On Thursday, the Cleveland Orchestra announced that Wang, a virtuoso noted for her charismatic performances and widely regarded as one of today’s leading lights, has withdrawn from her scheduled concerts with guest conductor Klaus Makela at Severance Music Center April 18-20.
No official explanation was given, but the Cleveland Orchestra is not unique in its situation. Wang also withdrew recently from a performance of Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where Makela was also scheduled to conduct and was recently named music director.
Several media outlets, including the New York Times, have reported that Wang and Makela were in a personal relationship but have recently broken up.
In Cleveland, Wang had been slated to perform Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand and Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments.
In her stead will now be pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, performing Gershwin’s Concerto in F.
The orchestral main attraction in Cleveland remains the same. As originally scheduled, Makela will conduct Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” In addition, he will now also conduct Milhaud’s “Le Boeuf sur le toit.”
