Riccardo Chailly taken ill

Riccardo Chailly suddenly taken ill – Paavo Järvi and Andrés Orozco-Estrada to conduct his concerts

There has been a change of conductor for the Lucerne Festival Orchestra’s first three concerts at the beginning of the 2023 Summer Festival. Music Director Riccardo Chailly had to undergo an operation due to a sudden illness and is therefore unable to conduct the three Lucerne Festival concerts on 11, 12, and 16 August, for which he was originally scheduled. We are pleased to announce that Paavo Järvi and Andrés Orozco-Estrada have agreed to lead these concerts. Paavo Järvi will conduct the Opening Concert of the Summer Festival on 11 August as well as the concert on 12 August; this will mark his first time leading the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

The concert program on 11 August remains unchanged; on 12 August, for artistic reasons, Maria João Pires will play the Piano Concerto in E-flat major, K. 271 (the so-called Jenamy Concerto) in place of the Piano Concerto in D minor, K. 466, by Wolfgang Amadé Mozart. On 16 August, which Andrés Orozco-Estrada will conduct, the Symphonie fantastique by Hector Berlioz will now take the place of the Symphony No. 1 in D minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff in the second half. The first half of the program will present Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, as previously announced, with Beatrice Rana as the soloist.

We wish Maestro Chailly a speedy recovery and thank Paavo Järvi and Andrés Orozco-Estrada for their willingness to take over at such short notice.

The tickets remain valid. You can find our general terms and conditions here.