Pianist Andre Watts cancels N.Y. gig with Philadelphia Orchestra

By David Patrick Stearns, Classical Music Critic

Replacing Andre Watts in a high-profile engagement has long given young pianists a career boost. Watts' Aug. 17 cancellation with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga (N.Y.) Performing Arts Center, however, comes with extra gravity: The long-admired 70-year-old pianist has prostate cancer.

"It's Andre's wish that we be straight about that," said his manager Linda Marder, whose talent roster at CM Artists includes numerous pianists who are guests of the Philadelphia Orchestra. "Men of a certain age have this problem." Survival rates are very high.

The diagnosis was made only weeks ago, she said, and the pianist, now based at Indiana University in Bloomington, has been to the Mayo Clinic to determine treatment.

Today, September 7, 2016, Sergio A. Mims alerted us to the headline quoted from Slipped Disc by Norman Lebrecht.