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By Kent Larsen
Flood Threatens MoTab Houston Concert
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Officials of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are scrambling to
find a new venue for the choir's planned concert Friday, June 15th in the
wake of flooding this past weekend. The floods, caused by heavy rains, hit
much of downtown Houston, flooding three major theaters in the city's
Theater District, leaving as much as 6 feet of water in basements. Jones
Hall, where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was to perform, the Wortham Theater
Center and the Alley Theatre were all closed because of the flooding.
The Houston concert is the first of eight venues for the Choir on its
upcoming Southern tour, which extends through June 27th. Choir manager Brent
Peterson says that because Houston is such a large city, there are other
options. He adds that the more difficult problem may be getting the Choir in
and out of a new venue and the city, because of the flooding, "The tough
thing will be getting 478 people down there, into their hotels, out to
rehearsal and dinner and to the concert that night." However, with other
Houston venues also flooded-out, there will likely be some competition for
available venues.
For the arts in Houston, the losses from the floods are devastating. The
Houston Symphony lost prized instruments, including three Steinway concert
grand pianos worth $250,000 each and a 17th-century double base worth
$100,000. It also lost its entire library of music and books. The Houston
Ballet lost 250 costumes, including those from the current production,
valued at as much as $1 million.
The floods have also caused losses and deaths among the population of
Houston, and Tabernacle Choir manager Peterson says that the Choir's first
concern is for those affected by the flooding.
Sources:
LDS choir scrambling for new Houston venue
Deseret News 11Jun01 A1
For Theater District, an artistic nightmare
Houston TX Chronicle 12Jun01 A1
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