The Mehtas give $1 million to the Maggio
NewsNancy and Zubin Mehta have made a gift of $1 million is Tesla shares to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, where a new auditorium has been named after the long-serving music director.
Zubin said: ‘My wife was so moved when she learned of the title that she decided to make over part of our Tesla shares to the theater. My wife and I hope our donation will be useful and a source of inspiration for others, Italians and foreigners, to donate ti the Maggio; we do it for Florence, for the Maggio and we are happy to do it; in America we have never done such a thing.’
I have watched many times that something has been named *after* a person hands over a ton of money to an institution. This is the first time I hear of someone being honored and *then* saying thank you in such a big an generous way. What a class act. Kudos to Madame and Maestro Mehta.
“Well then thanks for nothing Zubin!”
-Los Angeles, America.
I’m sure that a million dollars means much more to the Maggio Musicale than it would to the extremely well-endowed LA Philharmonic.
????
Anyway I recommand deeply anything that Zubin did in the 60’s and the 70’s with the LA Phil and the Decca box of Zubin’s symphonies. The Tchaikovsky cycles is fantastic.
The Royce Hall recordings are great.
So Mama, let’s do it!
Does this mean people might be paid, now?
Although for sure art is important and life-affirming I wished I could anonymously donate a million to almost starving new-borns and children around te world, who, in poverty will never be able to ever enjoy a performance at the Maggio Mucicale Fiorentino.
In short: I’m not impressed!
How many conductors are giving back like this? Bravo Maestro Mehta!
I think there might be some socio-political reasons why Mehta feels closer to the Maggio than any orchestra in the USA. Alexander Pereira, the Director of the Maggio, and Mehta, are reported to be opposed to #MeToo. The reports say they thus offered work to James Levine, Placido Domingo, and Daniele Gatti after all three faced high profile consequences due to #MeToo allegations. And now, Gatti has recently been named Co-GMD at the Maggio along with Mehta. Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/SWR2/photos/ist-die-metoo-debatte-schon-wieder-verpufft-oder-gar-nicht-erst-angekommen-im-kl/10158327354326077/
https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus211165413/James-Levine-Vom-zweifelhaften-Versuch-einer-Rehabilitierung.html
Oh please. The donation was Zubin Mehta’s wife’s idea and he agreed. The full press conference and explanation, why they donated is on Instagram.
Not everything in this world has socio-political resasons or needs to be analized. Some reasons are just emotional ones.
PS: He’s performed there since 1961. He has outlived 13 “Intendants” and probably even more mayors and his European home base has been in Florence for decades. So the theater said “Thank you” and the Mehtas too.
That’s the point. Why was he so close to the Maggio, an orchestra that apparently made it a point to hire three people who faced serious allegations of sexual abuse?
I’am not surprised by that. When Zubin loves an orchestra it’s for life.
The practice of indulgences is well accepted in catholic societies.
It has kept culture going since medieval times, irrespective of pest, cholera and COVID.
😉