Greeks go mad for Berlin Philharmonic
mainWe hear that tickets for this Friday’s Europa Concert in Athens sold out within half an hour. The concert is the one date in the year where players of the Berlin Phil get to choose the venue.
By picking Athens, they have sent a message of solidarity to austerity -hit Greeks and, perhaps, of dissension to Angela Merkel’s hardline on Grexit.
Since when is the Europa Concert announced/determined so close to May 1? It seems like in past years I heard about it well in advance. Surely it had to be planned some time ago (months, anyway).
It was announced officially 5 months ago, in the programmes of Megaron, so it must be scheduled at least from last autumn.
Good move Berlin Philharmonic.
At times like this Greece needs you more than ever.
– They are also sending a message that they are an orchestra for the 21st century.
Also interesting the fact that they programmed a work by a Finnish composer.
Yes, 2015 is the Sibelius year, but also:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1a2b9dd2-9bf0-11e4-b6cc-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3YWUg1d00
Berlin Philharmonic…. I am really proud of you!
While your government next door, mainly represented
by empathy- missing Ms. Merkel and Mr. Schaeuble,
still prefer to save Banks instead of a huge starving Greek
Population … The members of this great orchestra
are sending a very strong sign to Greece: WE and with US
many Germans are standing on your side!
Bravo and Thank You !!
I think it’s inappropriate to criticise the Northern European stance on the Greek finance problem in a musical forum.
Is there any documentation that the BP scheduled this concert as an act of solidarity with Greece concerning the debt crisis? It would be highly unusual for a major orchestra to make such an overt political statement in contradiction of their country’s major political leaders. From another perspective, sending the orchestra to Athens could be seen as a gesture of some sort of German cultural and economic hegemony in Europe. I doubt that’s the case either, so we need documentation of any presumed political intent. If true, this would be extremely interesting!
Herbert von Karajan was of Greek extraction…..