Yet another symphonic crisis

Meyerson Hall:  another "wow" experience

Just today, Norman Lebrecht broke the news in his Slipped Disc blog that the Dallas Symphony is on the precipice of insolvency.  Sources on the ground indicate that corporate and individual support is on the decline--undoubtedly another result of these difficult economic times--and that the ensemble is currently selling only 65% of its house, the renowned Meyerson Hall.  Expecting a potential $6.5 million deficit this season, the organization has already announced a series of salary freezes and the elimination of five weeks of subscription concerts for the 2012-13 season.

This news comes a little over two years after the orchestra cancelled a nine-city 2010 European tour.  The ensemble did appear at Carnegie Hall in May of this year, offering the New York premiere of Steven Stucky's oratorio August 4, 1964.  Written in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Lyndon Johnson, the work reflects on catastrophic events of that day in history, including the discovery of the bodies of three civil rights workers and the Gulf of Tonkin incident.  New York Times reviewer Anthony Tomassini spoke much more of the work than the performance of the orchestra rather than saying, "This was Mr. van Zweden’s first performance in New York as the Dallas Symphony’s music director. The goal of Spring for Music is to empower orchestras to take chances with their programming. That Mr. van Zweden and the Dallas players seized the opportunity speaks well of their shared artistic priorities and working relationship."

One can certainly try to guess the reasons for the orchestra's troubles.  Is it really all about the economy?  Or does a month-long Mendelssohn Festival just not play into the desires (and pocketbooks) of Dallas patrons?  One can only hope that a wise business plan will be put into place to save yet another great American orchestra.