Sarajevo Requiem (bonus mid-week post)

Hi Friends,

Once upon a time, during the siege of Sarajevo, 22 innocent souls, standing in line to buy bread at the bakery, were killed by a mortar shell. Vedran Smailovic, the lead cellist of the Sarajevo Opera, happened to be nearby at the time; he helped care for the wounded. Then, he returned with his cello, dressed in a tuxedo as if for a night at the opera. He sat amidst the wreckage, in the open air, exposed to the snipers who’d driven all sensible people deep into their bullet-holed apartment buildings, and he played Albinoni’s haunting Adagio in G minor. He did this every day for 22 days, one day for each of the taken. He sat there, by himself, sending his music up to the heavens.

I am so intrigued by this story and photo. I can’t sop looking at it. This is so powerful and truly shows just how powerful music and the arts (including photography) can be in helping us process trauma and pain. Truly… the healing power of music.