"An historic moment," one concert-goer told the daily newspaper El Pais after Tuesday night's symphony performance. "A Madrid audience rebelled against one of the great orchestras."
The 156-year-old Vienna Philharmonic, revered for its classical precision, was in the midst of its last musical piece of the evening when things went awry.
First, an oboe played out of tune. Then a horn hit a wrong note. That was followed by a slide trombone soloist playing off-key. The audience responded with shouts of "Get out! Get out!" according to those in attendance.
"The booing started because the audience didn't like the interpretation of 'Bolero,"' a Madrid Auditorium spokesman said.
Conductor Lorin Maazel appeared unfazed, and a few more sympathetic concert-goers applauded politely.
"The success of great musical legends also carries extraordinary risks (of failure)," El Pais music critic Enrique Franco said.
Reuters/Variety