Reuben Would Be Proud

Paavo Järvi (statue of Music Hall patron Reuben Springer in the background)

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director Paavo Järvi joins eight other luminaries in the photo gallery at Music Hall this weekend. 

Artist Carin Hebenstreit with portrait of Paavo Järvi

His portrait, by Cincinnati artist Carin Hebenstreit, was unveiled by donors Peter G. Courlas and Nick Tsimaras in ceremonies in the lobby, where the portrait will be on display for concerts tomorrow through Sunday before being moved to a permanent spot on the upper level.  There it will hang beside portraits of former CSO music directors Max Rudolf, Thomas Schippers and Jesus Lopez-Cobos, May Festival music director James Conlon, late Cincinnati Pops conductor Erich Kunzel and James de Blasis, former general manager of Cincinnati Opera.  Portraits of arts patrons (and latter-day angels of Music Hall) J. Ralph and Patricia Corbett hang in the lower lobby.

Nick Tsimaras (left), Peter G. Courlas (right) unveiling portrait in Music Hall lobby

Järvi, who had just come from rehearsing the orchestra, addressed guests in the lobby in front of a marble statue of Reuben Springer, the Cincinnati philanthropist who spearheaded the construction of Music Hall in 1872.  Järvi, 48, noted that he was unaccustomed to such treatment (usually reserved for retirement or death, he said).  He complimented the artist on the likeness, calling it “better than the original,” before posing for photographs and receiving a champagne toast from the crowd.

Järvi completes ten years with the CSO this spring.  He called his time here “one of the best times of my life” and spoke warmly of the many friends he has made in Cincinnati.  He will keep an apartment here, he said, and looks forward to return visits and to hearing the orchestra from the audience for a change.

Järvi conducts the CSO at 11 a.m. Feb. 18, 8 p.m. Feb. 19 and 3 p.m. Feb. 20 at Music Hall.  Guest artist is pianist Alexander Toradze in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2.  Also on the program are Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Liszt's "Mephisto" Waltz No. 1.  For tickets, call (513) 381-3300 or visit the CSO web site at www.cincinnatisymphony.org