Hawaii Symphony mourns Maui disaster with Elgar

An exclusive report for slippedisc.com from Greta Beigel in Honolulu:

What was supposed to be the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra’s summer season finale of opera favorites Saturday at the outdoor Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell, morphed instead into a night of pathos as JoAnn Falletta conducted a concert of mourning for the island and people of Maui.

“We will open with a musical prayer of remembrance for those who have lost their lives and the thousands of people who are still suffering,” said Falletta, who has served as the orchestra’s artistic advisor for more than a decade. She opted for Elgar’s “Nimrod,” from “Enigma Variations,” asking for silence in lieu of applause. Sobs could be heard throughout the 2,400-seat venue, located mere blocks from the beach in famed Kapiolani Park. The program continued with works by Wagner, Strauss and more.

As of this writing, the death toll from the Lahaina fires is estimated at 99. Gov. Josh Green has stated that he expects that number to rise as investigations continue.

The HSO’s 2023/24 classical Masterwork Series begins October 8th at the Hawaii Theatre Center in downtown Honolulu. Australian-born Dane Lam, recently named music director, the first such appointment in the orchestra’s 10-year history, will conduct.