Barenboim cancels concerts in Georgia and Berlin on health grounds

DPA
·1 min read
Conductor Daniel Barenboim thanks everyone after the ceremonial unveiling of his honorary citizen portrait in the ballroom of the Berlin House of Representatives. Soeren Stache/dpa
Conductor Daniel Barenboim thanks everyone after the ceremonial unveiling of his honorary citizen portrait in the ballroom of the Berlin House of Representatives. Soeren Stache/dpa

Berlin-based conductor Daniel Barenboim has cancelled upcoming engagements in Tbilisi and Berlin on grounds of ill health, the Berlin Philharmoniker orchestra announced on Monday.

Barenboim, 81, deeply regretted having to withdraw "for health reasons" in a statement issued by the orchestra. The renowned conductor has had to cancel several engagements in the recent past.

British conductor Daniel Harding is to take over at concerts on Friday and Saturday in Berlin and in Tisandali in Georgia on May 1 and Tbilisi on May 2.

Barenboim, who started out as a pianist, took over as music director at the Berlin State Opera and the city's Staatskapelle in 1992. He previously conducted at Bayreuth and held appointments as music director with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and La Scala in Milan.

He is also known as founder, along with Palestinian-US author Edward Said, of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra combining musicians from many backgrounds, including Israeli and Palestinian.

He stepped down from this post at the start of last year for health reasons.