Why The LPO May Be Doomed

All members of the now-homeless Louisiana Philharmonic survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, but many have lost everything they had, and the future of the orchestra itself hangs in the balance. Adding to the uncertainty surrounding the LPO’s future is the fact that the ensemble is run by its musicians, who will have to seek employment in other cities while New Orleans is being rebuilt. Those who land jobs elsewhere may not be available to return to the LPO even if it does survive. One of the orchestra’s violists tells Violinist.com that “I would love to go back to a properly rebuilt city and the orchestra the way it was, but I just can’t see how that will happen.”