Minneapolis, Minnesota — The Minnesota Orchestra concluded its previously announced tribute concerts on January 30 and January 31.
Honoring the memories of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, whose deaths earlier this year deeply impacted the Minneapolis community.
During both performances, the orchestra opened the program with the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, replacing Paul Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
The change was made as a musical memorial and a moment of collective reflection for the audience and musicians.
In a statement released ahead of the concerts, the orchestra said the selection was offered in remembrance of Pretti and Good and as an expression of love for the city, emphasizing themes of resilience, mourning, and hope through music.
That intention guided the tone of the opening moments of both evenings.
The remainder of the program proceeded as originally scheduled. The concerts featured the U.S. premiere of Threadsuns, a Concerto for Viola and Orchestra by Donghoon Shin, with Rebecca Albers appearing as soloist.
The performances were conducted by Fabien Gabel, who led the orchestra throughout the weekend.
The January 30 performance was also streamed free of charge on the orchestra’s official YouTube channel, allowing audiences beyond the concert hall to take part in the tribute.
Following the concerts, attendees described the opening Adagietto as a powerful and somber moment that set the emotional tone for the program.
The memorial performances marked one of the most prominent cultural responses in Minneapolis to the recent losses of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, underscoring the role of music in communal grieving and remembrance.
