When the Statue of Liberty needs repairs, we don’t tear it down and build a new one. Symbols are important. Utahns hold Abravanel Hall as a symbol that declares Utah a state of the arts. It represents a vital characteristic of Utah’s identity.
Utahns cherish the legacy of Maurice Abravanel, a pivotal figure in Utah history and a catalyst for the arts and arts education in Utah. It was he who transformed a community ensemble into one of the most respected orchestras in the United States, a reputation it enjoys to this day.
Visually stunning, for many, the acoustics of Abravanel Hall upstage the gold leaf and crystal. Acoustics shape and color sound. When you hear music in Abravanel Hall, part of what you hear is the hall itself. Abravanel Hall cannot be replaced because acoustics cannot be reproduced.
Sports teams come and go. For 84 years, the Utah Symphony Orchestra has hand-delivered music to Utahns in every region of the state and, for 45 years, has been in residence at Abravanel Hall.
The matter before us isn’t one of privileging sports over the arts. It’s a matter of holding expediency and financial gain over heritage, which, of course, is priceless.
April Nash Greenan
Richmond, Virginia
Greenan is the former founding director of the McKay Music Library in the University of Utah’s School of Music, home of the Maurice Abravanel Studio.