First Woman Performs On Vienna's 

New Years Concert (As A Substitute)

January 3, 2003

By William Osborne

On January 1, 2003, violist, Ursula Plaichinger, performed as a substitute with the Vienna Philharmonic during its New Years concert. This is the first time in history that a non-harpist woman has performed with the Philharmonic during one of its New Years concerts, which are broadcast to a potential audience of over one billion people by about 47 broadcast corporations worldwide. (The New York Times recently listed the actual public at 50 million people.)

As background, it should be remembered that the orchestra exists in two formations: an opera orchestra called the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, and a concert formation known as the Vienna Philharmonic. Musicians must complete a three year tenure in the Opera Orchestra before becoming eligible to apply for membership in the Philharmonic.

Ms. Plaichinger won an audition for the Vienna State Opera Orchestra in 2001, and will become eligible to apply for the Philharmonic in 2004.  (A recent article in the Manchester Guardian said she had been appointed to the Vienna Philharmonic.  This is false.  She is only participating as a substitute.)

In order to reduce the workload of Philharmonic members, it is tradition to allow the non-tenured members of the Opera Orchestra to perform with the Philharmonic as substitutes. There are currently 15 non-tenured members in the Opera Orchestra who perform as subs in the Philharmonic.

( For the latest information about their current employment practices see: "A Moot Point?")

The New Years concert was broadcast live by ORF, Austria's state television network. The camera focused on Ms. Plaichinger about 10 to 15 times during the concert, thus giving her far more exposure than even the concertmaster. There seemed to be a specific attempt to draw attention to her presence.

During the intermission, ORF broadcast a program featuring the cultural life of Graz, Austria (this year's cultural capital of the European Union), and music performed by a quintet (violin, viola, oboe, horn and contrabass) comprised of musicians from five continents. The racial mix seemed to be an intentional contrast to the fact that the Vienna Philharmonic is all-white -- a situation created by the orchestra's belief that people of color would destroy its image as an authentic representative of Austrian culture.

And in what also seemed to be a pointed commentary, the quintet performed a work by Olga Neuwirth, one of Austria's most prominent composers. Considering the size of the audience, she will probably make a very nice sum from royalties. (I also wonder if the work was commissioned by ORF.)

Ms. Plaichinger's presence, the racially mixed quintet, and the performance of Ms. Neuwirth's work are all small steps -- thanks in part to ORF. They do not, however, counter that the the Vienna Philharmonic is still all-male, and that the orchestra's opera formation has hired only one woman since it agreed to admit them five years ago. During the same period the orchestra has hired more than 15 men.  (For details see: "A Moot Point?")

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For a brief outline of the orchestra's gender and racial ideologies see the article:  Blind Auditions and Moral Myopia. 

William Osborne

http://www.osborne-conant.org