Juan Onassis, famous painter and organist, is a modest, elegant, and graceful man. For the past 31 years, he has been the musical director and senior organist of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in the German-American Colony in Tel Aviv-Jaffo, Israel.
Onassis’s story is one of genius, suffering, faith, and love. It begins with a harsh childhood in a holocaust survivor family, a strict and cold education, and an accident that left him with limited movement ability. A large part of his body is insentient, which compels him to use two walking sticks.
Onassis is living proof of the mind’s superiority over the weaknesses of the body. He says, “What ails me is not what I do not have, but what others lack, which is appreciation of what they do have—they take it for granted.”
Onassis immigrated to Israel from Uruguay in 1969. For many years, he was a professional painter, and his résumé includes working for the Israeli Opera.
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Between the years 1986 and 1989, he painted 14 frescos on the walls of the Municipal Conservatory in the city of Petah Tikva, Israel, where he then worked as a teacher. This building is currently marked for destruction, and the fate of those unique works of art has become the subject of a debate the results of which look hopeless at the moment. Moving the paintings to the conservatory’s new residence would be a complicated and costly endeavor.
Will this high-quality art become an artistic tragedy, or will somebody pick up the glove?
The early Renaissance-style frescos bring to mind Shakespearean plays, and some of the figures seem to have been inspired by famous opera roles, such as Mozart’s Papageno, in the “Magic Flute.” The painting technique shows great talent and skill.
Onassis’s story is one of genius, suffering, faith, and love. It begins with a harsh childhood in a holocaust survivor family, a strict and cold education, and an accident that left him with limited movement ability. A large part of his body is insentient, which compels him to use two walking sticks.
Onassis is living proof of the mind’s superiority over the weaknesses of the body. He says, “What ails me is not what I do not have, but what others lack, which is appreciation of what they do have—they take it for granted.”
Musical Paintings
Onassis immigrated to Israel from Uruguay in 1969. For many years, he was a professional painter, and his résumé includes working for the Israeli Opera.
[etssp 349]
Between the years 1986 and 1989, he painted 14 frescos on the walls of the Municipal Conservatory in the city of Petah Tikva, Israel, where he then worked as a teacher. This building is currently marked for destruction, and the fate of those unique works of art has become the subject of a debate the results of which look hopeless at the moment. Moving the paintings to the conservatory’s new residence would be a complicated and costly endeavor.
Will this high-quality art become an artistic tragedy, or will somebody pick up the glove?
The early Renaissance-style frescos bring to mind Shakespearean plays, and some of the figures seem to have been inspired by famous opera roles, such as Mozart’s Papageno, in the “Magic Flute.” The painting technique shows great talent and skill.
Light glows and radiates from golden bells and from the soft faces of gentle figures somewhat remindful of Da Vinci’s madonnas. Their bare hands delicately play ancient musical instruments, and their bodies, fully covered by theatrical garments, remain a mystery. Musical notes in movement seem to be interwoven into the scenes.
Onassis said about his frescos: “The main painting is in fact a musical scale. The other paintings are also about music. I do not have a philosophy or a specific message that I was trying to convey, at least not consciously. Having received artistic education that was basically Italian, my style is influenced by the Italian style of ‘commedia dell’arte.’”
Onassis was born in northern Uruguay. He said about his childhood, “My first memories are of nature, the earth, the birds. I still love nature and am highly sensitive to it.
“I was a rather weird child, who did not speak, but had the awareness of an adult. At home they talked about my father’s family that perished in the holocaust. I hardly ever spoke. I absorbed all but never reacted. The transfer from life to death seemed obvious to me, as was the presence of a divine power, although my parents were liberals, and I never received any guidance or instruction on such matters.
“When I started going to school, I still didn’t speak. My worried parents went to talk to my teacher, who told them, ‘He does speak, only in a different way, through painting.’ And indeed, I was constantly painting. I remember being overwhelmed by impressions and emotions, and I absorbed everything, but it was never translated into speech. Painting and music were my means of communicating with the environment.
“I loved climbing fences and getting lost. I loved climbing trees and sit high above the ground for hours, watching the sky. Being there I could feel the heavenly presence. I was stunned to learn that others could not feel the same, and I asked myself, ‘How can they be so blind?’”
Read More...The Power of Music
Onassis said about his frescos: “The main painting is in fact a musical scale. The other paintings are also about music. I do not have a philosophy or a specific message that I was trying to convey, at least not consciously. Having received artistic education that was basically Italian, my style is influenced by the Italian style of ‘commedia dell’arte.’”
A Weird Child
Onassis was born in northern Uruguay. He said about his childhood, “My first memories are of nature, the earth, the birds. I still love nature and am highly sensitive to it.
“I was a rather weird child, who did not speak, but had the awareness of an adult. At home they talked about my father’s family that perished in the holocaust. I hardly ever spoke. I absorbed all but never reacted. The transfer from life to death seemed obvious to me, as was the presence of a divine power, although my parents were liberals, and I never received any guidance or instruction on such matters.
“When I started going to school, I still didn’t speak. My worried parents went to talk to my teacher, who told them, ‘He does speak, only in a different way, through painting.’ And indeed, I was constantly painting. I remember being overwhelmed by impressions and emotions, and I absorbed everything, but it was never translated into speech. Painting and music were my means of communicating with the environment.
“I loved climbing fences and getting lost. I loved climbing trees and sit high above the ground for hours, watching the sky. Being there I could feel the heavenly presence. I was stunned to learn that others could not feel the same, and I asked myself, ‘How can they be so blind?’”
Read More...The Power of Music
The Power of Music
Onassis regards suffering as a lesson and puts his fate in the hands of divine providence. He arouses respect in his interlocutor and has an acute sense of humor, which is capturing. One gets the impression that he is in the midst of an eternal symphony and just stopping here for a moment to live a bit.
Most amazing is seeing him playing the church organ. It seems as if he is about to take off into the air. Like a ballet dancer, he hovers with his hands and feet over the instrument’s keyboards, and the sounds expand as if to another dimension, like a rainbow of colors multiplying its hues.
His playing moves the heart. His musical interpretations of known classic pieces are very interesting. He fearlessly moves between minor and major scales and composes a new melody inside them. The music he produces from the organ seems to have been imprisoned within it and is now let loose. It is breaking out, filling every corner of the church and all hearts listening to it.
Onassis remembers, “At the age of 7, I started learning to play the piano. I did not like it, and in my imagination, the keys turned to teeth laughing at me.
“My first encounter with the organ was extremely moving. It was in a ceremony where native Indians were carrying on their shoulders a new sculpture of the Virgin to place it in the church. And I, as a little boy, could see only the golden crown on her head jumping up and down with each step.
“Suddenly the doors of the church opened wide and let out the sounds of the organ. I was stunned. I told my mother I wanted to learn to play that instrument. Still, I continued playing the piano diligently despite my dissatisfaction.
“My ‘world premiere’ was at the age of 12. One day they were looking for someone to replace the church organist, and I was sent there. The moment I put my fingers on the keys, my heart said, ‘God is here!’”
One of Onassis’s two main teachers was Eduardo Parti, a painter from Italy, whose specialty was painting frescos and who would choose only the most talented applicants.
“In the first lesson he asked us to close our eyes for a long while,” Onassis tells. “I remember experiencing a quiet panic.” Then the teacher said, “When you open your eyes, pay attention to shapes and colors!”
Onassis remembered, “When I opened my eyes, I saw a multitude of trees and birds and stones. … Until today, each morning when I go down the steps of my home, I pause, look around, remember, and appreciate.”
Onassis’s second teacher, Angelo Oritsyani, was also Italian and from the same very strict school. Onassis calls it “positive cruelty.” Oritsyani was a brilliant organist.
When Onassis was about 17 years old, he met Oritsyani in a huge church with a four-story organ. Oritsyani asked him to play a simple piece by Bach.
Then his teacher said that he had to leave, ordered Onassis to play in the ceremony that was about to commence, and left. Onassis recalled: “I hadn’t a clue on how to operate this organ. I wished the floor to open up and swallow me. Like an automat I pushed the buttons by intuition and improvised, feeling totally helpless. When I returned home I was unable to talk to anyone.”
When Onassis went to his next lesson, his teacher welcomed him with an ear-to-ear smile, told him about the compliments people were paying to him, and said, “You’re an innate church organ player!”
When asked about which kind of music he liked, Onassis said, “I enjoy everything that is of quality, every kind of music that creates sincere communication. Music is a form of communication; it is a language, and the message is love.”
Most amazing is seeing him playing the church organ. It seems as if he is about to take off into the air. Like a ballet dancer, he hovers with his hands and feet over the instrument’s keyboards, and the sounds expand as if to another dimension, like a rainbow of colors multiplying its hues.
His playing moves the heart. His musical interpretations of known classic pieces are very interesting. He fearlessly moves between minor and major scales and composes a new melody inside them. The music he produces from the organ seems to have been imprisoned within it and is now let loose. It is breaking out, filling every corner of the church and all hearts listening to it.
Onassis remembers, “At the age of 7, I started learning to play the piano. I did not like it, and in my imagination, the keys turned to teeth laughing at me.
“My first encounter with the organ was extremely moving. It was in a ceremony where native Indians were carrying on their shoulders a new sculpture of the Virgin to place it in the church. And I, as a little boy, could see only the golden crown on her head jumping up and down with each step.
“Suddenly the doors of the church opened wide and let out the sounds of the organ. I was stunned. I told my mother I wanted to learn to play that instrument. Still, I continued playing the piano diligently despite my dissatisfaction.
“My ‘world premiere’ was at the age of 12. One day they were looking for someone to replace the church organist, and I was sent there. The moment I put my fingers on the keys, my heart said, ‘God is here!’”
Two Teachers
One of Onassis’s two main teachers was Eduardo Parti, a painter from Italy, whose specialty was painting frescos and who would choose only the most talented applicants.
“In the first lesson he asked us to close our eyes for a long while,” Onassis tells. “I remember experiencing a quiet panic.” Then the teacher said, “When you open your eyes, pay attention to shapes and colors!”
Onassis remembered, “When I opened my eyes, I saw a multitude of trees and birds and stones. … Until today, each morning when I go down the steps of my home, I pause, look around, remember, and appreciate.”
Onassis’s second teacher, Angelo Oritsyani, was also Italian and from the same very strict school. Onassis calls it “positive cruelty.” Oritsyani was a brilliant organist.
When Onassis was about 17 years old, he met Oritsyani in a huge church with a four-story organ. Oritsyani asked him to play a simple piece by Bach.
Then his teacher said that he had to leave, ordered Onassis to play in the ceremony that was about to commence, and left. Onassis recalled: “I hadn’t a clue on how to operate this organ. I wished the floor to open up and swallow me. Like an automat I pushed the buttons by intuition and improvised, feeling totally helpless. When I returned home I was unable to talk to anyone.”
When Onassis went to his next lesson, his teacher welcomed him with an ear-to-ear smile, told him about the compliments people were paying to him, and said, “You’re an innate church organ player!”
When asked about which kind of music he liked, Onassis said, “I enjoy everything that is of quality, every kind of music that creates sincere communication. Music is a form of communication; it is a language, and the message is love.”
