VES/ERR News – World-renowned conductor Neeme Järvi has announced that he is stepping down from his post as artistic director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra after just three months.
Järvi made the statement on November 18, from Florida, where he is vacationing, according to Eesti Päevaleht.
“I have been art director and chief conductor and principal conductor for three months, since September. Due to the feeling of outrage that grips me, it is not possible for me to continue. Although I do not want to do so, I must step down as principal conductor of the National Sympony, which has been my life’s dream.” Mincing no words, Järvi again criticized Minister of Culture, Laine Jänes, who he said was personally responsible for his decision.
Jänes’s decision to replace the orchestra’s administrative director without consulting Järvi sparked bad blood between the two.
On monday, November 15, Laine Jänes fired Andres Siitan, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, over what she said was a failure to take steps to remedy the organization’s critical financial situation.
The two had long been at loggerheads over financial management issues. In early September, Siitan wrote a highly critical open letter addressed to Jänes in which he criticized what he called ‘failed’ reforms that had put the symphony orchestra in an unfair budgetary position, particularly in regard to paying rent at the Estonia Theatre.
