López-Cobos Suing Mortier and Teatro Real
Jesús López-Cobos, former music director of Teatro Real in Madrid and music director emeritus of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, is in a legal dispute with the theater and its famously difficult director, Gerard Mortier.
In an interview with the Austrian daily Kurier in Vienna promoting an upcoming production of Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte," Mortier remarked that the Teatro had fired López-Cobos for working too little with the orchestra. López-Cobos, 73, has declared Mortier's statement blatantly false and injurious to his reputation. He asserts that he left the theater of his own accord, citing supporting documents and letters of merit from officials of Teatro Real to prove it. He is suing Mortier, Teatro Real and the Kurier for 50.000 euros in damages for defamation.
Here, in translation and the original Spanish, is the article that appeared in the Spanish newspaper ABC on March 23. The link to the digital edition is http://www.abc.es/cultura/musica/20130322/abci-lopez-cobos-demanda-teatro-201303222124.html
The orchestra conductor, who asked for rectification - which never arrived - from the theater in Madrid and the Belgian director, is claiming 50.000 euros for injuries and damages.
The orchestra conductor and former music director of Teatro Real, Jesús López-Cobos, who yesterday led the OSRTVE (Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española) in Madrid, has presented a claim against the board of Teatro Real in the name of its president, Gregorio Marañon, its artistic director, Gerard Mortier, and the Austrian daily “Kurier,” to which the Belgian director gave an interview promoting the premiere of “Così fan tutte” last month. Mortier, asked why there is no titular music director, said of the previous (music director), Jesús López-Cobos, “we had to throw him out because he worked little with the orchestra.”
After finding out about the content of the publication, the conductor did not take long to send a letter to the theater in Madrid in which he asked for immediate rectification of false statements which hurt his image and honor. If the rectification were not made, he would take the appropriate measures.
The Real answered with a letter in which it removed itself from the statements made by Mortier, taking no responsibility for what their managers said to the media. The general director, Ignacio García-Belenguer, indicated that yes, in the interview referred to, Mortier said that they had not renewed the contract of the orchestra director, something that differs considerably from the literal translation.
Deceptive and harmful manifestations
In the absence of rectification, López-Cobos has decided to present a complaint, which he told this paper yesterday, through a statement from his law firm, also attaching the first page of the demand. In it, the conductor from Zamora is claiming 50.000 euros for damages.
“As of today, and fulfilling itself exactly one month since the publication of the interview given by Mr. Gerard Mortier to the Austrian daily Kurier, in which he produced absolutely deceptive and harmful manifestations against the honor of maestro Jesús López-Cobos by means of imputations of false facts, value judgments that undermine the dignity of the orchestra conductor, and having proceeded without rectification despite the requests made, the law firm of the maestro has presented to the Decanato de los Juzgados de Madrid Acción de Tutela Judicial Civil del Derecho Fundamental Honor (Civil Judicial Protection Action of the Fundamental Right of Honor) according to the channels provided in article 9.1 de la LO 1/1982.”
López-Cobos demanda al Teatro Real y a Mortier por atentar contra su honor
El director de orquesta, que pidió una rectificación -que nunca llegó- al coliseo madrileño y al director belga, reclama 50.000 euros por daños y perjuicios
El director de orquesta y exdirector musical del Teatro Real, Jesús López Cobos, que ayer dirigía en la temporada de la OSRTVE, en Madrid, ha presentado una demanda contra el Patronato del Teatro Real, entidad citada en el nombre de su presidente, Gregorio Marañón; su director artístico, Gerard Mortier, y el diario austriaco "Kurier" al que el director belga concedió una entrevista con motivo del estreno de "Così fan tutte" el pasado mes. En ella, Mortier, preguntado por qué no había titular musical, afirmó que al anterior, Jesús López Cobos, "tuvimos que echarle porque trabajaba poco con la orquesta."
Tras conocer el contenido de la publicación, el director zamorano no tardó en remitir al coliseo madrileño una carta en la que pedía la inmediata rectificación de unas afirmaciones falsas que dañaban su imagen y su honor. De no producirse dicha rectificación tomaría la medidas oportunas.
El Real
le contestó con una carta en la que se desmarcaba de las declaraciones de
Mortier, al no hacerse responsable de lo que decían sus directivos a los medios
de comunicación. Eso sí, el director general, Ignacio
García-Belenguer, indicaba que en la entrevista
referida Mortier hablaba de que no se le había renovado el contrato al director
de orquesta, algo que difiere mucho de la traducción literal.
Manifestaciones falaces y lesivas
Ante la
falta de rectificación, López Cobos ha decidido presentar una denuncia, según
informó ayer a este periodo, a través de un comunicado, su despacho de
abogados, además de adjuntar la primera página de la demanda. En ella, el
director zamorano reclama 50.000 euros por daños
y perjuicios.
"Con fecha de hoy, y cumpliéndose justo un mes desde la publicación en el diario austriaco Kurier de la entrevista llevada a cabo a don Gerard Mortier, donde éste realizaba manifestaciones absolutamente falaces y lesivas al honor del maestro don Jesús López Cobos mediante la imputación de hechos falsos, juicios de valor que atentaban contra la dignidad del director de orquesta, y sin haberse procedido a la rectificación pese a los requerimientos efectuados, el despacho de abogados del maestro ha dejado presentada ante el Decanato de los Juzgados de Madrid Acción de Tutela Judicial Civil del Derecho Fundamental al Honor conforme a los cauces previstos en el artículo 9.1 de la LO 1/1982."