Baritone Thomas Quasthoff cancels tour, retires

Celebrity Series of Boston
Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director

Announces Cancellation of Thomas Quasthoff and
Michael Schade performance at Jordan Hall

Quasthoff to Retire

(Boston)  Celebrity Series President and Executive Director, Gary Dunning announced today that the Thomas Quasthoff and Michael Schade recital has been cancelled due to Mr. Quasthoff’s retirement. The performance was scheduled for Friday, March 23. The performance will not be rescheduled or substituted.

Ticket holders will be notified of options to donate or exchange tickets or to request a refund and are requested to retain their tickets until they receive notification. Patrons may call Celebrity Series of Boston at (617) 482-2595.

Said Mr. Quasthoff in a statement released by his management, “After almost 40 years, I have decided to retire from concert life. My health no longer allows me to live up to the high standard that I have always set for my art and myself. I owe a lot to this wonderful profession and leave without a trace of bitterness. On the contrary, I am looking forward to the new challenges that will now enter my life. I would like to thank all my fellow musicians and colleagues, with whom I stood together on stage, all the organizers, and my audience for their loyalty.”

Gary Dunning, Celebrity Series President and Executive Director, says “We understand and respect Mr. Quasthoff’s decision.  He’s had an impressive musical career full of artistic integrity and quality performances and recordings.  Each of his previous three Celebrity Series performances have been met with delight and praise.  We only have admiration for his artistry and personal character.”

 

About Celebrity Series of Boston
The Celebrity Series of Boston is New England’s leading presenter of music, dance and the performing arts from around the world. Now in its 73rd season, the Celebrity Series brings performances by instrumental and vocal soloists, orchestras and chamber ensembles, dance companies, jazz, folk and ethnic artists and ensembles to Boston’s major concert halls. Through the Arts, Education and Community Program, the Celebrity Series reaches thousands of youngsters annually with opportunities to experience and participate in the performing arts through concerts, workshops and the award-winning AileyCamp Boston, an intensive six-week summer dance program for Boston middle school students. For more information on Celebrity Series of Boston, call (617) 482-2595 or visit us online at www.celebrityseries.org.

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Thomas Quasthoff's encores from May 2 recital

Here are - admittedly a bit late - Thomas Quasthoff's encores from his May 2 recital at Jordan Hall (his first Celebrity Series recital since 2002):

Brahms
Auf dem Kirchhofe Op. 105

Schubert
Seligkeit

Brahms
Unuberwindlich

Quasthoff recital reviewed in Boston Globe

Thomas Quasthoff brought his truly remarkable voice to Jordan Hall for a much-anticipated recital on Sunday afternoon. Though he sang as beautifully as ever, he was especially talkative this time around. Between his stellar singing and timely witticisms, Quasthoff has the audience eating out of his hand. Here is a snippet of Jeffrey Johnson's review:

"During a break, Quasthoff drew the
audience’s attention to two oval windows on a pair of entrance doors in
Jordan Hall. He could see through them to the street doors, and every
time someone opened those, it seemed to him as if the hall doors were
winking. "I thought I was on drugs or something," quipped Quasthoff, "or that I had drunk Boston water!"

Then
after a brief introduction to the next cycle he lunged back into drama
with Frank Martin’s “Sechs Monologe aus 'Jedermann.'" We were left at
intermission to absorb this masterpiece of sustained intensity and
existential struggle."

Read all of Quasthoff offers lightness amid dark.

Berlin, Germany and the Celebrity Series

Several things have us meditating on Germany in general and Berlin in particular this season (no, not Berlin, New Hampshire, watch the video!). For one we are presenting a remarkable and somewhat coincidental array of German performers and works in 2009-2010. And many of them are indeed from Berlin. So, Bostonians, once you finish watching Berlin in 3-D, take a look at Germany coming to your own back yard:

1. The Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, make their return visit to Symphony Hall within a week of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. (November 15, Symphony Hall)

2. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff, though he was born in Hamburg and lives near Frankfurt, is certainly German. Tetzlaff will perform an unaccompanied violin recital that will feature works by J.S.  Bach, among others. (January 31, NEC’s Jordan Hall)

3. The Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, as the name implies, is made up of first chair players from their venerable parent ensemble. The orchestra has been here before, of course, but this concert is the Wind Quintet's Boston debut. (February 5, NEC’s Jordan Hall)

4. Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra will play an all-Beethoven program under the baton of Maestro Riccardo Chailly and featuring Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire. (February 25, Symphony Hall)

5. The Berlin-based Artemis String Quartet makes its Boston debut with an all-Beethoven program (March 5, NEC’s Jordan Hall)

6. Max Raabe & Palast Orchester capture the elegant decadence of pre-war Berlin of the 1920s and 30s in a program called “A Night in Berlin.” (March 6, Paramount Theatre, 2 shows)

7. German-born bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, in addition to being a truly gifted singer and profound communicator, is also  a teacher at Berlin’s Hans Eisler School of Music. His May 2 recital will feature works by German composer Johannes Brahms, among others.(May 2, NEC's Jordan Hall)