Orchestra cancels Overture on Hebrew Themes

Slippediscers in the Netherlands have spotted that the Rotterdam Philharmonic has replaced Prokofiev’s popular opener in this week’s concerts with Lili Boulanger’s ‘D’un soir triste’. The programme is being played both at home and across the border in Dortmund. The conductor responsible is Lahav Shani, who is also music director of the Israel Philharmonic.

Was the work considered too ‘insensitive’ for these inflammatory times?

UPDATE: Sources in the orchestra tell us: ‘We are playing Boulanger’s piece at the Proms this summer and this is the only opportunity we can play it at concert before… We considered adding it in addition to Jewish themes ouverture but then it would become too long.’