Philly renames its concert hall

Philly renames its concert hall

Orchestras

norman lebrecht

February 28, 2024

The former Verizon Hall has lost its sponsor’s name:

Today we share the incredible announcement that our concert hall will be rededicated to honor the extraordinary legacy of Marian Anderson! We are so proud to make music in a space memorializing such a remarkable musician, civil rights icon and Philadelphian.
This rededication was made possible by the monumental generosity of our former board chair and current trustee, Richard Worley, and former acting president of the Kimmel Center and current trustee, Leslie Anne Miller. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering support.

Marian Anderson, 1897-1993, was Philadelphia-born contralto of world renown who endured grievous racism in the USA.

Comments

  • phf655 says:

    I think this is a beautiful gesture. At the same time we should remember that she made the bulk of her career singing and recording music by dead white European males.

    • Stephen Tomchik says:

      Your comment is specious and gratuitous. Anderson sang Brahms, Mahler, Schubert, and Verdi. So what? She also sang (and recorded) the spirituals of her cultural heritage. Your criticisms of great artists such as Jessie Norman, Leontyne Price, and Kathleen Battle surely are waiting on the wings.

      • Karden says:

        But you have to admit that in today’s world, everything – leftist or rightist – has become so political or dogmatic, neurotically so.

        • Stephen Tomchik says:

          I do admit that. Which is all the more reason why comments that are specious, gratuitous, and/or idiotic should be labelled as such.

          • Karden says:

            However, judging “specious, gratuitous and/or idiotic” also depends on the way one’s political biases are being either stroked or inflamed. Or how leftwing or rightwing a person is or isn’t.

    • David Varquez says:

      Because…black people can do ANYTHING. Right?

    • Steven Rogers says:

      Dear lord……

    • Tiredofitall says:

      And your point?

  • Eugene Tzigane says:

    My teacher, James DePreist, was Marian Anderson’s nephew. I’m sure he would have been thrilled that his hometown orchestra was renamed after his aunt. I know I’m elated!

  • Tricky Sam says:

    A wonderful gesture!

  • Peter San Diego says:

    Corporate names are fine for sports stadiums. The change from Verizon to Marian Anderson is deserved, appropriate, and an altogether brilliant choice.

  • Paul Dawson says:

    A thoroughly laudable change.

  • PaulD says:

    During the Clinton Administration, the federal agency I worked for produced a Black History Month poster honoring famous Black Americans. The honorees included Louis Farrakhan, Angela Davis and Stokely Carmichael, but not Marian Anderson. I and several other Jewish employees protested the honoring of anti-Semites and secured a meeting with the head of the office that designed the poster. The office head, a Black man, asked me who I would have put there. “Marian Anderson” because of her place in the struggle for civil rights. I got an eye roll for an answer, and we went back and forth on Anderson. Finally, one of my colleagues chimed in with, “Instead of Marian Anderson, what about Clarence Thomas?” That brought the meeting to an end.

    I could only conclude from the meeting that Marian Anderson is more important to Whites than Blacks.

  • Potpourri says:

    In 1939 Marion Anderson was denied permission to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington because she was black. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, invited her to sing outdoors at the Lincoln Memorial. 75,000 people attended to show their support.

  • Tiredofitall says:

    Restores my faith that sometimes the right thing is done.

  • 꽁 머니 says:

    공짜로 매일매일 쏟아지는 꽁머니 꽁타 구글에서 검색 꽁타

  • Allma Own says:

    The previous “sponsor’s” naming rights expired.

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