Which conductor accompanied an opera performance from the piano when the orchestra went on strike?
Not due to a strike but in a snow storm the former music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch, sight-read the piano vocal score of a performance of opera excerpts from Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” and “Die Walküre” in February 1994. There was a bad snowstorm and the orchestra members could not get to the Academy of Music. The 3 soloists and chorus were at a hotel nearby so were able to perform. Maestro Sawallisch narrated the opera excerpts, conducted and accompanied the vocalists. An orchestra member David Booth was the page turner. 600 music lovers braved the blizzard to hear this amassing free concert.
