Lilian turns 99
balletThe indomitable Lilian Hochhauser is blowing out a lot of candles this week.
No-one in opera and ballet has done more to connect Russian and British cultures, and no-one has suffered more from Vladmir Putin’s destruction of cultural relations.
Had it not been for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Lilian would have been putting the finishing touches on this summer’s residency of the Bolshoi or the Mariinsky at Covent Garden. She regards the war as a temporary disruption.
The moment there’s a ceasfire, she’ll be on the phone, organising performances.
You can listen to the Lebrecht Interview with Lilian Hochhauser here.
A unique phenomenon
I had the absolute pleasure in working for Victor and Lilian Hochauser for some 13 years . Truly wonderful humanitarians, parents , grandparents, great grandparents and always conducted themselves perfectly. When I had a problem they always fixed it . Will never forget my time with you and thank you for treating me as family . Lillian , you are loved by all and me always .
A lovely lady. I wish her many happy returns.
A lovely lady. I wish her many happy returns and a wonderful day.
Happy birthday!
99? Simon H introduced me to her earlier this year and mentioned she’s 95. Like any lady, she’s allowed to shave off a few years. She didn’t look a day over 87. The world would be a poorer place …
Attributing the destruction of cultural relations solely to Putin is a cop-out. People were very happy connecting Russian and British culture back when it was lucrative. Now, when we desperately need cultural diplomacy, nobody lifts a finger because of lack of profit or the risk of being vilified in either country (or both). During the Cuban missile crisis, the Leningrad Philharmonic played the Edinburgh Festival. In today’s much more dangerous strategic standoff, there is not an ounce of soft diplomacy happening anywhere. We artists are waiting for the war to end, while the war waits for us to end it.
NO-ONE has suffered more from Vladmir Putin’s destruction of cultural relations? Seriously?!! What an incredibly daft, tone-deaf and insensitive statement! And “the moment there’s a ceasfire, she’ll be on the phone, organising performances”? Again, really? As though nothing happened? As if the past 70 years haven’t definitively proven that all the tosh about cultural exchange has been exposed as hollow, pointless or worse? As though any self-respecting institution can go back to working with the Bolshoi or Mariinsky when even now they are actively stealing work by performing it without permission?!! Delusional and disgraceful.