Women on the podium

When was the last time you saw a woman conduct an opera or a symphony orchestra – that is, one whose name isn't Simone Young?

Conducting remains an overwhelmingly male preserve, especially in this country – to an extent that would be pilloried elsewhere in the arts. The infinitesimal number of women conducting orchestras makes the composition of most company boards or the pages of London Review of Books seem positively liberal in their inclusion of women. The acceptance of this professional exclusivity is mystifying.

During a recent visit to Dallas, Arts Update was not surprised to see a male on the podium during a performance by the Dallas Symphony. The conductor on that occasion was Long Yu (magnetic in the best no-nonsense fashion, it must be said). His soloist was Kirill Gerstein, who gave a galvanic performance of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto (as he did for the MSO in August 2015).