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Originally Posted by smoothmoniker
If GVO takes the money from Altria, does that association lend tacit approval to Altria's business practices?
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This one is really hard to answer. It's in the eye of the beholder to a certain extent. What other corporate sponsors can we think of (no need to involve Playboy
) who are sufficiently well-behaved to not get SOMEBODY irked? Indeed, the name Altria isn't going to be immediately recognized as tobacco-related by a lot of people. On the other hand, those who do recognize it... well, I guess we're just negotiating the price, Ma'am. (I write as one whose college education was largely funded by the
Reynolds family fortune. I would have to lean toward taking the money. They have a long history of philanthropy in this area, they sponsor other groups, and it's just damned hard to find a donor who's never done something you disagree with. Beyond that it's just a question of degree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smoothmoniker
Replace Altria with Playboy, a company that some patrons of the orchestra might find offensive, but which the board members and orchestra members do not. Does it change the equation?
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Who else is important, if the board doesn't care? Other donors? It should be easy enough to talk with them privately and say, we have this offer. I'm not sure it's a good idea to take it. What do you think? (This may have the side benefit of shaking loose some more cash from the smaller donors.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by smoothmoniker
If GVO chooses to perform the work by Wagner's nephew, it makes an implied statement about the value of the piece. GVO is known for performing works by new composers
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Have all these works been of uniform quality? Surely there are some stinkers out of the lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smoothmoniker
does it make a difference if the composition by Wagner's nephew is a well-written piece, and might have been debuted by GVO without the aunt's interference? Does it make a difference if he is an already established composer?
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It does not matter. He could be love-child of J. S. Bach and Johannes Brahms. People will see the names on the program and assume he got the nod because of his aunt's influence. This would be less true if she had been a long-standing supporter of the orchestra.
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Originally Posted by Perry Winkle
Good stuff!
Take the woman's money, but don't undertake any contractual obligation to perform the piece. If it's worthy, perform it. If it sucks, blow her off (after the check clears).
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Very bad idea. This only delays the inevitable by a year. She undoubtedly has more than enough influence to make other people think twice about donating.