Our Mothers, Our Musicians?

Females in classical music

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Bruno Mantovani on female conductors

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It is just that from the men's perspective art is fun. It's fun, it's all about fun. It's not just about art. That's just an excuse.

Roland Goettler

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And the women can also contribute to creating competition among the men. They distract men. Not the older women. No one gives a damn about the older ones. It is the younger ones. The older women are already clever, they run to you! But the 20 or 25 year olds... They would be the problem. These are the considerations. In a monastery it is the same. The alter is a holy area, and the other gender may not enter it, because it would cause disorder. Such are the opinions.

Roland Goetter

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Pregnancy brings problems. It brings disorder. Another important argument against women is that they can bring the solidarity of the men in question. You find that in all men´s groups.

Roland Goettler

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The way we make music here is not only a technical ability, but also something that has a lot to do with the soul. The soul does not let itself be separated from the cultural roots that we have here in central Europe. And it also does't allow itself to be separated from gender.

Helmut Zaertner

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Music is something special. It is a special deep knowledge, it has something to do with magic. I think many men;s groups are to be understood in this way. They carry secrets that are involved with music and tones, just like in Australian aboriginal or Indian cultures where men play certain instruments, and not the women.

Roland Goettler

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Orchestras react better to male conductors.

Vasily Petrenko

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Male domination is an old tradition.

Vasily Petrenko

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[Men] often have less sexual energy and can focus more on the music. A sweet girl on the podium can make one’s thoughts drift towards something else.

Vasily Petrenko

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The important thing is, a woman should be beautiful, likable, attractive. Musicians will look at her and be distracted from the music!

Yuri Temirkanov

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Th essence of the conductor's profession is strength. The essence of a woman is weakness.

Yuri Temirkanov

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Unbelievable, unsightly and unappealing.

Richard Morrison, The Times of London

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Tara Erraught is dumpy of stature and whether in bedroom déshabille, disguised as Mariandel or in full aristocratic fig, her costuming makes her resemble something between Heidi and Just Williams. Is Jones simply trying to make the best of her intractable physique or is he trying to say something about the social-sexual dynamic?

Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph

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This Octavian (Tara Erraught) has the demeanor of a scullery-maid.

Michael Church, The Independent

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It's hard to imagine this stocky Octavian as this willowy woman's plausible lover.

Andrew Clements, The Guardian

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Tara Erraught's Octavian is a chubby bundle of puppy-fat.

Andrew Clark, Financial Times