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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Going Out in Style

19 January, 1999 - 00:00

By Serhiy VASYLIEV, The Day
On January 2 the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine hosted a concert
of American symphonic works. For American Theodore Kuchar it was last performance
as Chief Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra: the Ministry of
Culture and Arts had not renewed his contract.

Judging from everything, the maestro considered this unfair; after the
concert he called a press conference and rather sharply criticized Ukraine's
present cultural policy, stressing that ending his work with the National
Orchestra was a vivid manifestation of its shortcomings.

In an interview with The Day, Ivan Hamkalo, General Artistic
Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, did not discuss the political
coloration of Mr. Kuchar's outburst, noting that the American visiting
Ukraine for not more than a month at a time had been offered various options
for cooperation, specifically as a touring conductor. Now all depended
on his decision.

Certainly, it will be a shame if Mr. Kuchar stops performing in Ukraine.
He has quite a few admirers and well-wishers, particularly at the orchestra.
On the other hand, it should be noted that the Ukrainian-American's dismissal
as Chief Conductor is a symptom of the falling away of yet another persistent
myth born after independence, that "imported talent" will nourish and civilize
Ukraine. It was thus, at the peak of the euphoria of being finally free
of the imperial shackles, that the best national orchestras and stages
were handed on a golden platter to conductors and stage directors that
were nothing out of the ordinary according to their world ratings. If anything,
they were superior to their Ukrainian counterparts by being versed in management.
They would always start by arranging for successful tours and compact discs
(like Hobert Earl, who recently made his final break with the Odesa Philharmonic).
Now that one has to fight for a niche in the world music market, an orchestra's
eligibility is likely to depend on the conductor's caliber, and of course
on painstaking daily work. This is something no one will do for us, even
our well-wishers overseas.

 

Theodore Kuchar conducted the National Symphony Orchestra for the last time
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