Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic have announced a benefit concert to raise funds to help the communities affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela.
Dubbed A Concert for Venezuela, the event will take place on 23 August at the Hollywood Bowl, with special guests to be revealed soon, Billboard reports.
“Venezuela will always be my home, and every moment, my thoughts are with the families whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy,” the internationally renowned Venezuelan conductor and violinist shared in a statement.
“The suffering is immense, but so is the strength and resilience of our people. This concert at the Hollywood Bowl is an invitation to stand together and transform our compassion into action.”
The concert is in response to the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the South American country on 24 June, causing the collapse of multiple buildings in La Guaira and Caracas, leaving more than 3000 dead and 17,000 homeless, according to Reuters.
The concert will also mark Dudamel’s last performance as music and artistic director of the LA Philharmonic.
The conductor, who is also music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra in Caracas, is transitioning into a new role as the music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic.
Dudamel’s principal home is in Madrid, Spain, but he also has a house in Los Angeles, California, and is in the process of establishing a residence in New York City.
He is married to Spanish actor María Valverde Rodríguez.
