Orchestra & Maestro Yutaka Sado slated for Oct 26-Nov 2 2020.
I took a look at the orchestra's site just now, and the tour is currently listed without cancellation notice, https://www.tonkuenstler.at/en/tickets/events/great-britain-tour-2020-london#49408
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As planned, the tour makes 6 stops: Oct 27 Birmingham; Oct 28 Cardiff; Oct 29 Nottingham; Oct 30 London; Oct 31 Leeds; November 1 Edinburg.
And a sumptuous program:
Nobu will definitely be the soloist for the Ravel concerto, which he performed with Sado & the Tonkunsler in Austria back in May 2018, but perhaps he will also play the CHOPIN Spinato & Grande Polonaise as well? If so, it will be a first in public (although Nobu plays this work as solo often).
I want to be hopeful. Austria is among the European Union countries that have fared well with the Corona Virus outbreak, and was among the first to re-open. Japan has also done relatively well in managing the pandemic, keeping an enviably low infection rate even without a prolonged lockdown. And, its concert halls are apparently being re-opened as early as next month.
On the downside: U.K. is among the countries that have made lamentable missteps in handling the virus crisis. (A not-so-funny joke goes that while countries that have done well are forming "bubbles" to allow tourists from each other, a similar alliance may perhaps be formed among the U.S., Brazil and U.K. -- 3 countries that have bungled the pandemic badly.) U.K.'s lockdown measures have only recently been relaxed. And its resumption of large public gathering in the near future is doubtful. (Actress Judi Dench went so far as to say that she believes theatres would not return in her lifetime.) Furthermore, just today news came that the talent agency IMG Artist is making deep budget cuts as a result of the pandemic, dismissing many of its staffers. This does not bode well for this tour, organized by -- you guess it -- IMG.
For my part, I have resigned to the realization that being an American, the chance of me being able to travel overseas will be zero for the foreseeable future. (We are reportedly being banned from traveling to EU countries, on account of our inability to control the virus infections.) But, for the sake of Nobuyuki Tsujii, his mentor Yutaka Sado and the Tonkunstler Orchestra, I hope the tour will happen and will be a great success! Images: The Tonkustler Orchestra, Nobuyuki Tsujii and Yuraka Sado performed Ravel's concerto in the Musikverein in Vienna, May 2018.
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But yesterday's announcement of a new recital tour for Nobu in Japanhas rekindled a glimmer of hope that we may be able to see Nobuyuki Tsujii in live performances again -- as early as this fall!
Looking over the schedule of Nobu's Upcoming Concerts (what's left of them, sadly), I saw that of particular interest is a UK tour with the Tonkunsler Orchestra & Maestro Yutaka Sado slated for Oct 26-Nov 2 2020.
I took a look at the orchestra's site just now, and the tour is currently listed without cancellation notice, https://www.tonkuenstler.at/en/tickets/events/great-britain-tour-2020-london#49408
As planned, the tour makes 6 stops: Oct 27 Birmingham; Oct 28 Cardiff; Oct 29 Nottingham; Oct 30 London; Oct 31 Leeds; November 1 Edinburg.
And a sumptuous program:
Jean Sibelius «Finlandia» op. 26
Richard Strauss «Don Juan» Tone poem op. 20
Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 7 op. 105
- interval -
Maurice Ravel Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major
Frédéric Chopin Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante for Piano and Orchestra in E-flat major op. 22
Maurice Ravel Boléro
Richard Strauss «Don Juan» Tone poem op. 20
Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 7 op. 105
- interval -
Maurice Ravel Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major
Frédéric Chopin Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante for Piano and Orchestra in E-flat major op. 22
Maurice Ravel Boléro
