The campaign supporting Andris Nelsons and Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians has become the latest flashpoint in the orchestra’s leadership crisis, with new instructions directing staff to intervene if flowers are distributed at Tanglewood.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has instructed Tanglewood staff to approach patrons seen carrying multiple red flowers and warn them against distributing them, according to a report published by the Boston Globe.
The newspaper reports that an internal BSO document directs staff members to inform anyone carrying several flowers that distributing materials is not permitted on the grounds, ask them to keep the flowers out of sight, and notify public safety personnel. Patrons who are later found handing out flowers may receive a formal warning and, if necessary, be asked to leave.
A BSO spokesperson confirmed the instructions to the Boston Globe, describing them as an application of Tanglewood’s longstanding policy prohibiting the unauthorised distribution of materials.
Symbol of a growing movement
The red flower campaign emerged shortly after the BSO announced that Music Director Andris Nelsons would leave the orchestra at the end of the 2026–27 season. Initially worn by many orchestra musicians and Nelsons himself during performances, the flowers have since become the symbol of a broader movement supporting the conductor and expressing concern over the orchestra’s artistic direction under current leadership.
As Moto Perpetuo has previously reported, the campaign has expanded well beyond Symphony Hall, with supporters organising online, distributing flowers at performances and displaying signs calling for Nelsons’ reinstatement.
According to the Boston Globe, campaign organisers George Whiting and Quinn MacKenzie say they have deliberately instructed volunteers not to actively offer flowers inside Tanglewood, instead waiting for patrons to request them in order to comply with venue policies. Even so, they say demand has remained strong throughout the summer season.
Tensions at Tanglewood
The newspaper also recounts an incident involving retired BSO bassoonist Richard Ranti, who said he was approached by an usher after handing a red flower to another patron during an intermission. Ranti criticised the policy, arguing that supporters were being “punished… for loving the orchestra.”
The BSO has defended its approach, comparing the procedure to its longstanding practice of asking patrons to stop taking photographs during performances. However, critics argue that the new instructions specifically target what has become the most visible symbol of support for Nelsons and the musicians.
The latest development underscores how the conflict surrounding Nelsons’ departure continues to play out publicly during the orchestra’s summer residency in the Berkshires. What began as a gesture of solidarity has evolved into one of the defining images of the crisis, highlighting the widening divide between BSO leadership and a vocal segment of musicians and audience members.
Source: Boston Globe (A.Z. Madonna, July 24, 2026).
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