South Florida Classical Review

The Cleveland Orchestra has provided additional details on the sudden illness of conductor Franz Welser-Möst during Friday night’s performance of Verdi’s Requiem at the Arsht Center in Miami.

The orchestra said Monday that the Austrian music director experienced “an episode of hypertension” midway through the performance. The conductor sat down on the podium with his head in his hands. After being brought a bottle of water and resting a few more minutes, he rose, took the podium and completed the performance, but did not take any curtain calls. 

A Cleveland Orchestra spokesperson said Welser-Möst was seen by emergency medical personnel immediately following the concert and has since been resting following doctors’ orders. Saturday night’s repeat performance of the Requiem was led by the ensemble’s assistant conductor Taichi Fukumura. 

Welser-Möst is expected to return to the podium this coming weekend for the Cleveland Orchestra’s performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with soloist Yefim Bronfman and Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 at the Arsht Center .

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One Response to “More details released on condition of Cleveland conductor Welser-Möst”

1. Posted Jan 26, 2026 at 2:31 pm by Kathryn Ransom

   What a wonderful thing that Taichi was prepared and ready to fill in.

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