Will concerts ever come back?

Will concerts ever come back?

main

norman lebrecht

January 06, 2021

A short film by director Eric Fraad with Caitríona O’Leary acting out a lament from the Decameron.

Written during the Florence plague of 1347 – 1351, the song asks whether life will ever return to what we once knew: fever, desire and hope.

Funded by an Irish Arts Council Covid-19 Crisis Response Award, it has so far received little over a hundred views.

It’s a compelling piece of singer-acting. Treat yourself.

 

Comments

  • Rogerio says:

    If life returns to what we once knew we will just be back to being unprepared for the next global crisis.
    The world of classical music is probably one of the most vulnerable to that.
    I have read here on SD that some cities are planning new concert halls. Each one costs the people around one Billion.
    Will they have seats that are 2 meters apart?
    How many Conservatoires will offer a “Major” in violin performance with a “Minor” in computer science?
    Just in case.

  • Madeleine Richardson says:

    If Europe could come back roaring after the devastation of the Black Death, we should be able to resume normal service once the vaccination programme has kicked in.

    • Nik says:

      Europe came back “roaring” with just 50% of the population left. I’m not convinced this is something we should aspire to, though apparently it had a positive effect on the living standards of the poorest.

    • William Safford says:

      I agree in part, disagree in part.

      We should resume a new normal.

      I do not know what that new normal should be. I hope that the scientists and medical professionals can help us with this.

      The events of the last year show that changes need to be made.

      It will be good to get back to an active and vibrant music concert scene. I just don’t know what it will be, or what form it should take.

  • A very relevant piece and a beautiful performance – thank you for sharing!

  • more from Irish singer Caitriona O’leary http://www.caitrionaoleary.com

  • Tony Sanderson says:

    Concerts are back this weekend with Yuja Wang playing Richard Strauss’ Burleske for Piano and Orchestra with the Orlando Philahrmonic in anti-lockdown Florida.

    https://orlandophil.org/

  • Polo Piatti says:

    My personal guess is that classical music will return to normal at some point in the not-too-distant future. The question remaining is whether audiences will be willing to keep indulging concert programmers that include atonal pieces. As shown during the pandemic, what people now want is to replenish their souls; and to do that what they really need is the possibility to enjoy more harmonic and tuneful works instead of avantgarde, one-off experiments.

    • henry williams says:

      when i go to concerts it is always haydn schubert
      motzart this always cheers me up . especially in
      the winter time

  • christopher storey says:

    What a dreadful noise !

  • V. Lind says:

    I think it is interesting, and rather liked it, but I don’t know anyone else who would. I won’t be sending it on. Not surprising it has had few views — I suspect its word of mouth is “not for everyone.”

  • Anon9 says:

    Lovely singing, awful video. Music before tonality and the resulting development (for good or bad) of the European classical tradition. Listen, don’t watch, and hear how beautifully the words are enunciated. Filomena is singing about an absent beloved; the company guessed, with envy, that she had gone rather beyond just looking at her lover!

  • JussiB says:

    We need total lockdown and self-isolation for another year and life will go back to normal in 2022. Not gonna happen in the Western countries.

  • MOST READ TODAY: