A video of the famous conductor Seiji Ozawa "closing the curtain after suffering from Alzheimer's disease(Alzheimer's disease)" was recently circulated in Weibo and WeChat groups. In the video, the white-haired Seiji Ozawa co-directs with another conductor, who is very happy to dance with his hands and feet, but it is obvious that his arms cannot be raised when conducting. Rumor has it that "the band paid tribute to him with touching love, and paid tribute to the music one by one to help him complete the curtain performance, which was tearful!" "Is Seiji Ozawa really suffering from Alzheimer's disease?"
Video screenshots
Rumor screenshots
Screenshot of web search
The jiefang ribao and Shangguan news reporters found that the truth was not as rumored. In fact, this video is Seiji Ozawa in early October 2016 at the Suntory Hall in Tokyo with Zubin Mehta to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, he suffers from immune system and other diseases, his arms can not be raised, not Alzheimer's disease.
Seiji Ozawa is a famous Japanese music conductor known to Chinese music fans. In addition to being the lifelong conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa has also served as a guest conductor of many symphony orchestras and opera houses around the world, including the Berliner Philharmonic orchestra and the French National Symphony Orchestra. Together with Indian conductor Zubin Mehta and Singaporean conductor Chu Hui, he is known as one of the world's three eastern conductors.
For the performance video, Ozawa's arm could not be raised, many media reported at the time, all mentioned that it was due to the immune system and other diseases he had suffered from before. Seiji Ozawa has suffered from pneumonia, esophageal cancer, and back diseases over the past decade, and has undergone several surgeries, even walking several times before the ghost door is closed. For example, in 2010, Seiji Ozawa was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and received treatment. In April 2016, Seiji Ozawa visited the Berlin Philharmonic and the Swiss International Conservatory of Music, and held a number of performances, causing him to suddenly have a high fever and a weight loss. After returning to Japan, he devoted himself to high-intensity work, and his immune system was further damaged. To this end, Seiji Ozawa suspended all performance plans in the summer of 2016 and issued a statement: "I will try to add meals and recover health as soon as possible, so that I can see you as soon as possible." The video, which was transmitted online, was filmed in October 2016, when he recovered from his illness and conducted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Zubin Mehta on the performance of "Thunder and Lightning Polka".
The dancing in the video is more of the conductor's humor. In an August 2, 2018 report, Wen Wei Po described the scene of the performance at that time: "When Zubin Mehta handed him the baton, he waved his hand, smiled playfully and innocently like a big child, and even turned in circles without thinking. In fact, due to the deterioration of his health in the first half of 2016, Seiji Ozawa's arm could not be raised, or even picked up the baton, but at the moment when he danced his magical and dynamic hands, the soul of the music was already standing in front of the audience. ”
Wen Wei Po reported on August 2, 2018
The video circulated on the Internet is very touching, but it is not a "curtain call performance". Born in 1935, Seiji Ozawa is now in his 80s, but he has appeared on stage several times since 2016. For example, in July 2018, after undergoing surgery for aortic stenosis in the heart, the 83-year-old Seiji Ozawa took a short break for a few months before appearing on the stage again, appearing at the Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Oshiga performance. At this year's "Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy" performance, he also appeared as a conductor. Earlier, Seiji Ozawa said on NHK TV's "Early Morning" program: "My stomach is full of medicine, and my body is full of antibiotics, but I am still very happy to be back on the stage." It's a little late to usher in the second life at the age of 75, but there is no way, I will try to go on. ”
Netizen comments
(This article was proofread with the assistance of Zheng Ziyu)
Column Editor-in-Chief: Song Hui Text Editor: Song Hui Title Image Source: Visual China Image Editor: Yong Kai