ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Israel Proves
Mazel for Lorin
By TIM BOXER
EXACTLY
two weeks after Lorin Maazel
conducted the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra on its 65th
anniversary with a Jan. 15 performance at Carnegie Hall, he was appointed
the new music director of the New York Philharmonic. Born in Paris in 1930
to American Jewish parents, Maazel will succeed Kurt Masur
late next year.
Call
him Maazel Tov!
The 70-year-old maestro is
currently music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. In May,
he will again lead the Israel Philharmonic during its European tour, which
will include Spain, Italy and France.
At Carnegie Hall, Maazel directed
an all-Beethoven program with piano soloist Yefim Bronfman.
Bronfman, born in Tashkent,
Soviet Union, immigrated to Israel in 1973 were he enjoyed instant
success. The next year he made his debut with the Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra (IPO).
Following the Carnegie Hall
concert, Ronald Lauder, gala co-chairman with wife Jo Carole,
welcomed the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to its
11th annual gala at The Plaza.
He thanked the 740 supporters for
raising $1.4 million for the orchestra’s activities. “It’s
absolutely phenomenal!” he exclaimed. “Could not have done it without
you…and Beethoven.”
Among the guests were James D.
Wolfensohn, Tricia and Jason Pantzer, Edward Pantzer, Ellen Liman,
Stacy and Matthew Brudner, Marion and Elie Wiesel, Burton and Judith
Resnick, Mort Zuckerman and wife Marla Prather, curator
at the Whitney Museum.
“In
this trying time for Israel,” said Lauder, “they never lose sight of
one of its most momentous treasures – its music.”
This portion of the evening being
a dinner, speeches were served first. Israeli Ambassador David Ivry,
well aware of protocol at such occasions, came prepared with notes.
But first he told about a person
who came to deliver a talk. He took out his speech and talked for 15
minutes. He went on for 30 minutes – until he realized he was reading
from two copies.
“I have here three copies,”
Ivry said. A rare bird indeed – a diplomat with a sense of humor!
Itzhak Perlman,
co-chairman with Zubin Mehta of the IPO board, said he was always
thrilled to play or conduct the Israel Philharmonic.
“We played in many countries,
including Poland, Soviet Union, India. And there’s nothing more exciting
than to hear Hatikvah.”
He played in Israel the previous
week. He brought along several musicians from the U.S.
“There
was some American government fear for their safety,” Perlman said.
“Some politicians are not in harmony. I can assure you the musicians are
in harmony.”
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