Hawaii Symphony mourns Maui disaster with Elgar
NewsAn 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.
JoAnn always does the right thing. Pray for the people of Maui. A beautiful moment for the people of Honolulu to join together in spirit through music.
Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornados and fires for Hawaii. Thoughts go with these people.
Tornadoes, not so much:
“The islands of Hawaii, situated in the Pacific Ocean, rarely experience tornadoes, averaging about one per year. The state ranks as the 48th most active of the 50 states in terms of touchdowns, with 40 confirmed tornadoes since 1950.”
People in Hawaii are in need of food, water, shelter not prayers and Elgar. Why do musicians and opera singers always have this idiotic and ludicrous idea that music will save us all and soothe our souls …?
The Hawai’i Symphony, along with many local artists, will give a benefit concert – Maui Ola – for those affected by the wildfires. The concert will be this Sunday, local time, and 100% of proceeds will go to the relief effort.
https://www.mauiola.org/
So that’s Elgar + prayers + tangible support.
Physical needs are only half the ache, of course there’s attention to those provisions. But the heart, the soul, that’s the part that music helps soothe. It’s calmed babies to sleep, soothed soldiers in war, sick folks in hospitals, senior citizen homes and even helped those with Alzheimers. The universal language is music!