Thursday, November 18, on the occasion of the closing evening of the days dedicated to Jewish culture, Daniel Barenboïm was to give a recital in the Rykestrasse synagogue in Berlin.
In the end, the pianist never went on stage;
nor will he perform in Vienna this week, where he was scheduled to give four concerts.
In Berlin, three sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven were on the program.
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The 79-year-old musician is said to be suffering from back pain, the severity of which remains unknown, but which are strong enough to handicap him during these few performances.
His doctors strongly advised him to cease all professional activity for 10 days and therefore to cancel all the concerts he was to give in November.
Daniel Barenboïm was to begin his concerts in Berlin before flying to Vienna where he was expected at the Musikverein on November 21, 23, 25 and 28 to perform all of Beethoven's greatest piano sonatas.
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In December, he should take over the baton, sometimes for the Staatsoper in Berlin to conduct three concerts, on December 5, 8 and 11, sometimes for the homage evenings for the 200th anniversary of the Staatsoper choir, on 13 and December 14.
But the long awaited event by the conductor will take place in Vienna on January 1, he will be at the head of the Wiener Philharmoniker on the occasion of the New Year's concert. We hope that the pianist will have recovered his health.