The legendary Israeli-Argentinian pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, suffering from a neurological disease, announced his resignation on Thursday for health reasons from the Berlin Staatsoper.
“Unfortunately, my state of health has deteriorated markedly over the past year. Argentinian, specifying that he would cease this activity on January 31.
Daniel Barenboim announced last October that he was suffering from a “serious neurological disease”. Aged 80, Daniel Barenboim, one of the greatest virtuosos of the 20th century, had already had to take a long break in 2022 and give up several engagements.
He had returned to the pulpit to conduct Beethoven’s 9th symphony, during two New Year’s concerts, on December 31 and January 1, in a packed Staatsoper which had given him an ovation.
International pianist since he was ten years old
Daniel Barenboim had been conducting the Berlin State Opera and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle, for three decades. His contract ran until 2027.
“Over the years, we have become a musical family and we will remain so,” said the conductor in his press release, expressing his “admiration for the singers, the members of the choir and all the other collaborators of the National Opera “. “It goes without saying that I will remain – as long as I live – very closely linked to music and that I am ready to continue conducting, also and above all with the Staatskapelle Berlin”, he concludes.
Born in Argentina, Daniel Barenboim began on the international scene as a pianist at the age of ten, before becoming a leading conductor.
In particular, he created a foundation and an orchestra to promote cooperation between young musicians from Israel and Arab countries.
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