Just in: Met sings ‘Va, pensiero’ for Israel’s dead
NewsWe hear that before curtain-up on Verdi’s Nabucco at the Metropolitan Opera last night, Peter Gelb said a few words to the audience about the Hamas massacres in Israel.
The chorus then gave a rendition of the slaves’ song ‘Va, pensiero’, which left main among the audience in tears.
The Met was the first US performing organisation to acknowledge the atrocity.
We understand that the conductor Mirga Grazynte-Tyla had something planned for her New York Philharmonic debut last night, and we await eyewitness accounts.
who sings for people in Gaza?
Hamas.
“Who sings for people in Gaza?” The same people who sang for the Nazis, the Japanese, and the Russians.
Equating innocent civilians in Gaza to Nazis is ridiculous. Innocent people are dying on both sides of this conflict, and they all deserve better.
Cutting electricity and water !! Bombing schools and hospitals and mosques. Is that a sign of civilized behavior?
Tell me Kaa, who voted Hamas into power in the first place and who have gone along with the dictatorship since then. No elections have been held since Hamas came to power and the Palestinians seem to think that that is fine and go along with the dictatorship. So the question is “is the support of Hamas and its Charter (eliminate Israel and kill ALL the Jews) the sign of a civilised society?” If the Palestinian people truly believed in working towards some kind of settlement with Israel they would kick Hamas out of power.
“Innocent” people died in Germany and Japan too but we didn’t equate them with the brave citizens of Poland or the UK. The people of Gaza are not innocent in the same sense as the people of Israel are. Get real.
The Met should be commended for its humanitarian gesture and empathetic support of Jewish victims; the institution spoke out in support of Ukraine and against Putin’s crimes; they banned pro-Putin singers, as well. That is an indication that their outspoken positions are rooted in humanitarian convictions and are not PR stunts.
On the other hand, Muti gave a concert in Sarajevo last night. The occasion and location could have been highly symbolic because Sarajevo had been the site of the first edition of Muti’s Roads of Friendship “project” in 1997 (by many considered a PR stunt, which was followed by concerts in Beirut and Jerusalem in the following two editions).
I can find no reports, anywhere, of Muti having said one word to support or commemorate Jewish victims, let alone condemn Hamas’ atrocities, either during the concert or in the highly publicized press conference before it. Not one word.
If anyone finds such report, please post it.
You don’t say. Muti did not support the Jews?
I thought he loved them as much as he loves Mahler and Schoenberg, and for the same reason.
As much as he loves Sam Zell … for the same reason?
Dear Rodent,
How is it that you have such up to the minute information on Muti’s activities? Do you travel the world in his suitcase? Have you developed an international spy network? Most importantly, have you nothing better to do with your life than post these inane comments?
May I add that Sarajevo was also the site of an assassination that begot last century’s hellish nightmare of WWI and as a result of that conflagration eventually led to the second great nightmare, WWII? And there was the horror of the Bosnia War where Sarajevo also (again) had an unwanted and undesired place. So yes, a gesture there could and would have been so very potent and meaningful.
This obsession with Muti is really quite worrisome. Might I suggest professional help?
The first time I see positive coverage of the Met on SD in years!! Heck, maybe since the first Yom Kippur War
To be clear—MOST organizations in the USA have not had performances since the horrible terrorism occurred.
Thank you to the Met for this humane gesture .. when evil in stares you in the eye be able to recognise it . Hamas-Isis-Nazi is not a freedom movement for Palestinians! to all the enablers and supporters who have commented here . Shame on you.