A recent article in B.Z. Berlin attributed a series of striking comments to Kirill Petrenko, chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. The remarks were made during the presentation of the orchestra’s 2025–26 season and included a reflection on orchestras that, according to Petrenko, sometimes disregard his rehearsal instructions and perform works as they were played “30 years ago.” He was also quoted saying, “I’ll do this for a few more years and then no more…”
The article circulated widely online, drawing attention for what appeared to be a rare moment of disillusionment from one of today’s most respected conductors.
Following its publication, Slipped Disc editor Norman Lebrecht reported that both the Berlin Philharmonic and a source close to Petrenko—possibly Petrenko himself—disputed how the comments had been presented. According to Lebrecht, a spokesperson for the orchestra stated that the quote used by B.Z. Berlin was “incomplete and therefore incorrect.” The clarification maintained that Petrenko had actually been praising how quickly the Berlin Philharmonic responds to his direction, and that the example of resistance to change referred to other, unnamed orchestras.
Slipped Disc also reported that the now widely quoted line—“I smile at everyone and say: ‘Great.’ Internally I think: I’ll do this for a few more years and then no more…”—was in response to a journalist’s question about whether Petrenko speaks to musicians during the intermission, as a football coach might. According to the clarification, this remark also referred to other orchestras, not the Berlin Philharmonic.
In the same press conference, Petrenko also spoke about the orchestra’s upcoming return to the Salzburg Easter Festival, where he will conduct Wagner’s Das Rheingold at the Felsenreitschule in March 2026. He described the project, staged by Kirill Serebrennikov, as a career highlight and a source of personal pride. He also expressed a belief in reincarnation, adding: “In my next life, I won’t be a conductor.”
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