Classical music: State Opera: Barenboim's 80th birthday concert cancelled

A concert planned for the 80th birthday of pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim in the Berlin Philharmonic is cancelled.

Classical music: State Opera: Barenboim's 80th birthday concert cancelled

A concert planned for the 80th birthday of pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim in the Berlin Philharmonic is cancelled. With great regret he had to cancel the concert he wanted to give on his milestone birthday on November 15 for health reasons, said the Berlin State Opera on Friday, whose general music director is Barenboim. "We hope to be able to catch up on the concert at a later date."

Barenboim was to play the piano at the birthday concert with the Staatskapelle Berlin, and 86-year-old Zubin Mehta was to conduct the musical. Pieces by the composers Richard Wagner, Ludwig van Beethoven and Frédéric Chopin were to be performed.

Recently, Barenboim had failed several times. The 79-year-old underwent spinal surgery in February. At the beginning of October he announced his retirement via social media for the time being. He wrote: "My health has deteriorated over the past few months and I have been diagnosed with a serious neurological condition." He must now concentrate as much as possible on his physical well-being.

Barenboim has worked at the Berlin State Opera since 1992. Barenboim was scheduled to conduct the current new production of Richard Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" at the Staatsoper. Christian Thielemann and Thomas Guggeis stepped in for him at the podium in the cycles of Wagner's four-part work planned for October and November.

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