The Boston Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday disclosed plans next season to tour China and Japan, perform Britten’s large-scale “War Requiem,†present Beethoven’s five piano concertos with Yefim Bronfman as soloist and put on a concert performance of “Salome†by Strauss - all without a music director. The orchestra released its programs for 2013-14, which will be the third season since James Levine stepped down as its music director for health reasons after already missing a number of concerts in previous years.
An array of guest conductors are filling in, including Lorin Maazel, who will lead the Asian tour, which marks the first time since 1979 that the Boston Symphony has gone to China â€" now a frequent destination for Western music ensembles. Guest conductors are often viewed with extra scrutiny when an orchestra is searching for a music director, although it is risky to consider them all candidates. Other guests next season include Andris Nelsons, who will lead “Salome,†Robert Spano, Ste’phane Dene`ve, Daniel Harding, Manfred Honeck, Christoph Eschenbach, Charles Dutoit, who will lead the Britten work, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Bernard Haitink and Andrew Davis. Orchestra officials declined to comment on their search for a music director.
