His tour project in the middle of post-containment has angered many musicians. At the start, he had launched his musical itinerary to bring, every summer evening in town and village squares, a little comfort to the French after the confinement test. It is true that his digital concerts had enjoyed, like those of his violinist brother, some success.
Guest of France 2, the musician also revealed the first towns that had come forward to receive him: Giverny, Thiron-Gardais, Tourcoing, Préfailles, Tonnerre, Anglet, Nice, Cannes, Mirecourt, Mont Saint-Michel .. .
The cellist had indeed announced that he would not charge his spectators anything, with a modest "participation in the fee". Because "after all the free performances that the musicians were able to achieve in confinement, it is important, symbolically, to remember that a musician must also touch something if he plays for an audience."
But we learned from an article in La Lettre du musicien that the French cellist had asked municipalities for fees ranging from 2,800 euros for municipalities with less than 3,000 inhabitants, to 9,800 euros for those with more than 60,000. To which were added the accommodation expenses for the artist and his family.
Amounts much higher than the average, which forced several of the cities where the musician was to perform to give up hosting him.
For professionals in the sector, these cachets are surprising, especially since the musical device planned by Gautier Capuçon is relatively simple: the cellist must play accompanied by a pre-recording of piano played by an iPad and two speakers. "Artistically, it's scandalous, especially for a musician of his level," protests Benoît Dumon, organist and countertenor, with the Parisian.
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"Passing this tour as a solidarity event was marketing ," continues Benoît Dumon. Free for the public, but not for the municipalities! ”
Other artists have pointed out Gautier Capuçon's lack of solidarity during this particularly difficult period for musicians. Many of them have had their concerts canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, placing them in a precarious situation.
Caught up in the controversy, the cellist Gautier Capuçon finally agreed not to be paid during his summer outdoor concerts, which he must perform throughout France as part of his "This summer in France" tour. "I understood that the small municipalities had no budget allocated to culture, " said the cellist to the Parisian , who indicates that he will take the whole tour at his expense. Before adding: “ I know that we are going through a major economic crisis. And I hear the suffering of the cultural milieu, devastated by the crisis ”. Crisis which should not give the impression of wanting to take advantage ...
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