Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
The Schmooze

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Wows With Brahms and Tchaikovsky

In past years the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall opened with the IPO orchestra on their feet in a rousing rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” followed by “Hatikvah.” At this year’s March 20th concert — a welcome addition was Cantor Azi Schwartz of Park Avenue Synagogue, who led the standing audience in singing Israel’s national anthem.

During our chat as the stage was being set up, early arrival petite Dr. Ruth Westheimer — looking glamorous in a shimmering midnight blue satin jacket and colorful scarf — confided: “I could not come without getting my hair done for tonight!” Quick exchanges with IPO fans and supporters Morris Offit, Harvey Krueger, Rosalind Devon, Park Avenue Synagogue senior Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, and Jewish Theological Seminary Chancellor, Arnold Eisen.

Maestro Zubin Mehta launched the evening with Hungarian-born Israeli composer Odon Partos (1920-1977) edgy Concertino for Strings which would have made a wonderful score for a film akin to Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

Adding visual spectacle to Johannes Brahms Concerto for Violin & Violoncello in A Minor, was world renowned South Africa-born, Canada-raised cellist Amanda Forsyth who launched her IPO debut by sweeping across the stage in a spectacular billowing lemon yellow organza gown with a black lace bodice. Seated on a platform — bracketed by phenomenal violinist Pinchas Zuckerman (her husband) to her right and conductor Mehta on her left — her undulating movements added a balletic component to her spectacular performance. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 (aka known as “The Tchaik” by cognoscenti) concluded the printed program.

The finale was the Mehta led not-on-the-program tribute to the late Academy-Grammy- Emmy- and Tony Award winning composer Marvin Hamlisch—a medley that opened with “Memories” and included the iconic “One” from “A Chorus line” as well as excerpts from the film score “The Sting” –all of which was greeted by applause, hoots and hollers.

At the post-concert dinner at the Plaza, the black tie gowned guests included Benefit chair Melissa Manchester, AIFPO president David Hirsch and Rochelle Hirsch, Elaine Wolfensohn and Terre Blair Hamlisch. The concert was underwritten by Rita and Charles Bronfman and Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert whom David Hirsch thanked for being “active friends of the orchestra and their love of Israel and [unsurpassed] passion for classical music.”

In the concert program notes, Hirsch informs that the generous gifts help fund “the IPO’s numerous concert series…educational programs [and] brings the magical gift of classical music to over 29,000 school children annually.”

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.