Jiří Bělohlávek - New Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic (Hooray!)

The Ministry of Culture confirmed that the world-renown conductor Jiří Bělohlávek would become the Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. The contract is to be signed later today (Dec 22 2010) and Maestro will take the position probably by autumn 2012.

Mr.Bělohlávek has already been the Chief Conductor of the CP - between 1990 and 1992, and his leaving is viewed as a major mistake on part of the philharmonics and a cause of the twenty-year crisis of the orchestra. He is currently the Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, with his contract ending in 2012. Some musicians of the CP are worried due to Maestro's notorious high demands, but most people assume that the orchestra needs a firm hand and that Bělohlávek's name will help the prestige of the orchestra abroad.

Source: operaplus.cz