In Tuesday’s (6/28) New York Times, Daniel J. Wakin writes, “The New York Philharmonic said on Monday that it would give a special memorial concert to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks: a free performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the ‘Resurrection,’ at Avery Fisher Hall. One of the first major 9/11 cultural remembrances announced so far, the concert will be broadcast live on the radio and projected on a screen in Lincoln Center’s plaza. It will actually take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, and be rebroadcast on PBS the next evening. … The Philharmonic had originally envisioned a 9/11 commemorative concert on the Great Lawn of Central Park and had planned to accompany it with parks concerts in other boroughs during the days before, according to [orchestra president and CEO Zarin] Mehta. … Then last fall brought an offer from [Andrea] Bocelli and his backers, which include the Barilla pasta company and Decca Records. The Philharmonic agreed to accompany him and guest artists—for an undisclosed fee—in a free Great Lawn concert that will be broadcast by PBS and turned into a CD and DVD. … But early this year, Mr. Mehta said, the Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy told the orchestra that both events would be too damaging to the lawn. So Mr. Mehta moved the 9/11 concert to Avery Fisher.”
Posted June 28, 2011
