SALT LAKE CITY — One of the most celebrated composers in American music is voicing his support for the preservation of Abravanel Hall, the home of the Utah Symphony.
John Williams, known for his work on films such as Jaws, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park called the music hall the "crown jewel" in the cultural life of Salt Lake City.
"I knew Maurice Abravanel, whom I admired greatly both as a person and as an artist," Williams wrote in a letter shared by Musicians of the Utah Symphony. "And I’ve been privileged on many occasions to conduct in his namesake concert hall in Salt Lake City, where I recorded my musical theme for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games with the Utah Symphony and your magnificent Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and where I conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra on several visits to your great city."
The support comes days after the Salt Lake City Council, in a unanimous vote, approved a deal with the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) that will infuse nearly a billion dollars into a Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District. However, Salt Lake County, which owns and operates Abravanel Hall nor SEG have given definitive answers as to what their development plan will mean for the music hall.
The iconic performance hall’s future has gained the support of thousands of Utahns who have expressed their support to save the hall in an online petition.
Williams, an Oscar, Grammy and Emmy-winning composer, joined Utahns and the Symphony’s musicians in expressing his admiration for Maurice Abravanel, whose name graces the music hall.
In his letter, Williams noted the venue’s design and cultural importance.
"Abravanel Hall, with its elegant design and splendid acoustics, is a crown jewel in the cultural life of Salt Lake City," he wrote. "It is the home of the Utah Symphony, unquestionably one of our country’s finest orchestras. And it is an iconic landmark of which all your fellow citizens can and should be justly proud. It must be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
"In our fast-moving technological age, great music performed by world-class orchestras before live audiences is a vital thread that binds us to our cultural past and to our collective future. This simply wouldn’t be possible without temples of music like Abravanel Hall. I urge you to preserve and protect this artistic treasure."
