Renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa has been forced to cancel his appearance at this month's Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival in Nagano Prefecture due to a hip injury, festival organizers said.
The 79-year-old maestro, known for his energetic style and sweeping performances, will be replaced by American conductor Gil Rose for three performances in August. However, Ozawa still hopes to wield the baton at a show celebrating his 80th birthday on Sept. 1.
Due to the sudden change, the organizers announced partial ticket refunds will be granted to those who require them. The refunds will be given at the venues of each performance on the days they are scheduled to occur.
According to a statement released by festival officials, Ozawa was recovering from a cold when on Aug. 1 he accidentally fell and fractured his hip bone. The injury is expected to require three weeks of physical therapy in order for him to fully recover. This means he will sit out the scheduled performances of the opera "Berlioz: Beatrice et Benedict" on Aug. 24, 27 and 29. The opera is rarely performed; however, Ozawa's replacement, Rose, conducted it in 2011.
Rose, born in Pittsburgh, is also the founder of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the foremost professional orchestra dedicated exclusively to performing and recording symphonic music of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Ozawa is one of Japan's most celebrated artists and the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival changed its name this year in honor of him. The maestro was forced to cancel appearances at the festival in 2010 after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He did not return to the conductor's podium until the 2013 edition of the event.
