Maurice Abravanel Hall is Worthy of Preservation

 

Maurice Abravanel Hall continues to astound audiences and orchestra members with its legacy of acoustical brilliance and architectural wonder.

 

Salt Lake County Arts and Culture, owner and operator, applauds the very same hall that the County now says is far too old and much too expensive to reinvest in. As Maurice’s Abravanel’s widow, I have willingly continued to fight for the Utah Symphony Orchestra Members and for Abravanel Hall, as I believe how Maurice would have done.

 

So, in honor of Maurice Abravanel’s legacy, I ask that SL County Mayor and other elected officials answer the following:

• Since the Utah Symphony is 1 of only 17 full-time orchestras in the United States, what value does this prestigious honor mean to elected officials and those seeking office?

• With the 2024 Master Plan, what happens to all the dedicated full-time musicians, and supporting staff members, that will be displaced?

• Why did elected officials even consider destroying and moving this proven acoustical hall, even before this revitalization project came to light?

• If Abravanel Hall is touted as a cultural and architectural icon by Salt Lake County, why has it not been worthy of more investments and preservation thus far?

• If this is how elected officials choose to honor Utah’s beloved music director (for 32 years), imagine what else they will consider old and unworthy of investment?

 

So, in recognition of Maurice Abravanel’s love for the Utah Symphony Orchestra members; to stand up for Maurice Abravanel Hall and for Maurice himself, I feel it is time for me to publicly take a stand on what was intended to be the “forever home of the Utah Symphony.”

 

In November, I will cast my vote for Erin Rider for Salt Lake County Mayor. Preserving Abravanel Hall is not a Republican or Democratic issue; it’s the issue of doing the right thing, reinvesting in an acoustically renowned hall, and honoring the legacy of Maurice Abravanel.

 

Erin Rider will publicly fight to keep Maurice Abravanel Hall intact. She will keep the public informed on all that is transpiring, especially behind the scene, and she’ll work diligently with the Abravanel Family from the beginning to keep us informed of the situation.Erin Rider will assure that the legacy Maurice Abravanel Hall’s acoustical integrity will stay true to Maurice’s values and his morals. And most importantly, Erin’s willingness to openly fight to guarantee that Maurice’s vision, and of how he fought so hard to bring to Utah one of the world’s greatest symphonic and iconic halls, will remain intact.

 

Please join me, along with more than 50,000 other wonderful citizens of Utah who signed the petition, in the fight to keep this issue in the forefront and not hidden away. For symphony lovers around the world, let’s send a very clear message to SL County Mayor and other Utah elected officials that Maurice Abravanel Hall is not for sale and is worthy of preservation in its current location and with its architectural structure and integrity intact.

 

- Carolyn Abravanel