norman lebrecht
November 12, 2025
The Concertgebouw Orchestra lands in Japan today, joining the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic on tour. That’s all three of Europe’s flag-carriers in the country at the same time.
And no-one’s complaining about the cost, the carbon footprint or the amount of European tax that goes into subsidising the tours.
The Japanese know what they want and will do what it takes to get it.
London concerthalls, meanwhile, cannot afford a single one of these orchestras. Their only showcase here is the BBC Proms.
image: Emperor Naruhito plays viola
AloJapan.com