ERLIN: Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim and his orchestra of Arab and Israeli musicians have canceled performances in the Middle East this weekend because of fighting between Israel and Hamas, he said Tuesday.
Instead, they will play in the German capital.
Two concerts were scheduled for this weekend – one each in Doha, Qatar and Cairo – but Barenboim said organizers in those countries called off the shows amid security concerns.
“Officially, the concerts are postponed and we hope to reschedule, Barenboim said. The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra will perform works by Beethoven and Brahms at the Staatsoper on Monday, and the remainder of the group’s 10th anniversary tour of other cities – including Moscow, Vienna and Milan – will continue.
Argentinean-born Barenboim has advocated peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and heavily criticized a military solution. He started the orchestra together with the late Palestinian-American intellectual and activist Edward Said.
The orchestra consists of about 85 musicians, most of them from across the Middle East. Many of the members have friends or relatives on opposing sides.
Of course, we are all very affected by the events of the past few days, Barenboim said. We are all upset and it will not be easy.
Barenboim said his group is often described as an orchestra for peace.
Peace needs things other than just orchestras, he said. But maybe it s a model of a society that can learn to work with the so-called enemy.
