Lorin Maazel, composer and former music director of the New York Philharmonic, was remembered at a tribute at the New York Society for Ethical Culture Friday by friends including Agnes Gund, Alec Baldwin, Metropolitan Opera boss Peter Gelb, Daisy Soros, “Amadeus” star F. Murray Abraham and Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia.
The tribute included remembrances from Maestro Alan Gilbert, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, Sir James Wolfensohn, and members of the Maazel family.
Artists included Sir James Galway performing an excerpt from Gluck's "Orfeo," violinist Eric Silberger performing "Meditation" from Thaïs by Jules Massenet, soprano Jennifer Black performing "Tu che di gel" from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, tenor Dominic Armstrong and baritone Paul LaRosa performing a duet from Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi; Mr. LaRosa also performed with Ms. Black the Love duet from 1984 by Lorin Maazel, Mr. Armstrong sang "Pourquoi me réveiller" from Werther by Jules Massenet. Baritone Javier Arrey performed "Ombra mai fu" from Serse by Händel, mezzo-soprano Erika Rodden performed a Lied by Brahms. John Arida was piano accompanist throughout the program. Ilann S. Maazel played a Valse by Chopin, and a quintet from the New York Philharmonic performed Hasenöhrl's "Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders!", an arrangement of Richard Strauss' tone poem Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op. 28. Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center, performed a Spiritual, accompanied by Dan Nimmer. Also presented was a short film highlighting the Maestro's legendary career.