Mahler Gets Soaked
When the New York Philharmonic played Mahler again at Central Park, they played with great strength as they usually do. The forecast called for rain and the estimated 40,000 spectators were understandably concerned. They don’t want their fancy New York clothes ruined by some rain! But Gary Parr, a staff designate for the orchestra, told the crowd that they needn’t worry, because they were going to play extra strong to blow the clouds away. But at 9:30 the clouds dropped open and everyone went running for cover. What a fun show, but it’s not the way they expected it to go. Park performances usually aren’t huge issues for those who organize the practical aspects of shows. This one, however, turned out to need a little more planning, in terms of where the musicians and instruments go during a rainstorm.
