“In New York, London, Paris and other world cities, classical music organizations have honored the 12 victims of the terrorist attack against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and defended the freedom of expression,” reports Brian Wise on Friday (1/9) at the website of New York City-based classical radio station WQXR. “At Avery Fisher Hall on Thursday night, New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert appeared … to announce that the evening’s concert was being dedicated to the victims ‘and to the fundamental principal of freedom of speech.’ … In Paris, performances on Wednesday by the Paris Opera, the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio began with moments of silence.… In Italy, seven general managers and artistic directors of Milan’s major theaters and orchestras, including La Scala, put out a joint statement defending ‘all the values that are an achievement of our civilization.’ In London, a group of freelance musicians estimated to be 150 in number staged a performance of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings on Trafalgar Square. Originally intended to be held outside the Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the performance was moved to the North Terrace of Trafalgar Square because of security concerns.” The article includes links to audio and video of the tributes.
Posted January 12, 2015
