Posted by js on May 02, 2003 at 22:40:39:
It's disheartening to hear that bad news about orchestras across the countryside folding like houses of cards.
However, here's a small bit of good news:
The Memphis Symphony, after a RIDICULOUS number of years (They actually BULLDOZED the old hall and waited around a decade to finish building a new one back in the same spot!) is in their new concert hall!
Rather than sparse attendence in a make-shift-converted church sanctuary, suddenly the "Masterworks" series concerts are "SOLD OUT" (with or withOUT "big name" soloists coming to town). Folks are actually coming to the DRESS rehearsals to see the concerts, and perhaps in numbers almost as big as the numbers of folks who previously attended the "church sanctuary" concerts!
The next step is to get the orchestra's core (about 35 or so) up to a living wage. THAT will be a stuggle, but at least they're not folding.
:^\