What’s In A (Household) Name?

The Sydney Symphony and its supporters are positively giddy over the hiring of Vladimir Ashkenazy as the orchestra’s new chief conductor, but the Russian maestro’s star power will come at a cost: Ashkenazy will spend only eight weeks a year with his new orchestra. Still, at a time when the SSO is trying to raise its international profile and stabilize its finances, a big name on the marquee can go a long way.