John Eliot Gardiner Bows Out of BBC Proms After Backstage Clash with Soloist

At the ripe age of 80, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, better known in some circles as “Jiggy” (though heaven forbid you call him that to his face), indulged in some decidedly un-knightly behavior. Fresh off a performance at the Berlioz festival in France’s sultry southeast, Gardiner decided that soloist William Thomas‘s stage entrance wasn’t quite up to snuff. The solution? A slap and a punch, naturally. This youthful bass, a mere 29 and with a Cardiff Singer of the World competition on his belt, found himself on the wrong end of Gardiner’s temper tantrum, all for a presumed misstep.

The BBC, not too keen on hosting a conductor with a penchant for physical corrections, relayed that Gardiner was bowing out of The Trojans at the Proms. But fear not, music aficionados, Dinis Sousa is on hand to wave the baton come September 3rd.

Gardiner, perhaps realizing that fists aren’t typically part of a conductor’s toolkit, issued an apology, admitting no excuses for his outburst. He’s taken a sabbatical from Les Troyens, wishing Sousa and crew a fruitful tour.

What sparked this backstage brawl? A slip by Thomas off the podium, some say. An incident hidden from the audience’s view, but one that rippled through the classical community. It took place after a performance of Berlioz’s The Trojans, with Gardiner leading his Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique.

A rep for Gardiner blames the sweltering French heat and a possibly meddlesome medication alteration for his lapse in judgment. Thomas’s agent, meanwhile, is keeping mum, only confirming the altercation post-Berlioz performance.

Picture this: post-show, cast is jubilant, Gardiner approaches, beer in hand, and quips about drenching Thomas. The bass’s retort earned him a slap and a punch, leading to a short-lived shouting match. Management huddled up to check on their shaken performers, and Gardiner was soon London-bound.

Gardiner, handpicked by his pal, King Charles, for a royal coronation stint, has long been pegged as a tad tempestuous. A 2015 Spectator piece painted a picture of a maestro with monumental talent, yet lacking the art of courtesy. But hey, don’t take it from me, just ask the brass player from the London Symphony Orchestra.