In brief
After a night of rehearsal, David López Ibáñez, a Philharmonia orchestra musician, reported the theft of his 285-year-old instrument.
On a brisk February evening, 31-year-old David López Ibáñez had a typical evening planned that included a rehearsal at the London-based Philharmonia orchestra, where he plays. After rehearsal, he decided to dine with a friend at a nearby pub. Thinking he was safe, he placed his cherished violin against a bench while he enjoyed his meal. Tragically, a thief stealthily snatched the violin case, concealing it under a long beige coat, and exited the establishment unnoticed. “I stood up in disbelief,” said Mr. López Ibáñez, reflecting on the moment he realized his beloved instrument was gone. “It felt like the world was collapsing on top of me.” His violin, crafted in 1740 by esteemed luthier Lorenzo Carcassi in Florence, holds a value exceeding 150,000 pounds (approximately $200,000). Mr. López Ibáñez expressed the deep emotional attachment musicians feel toward their instruments, saying, “It was a companion. It had been on my back and I had been playing music on it for eight years, all over the world.” The Metropolitan Police are now calling on anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward, hoping to reunite the musician with his irreplaceable instrument.
