Dictators and The Great Performers of The Past

I will never forget the first time I listened to the 1942 recording of Furtwangler conducting Beethoven’s 9th symphony. It struck me like lightning. I didn’t know then that Hitler was present at this historical performance.  Now, however, I wonder whether the effect I experienced was connected to the fact that Furtwangler knew that Hitler was in the audience.

А totalitarian mind might be more susceptible and vulnerable to the effect of true art than one might think. A single moment of beauty can sometimes pierce through decades of ideological brainwashing. This is exactly what happened during this performance. At the same time, can we still believe today, as Dostoevsky did, that ‘beauty will save the world?’ Sadly, to this day it has not, don’t you think? 

In the concert we will try recreate “these moments“ of three great performers of the past (notice this is the first…