British maestro Rattle seeking German citizenship after Brexit

[rooster59]

British maestro Rattle seeking German citizenship after Brexit

By Thomas Escritt

 

FILE PHOTO: Conductor Simon Rattle takes part in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium July 27, 2012. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Star conductor Simon Rattle, who this week announced he was cutting short his tenure at Britain's leading orchestra to return to Germany, said on Friday he had applied for German citizenship after Brexit.

 

The Liverpool-born musician, 65, lamented the barriers thrown up by Britain's departure from the European Union to the careers of young musicians who had grown used to performing freely to the continent's music-hungry public.

 

"My passport is on the way," Rattle told a news conference when asked if he had followed many EU-based Britons in applying for the citizenship that will let them continue to work freely around the bloc. "Like for many, this was an absolute necessity."

 

Britain's music scene was taken by surprise when Rattle announced he would end his tenure at the London Symphony Orchestra in 2023 to become music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich.

 

Rattle said his decision to return to Germany, where for 16 years he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, was taken so that he could be close to his family in the German capital, but he made his frustration with Britain's political direction clear.

 

"The fact that musicians and artists in general suddenly have to get visas for Europe is absolutely not the Brexit bonus we were talking about," he said, in apparent reference to promises made by Brexit campaigners during the 2016 EU membership referendum. "We will have to fight it."

 

Rattle, who lives with his wife, Czech soprano Magdalena Kozena, in Berlin, said spending more time there and cooking for their children during the past year of coronavirus lockdown had helped crystalise his desire to work nearer to home.

 

(Editing by Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-16

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Scot123]

Bye! And like many of these attention seekers he will quietly come crawling back. 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Scot123

[transam]

 

[ujayujay]

3 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Bye! And like many of these attention seekers he will quietly come crawling back. 

Dream on, Rattle is a wise Man! Where's your Argument for crawling back.........

[flossie35]

23 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

Dream on, Rattle is a wise Man! Where's your Argument for crawling back.........

Brexiters never have arguments!

[mrfill]

5 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Bye! And like many of these attention seekers he will quietly come crawling back. 

Why? He's lived in Germany for years, has been conductor of one of the world's greatest orchestras - the Berlin Philharmonic and is married to a Czech lady and the chances are that you had never heard of this 'attention seeker' as he isn't a crankie or a Proclaimer. He also performs a great deal in Europe - where British people are only allowed to go for short periods now - so doesn't need ridiculous travel blocks getting in the way of his work.

It also applies to any UK musician who wishes to tour Europe as travel, especially for irregular work, is a lot more difficult.

He won't be back.

[phantomfiddler]

"He also performs" ?  I remember reading the survey results taken from a whole load of orchestra musicians. They were of the opinion that conductors were non-essential and actually preferred playing without one !

[Bangyai]

20 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Bye! And like many of these attention seekers he will quietly come crawling back. 

 

Unless he gets conscripted into the Wehrmacht to conduct Wagner concerts all over the Reich.

[hansnl]

6 hours ago, flossie35 said:

Brexiters never have arguments!

Remainers have?

Edited January 17, 2021 by hansnl

[hansnl]

On 1/16/2021 at 6:16 PM, rooster59 said:

British maestro Rattle seeking German citizenship after Brexit

By Thomas Escritt

 

FILE PHOTO: Conductor Simon Rattle takes part in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium July 27, 2012. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Star conductor Simon Rattle, who this week announced he was cutting short his tenure at Britain's leading orchestra to return to Germany, said on Friday he had applied for German citizenship after Brexit.

 

The Liverpool-born musician, 65, lamented the barriers thrown up by Britain's departure from the European Union to the careers of young musicians who had grown used to performing freely to the continent's music-hungry public.

 

"My passport is on the way," Rattle told a news conference when asked if he had followed many EU-based Britons in applying for the citizenship that will let them continue to work freely around the bloc. "Like for many, this was an absolute necessity."

 

Britain's music scene was taken by surprise when Rattle announced he would end his tenure at the London Symphony Orchestra in 2023 to become music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich.

 

Rattle said his decision to return to Germany, where for 16 years he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, was taken so that he could be close to his family in the German capital, but he made his frustration with Britain's political direction clear.

 

"The fact that musicians and artists in general suddenly have to get visas for Europe is absolutely not the Brexit bonus we were talking about," he said, in apparent reference to promises made by Brexit campaigners during the 2016 EU membership referendum. "We will have to fight it."

 

Rattle, who lives with his wife, Czech soprano Magdalena Kozena, in Berlin, said spending more time there and cooking for their children during the past year of coronavirus lockdown had helped crystalise his desire to work nearer to home.

 

(Editing by Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-16

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

In short, he got a job offer which he liked, his family lives in Germany, so that are the real reasons for getting a German passport.

Of course he blames Brexit.

But I wonder if he will give up his UK passport?

Don't think so.

[Meat Pie 47]

10 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Bye! And like many of these attention seekers he will quietly come crawling back. 

Like Trump supporters ?

[Meat Pie 47]

2 minutes ago, hansnl said:

In short, he got a job offer which he liked, his family lives in Germany, so that are the real reasons for getting a German passport.

Of course he blames Brexit.

But I wonder if he will give up his UK passport?

Don't think so.

https://www.passportindex.org/byRank.php

[beano2274]

So he paid German Tax for 7 continuous years without a break, lucky guy. It is something that I am not thinking of, at the moment am in Germany without applying for German citizenship or even applied for a work permit.

[Meat Pie 47]

17 minutes ago, beano2274 said:

So he paid German Tax for 7 continuous years without a break, lucky guy. It is something that I am not thinking of, at the moment am in Germany without applying for German citizenship or even applied for a work permit.

As far as  know you need to live in Germany for 10 years before you can apply for a German passport.

[Patong2021]

6 hours ago, mrfill said:

Why? He's lived in Germany for years, has been conductor of one of the world's greatest orchestras - the Berlin Philharmonic and is married to a Czech lady and the chances are that you had never heard of this 'attention seeker' as he isn't a crankie or a Proclaimer. He also performs a great deal in Europe - where British people are only allowed to go for short periods now - so doesn't need ridiculous travel blocks getting in the way of his work.

It also applies to any UK musician who wishes to tour Europe as travel, especially for irregular work, is a lot more difficult.

He won't be back.

 

 I agree with everything you say, except his going  back part. He will return for family, friend visit and some performances.  He will be like the many UK people in Thailand.  I don't know why UK people in forum upset. They should be happy now because he is 65 and will age under German medical system. Older people start taking on big medical expense, so Germany problem now.

[kamahele]

13 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

"He also performs" ?  I remember reading the survey results taken from a whole load of orchestra musicians. They were of the opinion that conductors were non-essential and actually preferred playing without one !

Everybody wants to the boss. Conductors are essential.