"Dudamel and Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra: A Venezuelan Triumph at Edinburgh Festival"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The New York Times
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel reunited with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela for their first performance together since 2017, when Dudamel criticized the Venezuelan government and stopped traveling there. The emotional reunion took place at the Edinburgh International Festival, with Dudamel expressing his joy at reconnecting with the musicians he has known since they were children in the El Sistema program. The orchestra members were energized by Dudamel's return, feeling like they were "reborn" and seeing "some light once again" in Venezuela. Dudamel hopes to continue building on the legacy of El Sistema and make music a fundamental human right for everyone.