Fate Of The Louisiana Philharmonic

In addition to the lives lost and property destroyed in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, the area's cultural heritage has been hit quite hard. One such instititution with a questionable future is the New Orleans Philharmonic.

Katrina has blown the 68-member Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra — the only full-time symphony in America owned and operated by its musicians_ into exile. And no one knows if their beloved ensemble will survive.

The orchestra's audience, the city of New Orleans, is gone. Its venue, the ornate Orpheum Theater in the business district, has taken on water. And many of its musicians have lost their homes.

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