Conductor John Eliot Gardiner Returns to Korea in March After Assault Controversy
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Sir John Eliot Gardiner (82), a pioneer of historically informed performance (period instrument practice), will return to South Korea in March leading his newly formed Constellation Choir & Orchestra (CCO). Gardiner, who faced criticism and a temporary halt to his career after assaulting a singer in 2023, was expelled from some ensembles but later regrouped in 2024 with core members who resigned from his former groups to join CCO. He has publicly adopted rules for equality, diversity and mutual respect for the new ensemble. The March concerts in Seoul’s Arts Center will feature Bach’s Mass in B minor (March 3) and Mozart’s Requiem and C minor Great Mass (March 4); Gardiner will then appear at the Hong Kong Arts Festival and continue touring in Europe. The episode sparked debate in the classical world about authoritarian conduct by conductors and how to balance artistic achievement with moral accountability.
