Matías Tarnopolsky

There is a human dimension and a human cost involved.

to everything we do, and we need to wake up to that.

The New York Philharmonic is on the cusp of a transformative new era.

It made sense as we were approaching the 250th birthday of

of America as an organization that is approaching itself almost 200 years to think, how are we going to recognize this moment in not just American history, but global history through what we do, which is music?

So that began a conversation with David, with Gustavo Dudamel.

with my colleagues at the orchestra.

And that led to David's pitch to us about something inspired by a great moment in musical history, cultural history, Handel's Messiah, and a great moment in economic and let's not forget literary history.

in Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations.

Did you, for a moment maybe, just think that was a crazy idea instead of a great idea?

Are you kidding?

I thought it was a crazy idea until I sat down and started hearing the rehearsals.

I mean, really, I walked in here, and I say this with great love for David and my colleagues,

Like, what are we doing?

The wealth of nations handles Messiah?

But, you know, there's a lesson there which we should remind ourselves.

Trust the artists because they know.

David knows and the musicians of the orchestra know and Gustavo and, you know, Devon Tynes and Fleur Baron and the fantastic chorus.

They know.

You were there and you were struck by the awesome power of that piece of music.