Cleveland Orchestra Cancels Israel Tour

In Monday’s (10/10) Cleveland.com, Paris Wolfe writes, “The Cleveland Orchestra has canceled its upcoming tour of Israel because of security concerns amid the country’s war with Hamas. The orchestra was scheduled for three performances in Israel in late October: the Haifa Auditorium (October 26); Charles Bronfman Auditorium at Tel Aviv Culture Center (October 27), and the Jerusalem Theatre (October 28). British conductor Daniel Harding, currently Music and Artistic Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, was scheduled to lead the performances. ‘The safety of our musicians and staff is a top priority, and this decision was based on State Department guidelines in consultation with security advisors,’ the orchestra said in a statement released this morning. ‘The orchestra will still travel to Austria to perform concerts in Vienna on October 18 and Linz on October 20. Our thoughts are with friends and family in Israel right now, and we hope for their continued safety.’ Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst is scheduled to conduct the ensemble in his native Austria. He will then take medical leave to undergo additional medical treatment for a cancerous tumor, which was removed earlier this year. His doctors expect a full recovery.”