Andris Nelsons, the newly appointed music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has had to withdraw from his Saturday evening performance at Tanglewood with his new orchestra - his first since his new position was announced - because of a household accident that left him with a concussion.
Mark Volpe, the orchestra’s managing director, said the Mr. Nelsons, 34, was struck in the head by a door that unexpectedly swung open at his house in Bayreuth, Germany, this past weekend. Mr. Nelsons was in Bayreuth to conduct at the Wagner festival.
“He went to a rehearsal,†Mr. Wolpe said on Monday afternoon, “and quickly realized that the injury was more serious than he had at first thought. He went to a hospital, where they diagnosed a severe concussion. He’s still in the hospital, and will remain there for a few more days as they monitor him. The encouraging news is that he’s making progress, but no doctor will allow him to get on an airplane at this point.â€
Mr. Nelsons was to have led a single performance of the Verdi Requiem in his only scheduled Tanglewood performance this summer. He was also to have met informally with the music students at Tanglewood, attended a lunch with the board, and participated in an audience question-and-answer session. He conducts the Boston Symphony next in October, and is scheduled to return to Tanglewood for a longer stay next summer.
“I promise I will recover as soon as possible,†Mr. Nelsons said in a statement, “and very much look forward to coming back in good shape for my performances with the orchestra in October in Boston.â€
The orchestra has not yet announced Mr. Nelsons’s replacement.