Israeli Philharmonic to Play Wagner

Israel’s Philharmonic Orchestra plans to play a concert of Wagner music later this month and break a taboo on performances of the composer who for many Holocaust survivors symbolized the Nazi regime in Germany.

The orchestra voted overwhelmingly to perform, but the decision immediately set off an outcry. Dov Shilansky, the Speaker of Israel’s Parliament and a Holocaust survivor, made a public appeal on radio “in the name of all of those who are in pain--and there are many--to have mercy.”

Wagner was Hitler’s favorite composer, and he ordered Wagnerian operas played at Nazi parties.

One violinist has already said that he won’t perform in the concert, which is scheduled for Dec. 27. “I suspect there won’t be a public outcry as their was once, mainly because the number of those with numbers tattooed on their arms and skin has shrunk,” the violinist, Avraham Melamed said, referring to the Nazi method of identifying death camp prisoners.

The philharmonic, which voted 39 to 12 in favor of giving the Wagner concert, will play excerpts from “Tristan and Isolde” as well as “The Flying Dutchman.”