André Watts
Thomas Wilkins
Saturday, June 7, 2014
The contemporary
sounds of Omaha’s Summer Arts Festival surrounded and invaded the
Holland Performing Arts Center on Friday evening. But they couldn’t
penetrate the Peter Kiewit Concert Hall, where the weekend’s heroes were
receiving their just honors.
That’s where the
great pianist André Watts fronted Ludwig van Beethoven’s celebrated
“Emperor” concerto with dignity and a powerful grace, helping the Omaha
Symphony and Music Director Thomas Wilkins tie a ribbon on a memorable
2013-14 concert season.
And
it’s where Wilkins, wrapping up his ninth Omaha season, thanked the
symphony’s fans for their donations of more than $100,000 to the
symphony during the recent 24-hour Omaha Gives fundraising event for
local nonprofits.
The
roots of the word “symphony” allow it to be translated as a “unison
sounding together,” he said. “But I submit a symphony only sounds
together when there’s an audience. … As we end another season, we want
to say, ‘Thank you for loving this orchestra.’ ”
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