From Tomorrow: Historic Performance of Mahler’s First Symphony by Dallas Symphony & Members of Met Orchestra Led by Fabio Luisi Will Stream Free

Dallas Symphony and members of Met Opera Orchestra (photo: courtesy DSO)

Three weeks ago, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) welcomed members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra to Dallas for a week of music-making and community. After three rehearsals, the two combined orchestras presented performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 conducted by DSO Music Director Fabio Luisi. Tomorrow, May 21, starting at 1PM (CDT), that performance will stream free, on-demand through Friday, June 4 from DSO’s “Next Stage” Digital Concert Series; the link is available here. This once-in-a-lifetime event benefitted the MET Orchestra Musicians Fund and the DFW Musicians COVID-19 Relief Fund and marked the first time many of the non-DSO musicians had the opportunity to perform for a live audience since the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020. The performance featured a full-sized orchestra recorded in the DSO’s home, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The Dallas Morning News hailed the performance as a “sonic extravaganza” and full of “dazzling excitement.”

When the concerts were originally announced, Luisi commented:

“During my time with the Metropolitan Opera, I became close to many of the members of the orchestra. It is devastating that these incredible musicians have not had an opportunity to perform together in over a year. Sadly, this is the case for many musicians around the country, and many have been affected so greatly by this reduction of income. I urged the DSO to find a way to gather musicians together to make music in a way we have not heard in more than a year as a symbol of solidarity.”

While in town, members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra donated their time to coach students from around Dallas. Together with members of the DSO, they also gave chamber concerts at venues around the city. DSO Ross Perot President & CEO Kim Noltemy said of the collaboration:

“Our time with the Met Opera Orchestra Musicians was inspiring, emotional and full of memories that we all will hold dear for a very long time. Playing a Mahler Symphony to 500 audience members gave us all a feeling of hope and optimism that the classical music community will overcome this pandemic because music is integral to society. The DSO is honored to have welcomed our colleagues to Dallas and into our home for this historic concert.”

Brad Gemeinhardt, Chairman of the MET Orchestra Committee, responded:

“The MET Orchestra Musicians are incredibly grateful to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, CEO Kim Noltemy, Music Director Fabio Luisi, the Board, DSO Musicians, Manager of Orchestra Personnel Nishi Badhwar, its administrative staff, donors and the volunteers who made this concert possible. Their generous gesture of support is without precedent and shows to the world the kind spirit of the Dallas Symphony and its community. We will never forget this experience and look forward to future collaborations.”

This special benefit event was presented by Capital One and made possible by The Marcella Fund, as well as travel partners Dallas Marriott Downtown and Southwest Airlines. The DSO is grateful to Fabio Luisi, Mercedes T. Bass, Joanne Bober and Sarah Titus & Tilda Morris for their support of this event.

About the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi, presents world-class orchestral music at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s top-rated concert halls. As the largest performing arts organization in the Southwest, the DSO is committed to inspiring the broadest possible audience with distinctive classical programs, inventive pops concerts and innovative multi-media presentations. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the orchestra reaches more than 243,000 adults and children annually through performances, educational programs and community outreach initiatives. The DSO’s involvement with the City of Dallas and the surrounding region includes an award-winning multi-faceted educational program, community projects, popular parks concerts and youth programming.

During the pandemic, the Dallas Symphony was the first major U.S. orchestra to present socially distanced concerts with live audiences during the 2020/21 season. Furthermore, the orchestra has offered more than 200 outdoor chamber concerts in neighborhoods throughout the Metroplex since the summer. The DSO continued online music lessons to more than 200 students as part of its Young Strings and Young Musicians programs and increased its online dissemination of concerts through a newly designed website and on social media.

The DSO has a tradition dating back to 1900 and is a cornerstone of the unique 118-acre Arts District in downtown Dallas that is home to multiple performing arts venues, museums and parks – the largest district of its kind in the nation. The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas.

High-resolution photos can be downloaded here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Denise McGovern, Vice President of Communications, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
[email protected]; (214) 718-7094

Louise Barder, 21C Media Group
[email protected]

Glenn Petry, 21C Media Group
[email protected]; (212) 625-2038

Barbara Currie, MET Orchestra Communications
[email protected]

© 21C Media Group, May 2021