But we must be cautious with our expectations. Dudamel is not going to walk on water and he is not going to single-handedly save an art form that has no need of life support. Indeed, were classical music so irrelevant to our times and needs, it could never have produced a Dudamel.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Dudamel is a brilliant musician from what I have gathered so far. But he’s still young and has what will seem to be a stellar career ahead of him. But let him mature and grow more before calling him a genius. However I’d much rather have this sort of excitement focused on someone like Dudadmel than, say, the next André Rieu or Sarah Brightman.

(Via Los Angeles Times.)