Women Conductors Outraged at Petrenko’s Orchestra Comment

Norway’s women conductors voiced shock and outrage after Vasily Petrenko, the Russian chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, was quoted by the daily Aftenposten saying orchestras react better to men than to women.

Petrenko, 37, told the newspaper that orchestras react better to men, who “have less sexual energy and can focus more on the music” while women on the podium could be distracting, Aftenposten said. Women often find it hard to be as devoted to the job as is necessary once they have children, Petrenko told the newspaper.