# How Sick Does A Performer Have To Be To Bow Out of a Concert?



## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

This is rather an irreverent question but one I've often wondered.

How sick must one be to cancel an appearance. Obviously if your truly ill you must bow out. But what about the "borderline" cases. Does someone who has the 24 hour "bug" and has a case of diarrhea cancel? The audience may have waited a long time and paid good money, and then because of something that will only last a few hours have to be disappointed. 

Also, in any orchestra of good size there will always be SOMEONE that doesn't feel well. I wondered how this type of thing was usually handled.


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## betterthanfine (Oct 17, 2017)

Who would pay to see an artist crap their pants on stage? If you're ill, you're ill. It's for the performer to decide if they can go on or not, as far as I'm concerned. Some will have a higher tolerance for (what others would consider) minor illnesses than others. And believe me, most artists will feel terrible if they have to cancel at the last minute. Disappointing hundreds of people who have paid to come and see you is not something anyone generally likes to do.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Who goes on stage with diarrhea? Anyway, thanks to a last minute cancellation by Bruno Walter for a concert with the NYP at Carnegie Hall, Leonard Bernstein's conducting career was launched in a major way.


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## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

I was just giving diarrhea as an example. If a person has high temperature that can make you feel lousy. The reason I ask is that there seems to be so few cancellations. Perhaps there are more than I know that I just don't read about. I read a couple of days ago where Daniil Trifinov had to cancel two hours before the concert and had to be taken to the hospital. I never read what his illness was.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

From what I read about the Bernstein debut, Bruno Walter never cancelled, but I guess the flu really knocked him out that day.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Why classical performers call in sick:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903927204576570651872866710


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I remember neither the date nor any other details, but one evening I was listening on the radio to a live concert of a major orchestra emanating from Carnegie Hall. It seems the piano soloist for the evening, who was going to play something or other, called in sick on very short notice. So the powers that be telephoned Shura Cherkassky, who was in town, and asked if he could suddenly step in. Cherkassky cheerfully agreed, and/but said he would play the Mozart 20th PC, which he did. The commentator remarked that Cherkassky was noted throughout the concert world for being ready, willing, and able to step in at short notice, so people would keep track of his presence in any given city with a symphony orchestra, in case his services might be needed. It also transpires that Cherkassky was famous/notorious for not playing a piece in concert in the manner in which it had been rehearsed, so this was another reason why his sudden substitution into a concert program presented less of a theoretical challenge than might be expected--Cherkassky could be counted on to play anything his way no matter what, and certainly was a great musician, so the conductor's job was to play along, confident that all would be well. That is how and when I first heard, and loved, the Mozart 20th, instead of whatever it was I was expecting.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

A few years ago, before a Metropolitan Opera performance of Gluck's "Iphigenie en Tauride" it was announced that both Placido Domingo and Susan Graham had colds. They appeared nevertheless, live in HD. It was a thrilling production and I could not tell that their illnesses had affected their voices. 

But it's interesting that it's one of the few Met performances that was never made available on DVD. Maybe the performers didn't feel anything less than their best should be released? Too bad, it's not a commonly performed opera.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

It just depends on the person and what the illness is, really. If you have a nasty head cold and can't think clearly, playing difficult solos or even conducting is next to impossible. Singing it out of the question. There are some people who are probably hypochondriacs and at the slightest whim will cancel, leaving the organization in the lurch - and frankly some of them don't care about the problems and bad public relations it brings. I've been called to fill in for players at the last minute and it can be scary if you don't have a rehearsal or have never played the music. But pros must have nerves of steel and confidence.

About diarrhea: oh, it happens. Several years ago I was playing in a pickup orchestra in Oaxaca for a festival. A few of the players went to a popular ice cream (not sure what it was - ice milk?) joint before the concert. Well....every single one of them started having severe abdominal discomfort pretty soon and when you're on stage and have to go number two whadda ya do? One violinist just got up and quickly left the stage. A horn player soiled himself, trying to clean up at intermission. The toilets were filthy and disgusting and got even more so. It was frightfully funny and pretty gross. No one ever ate at that place again the entire tour.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

I’m not sure which classical performer holds the record for cancelled concerts, but I’d have to pick Niccolò Paganini, whose fame as a violinist was matched only by his reputation as a gambler and womanizer.	His extravagant lifestyle, took its toll on his health and was reputed to have been affected by syphilis , Marfan syndrome, internal hemorrhaging, depression and tuberculosis. His later career was marred by frequent cancellations due to various health problems, which lasted from days to months.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Musicians other than concert stage performers also get sick from time to time.

As a professional church organist I once played Easter Sunday services with a 103° temperature. Why you ask? Because there was nobody else that could take my place without several weeks advance notice.

In some cases, the show must go on, because you are the only one that is available and several hundred people (your congregation) are depending on you.

I've played even having a bout with diarrhea - took anti diarrhea medication to help stave off the trots, then exited during the sermon to take care of other business. In situations like mine it is not possible to cancel or not show up. Granted if I lost a limb or was in a life threatening accident on the way to church that would be another thing.

It seems to me that the majority of celebrities out there are calling 911 and visiting the hospital because there tummy was upset ... and then it makes the news. Thousands upon thousands of people get sick everyday and their "sick out" stories do not make national headlines. <rant over>

KH


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Pyotr said:


> I'm not sure which classical performer holds the record for cancelled concerts, but I'd have to pick Niccolò Paganini, whose fame as a violinist was matched only by his reputation as a gambler and womanizer.	His extravagant lifestyle, took its toll on his health and was reputed to have been affected by syphilis , Marfan syndrome, internal hemorrhaging, depression and tuberculosis. His later career was marred by frequent cancellations due to various health problems, which lasted from days to months.


I believe Martha Argerich is the all time record holder.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

Carlos Kleiber?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

EdwardBast said:


> I believe Martha Argerich is the all time record holder.


First person I thought of.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Kleiber was legendary for canceling late for spurious reasons. I've read he was highly insecure because of his father's reputation. If you don't know the elder Kleiber, Eric, he was a magnificent conductor and has many recordings available.

It should be noted that for individual artists, meaning not necessarily members of a hometown orchestra, travel is almost always an issue. I once bought tix to a Matthias Goerne lied concert he canceled the day before. The place (University of Michigan) contacted me the day before to see if I wanted to donate my tix!


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