- Brazilian-born Israeli Myrna Herzog has posted pictures of her wrecked viola da gamba on Facebook
- The 66-year-old claimed that Alitalia was responsible and said in her post that it ‘hated musicians’
- Ms Herzog said that she tried to pay for a seat for the instrument, but was told that the plane was ‘super full’
A distressed musician has published shocking pictures of her 17th-century instrument emerging on the luggage carousel of an airport ‘savagely vandalized’.
Brazilian-born Israeli Myrna Herzog has posted pictures of her viola da gamba on Facebook, showing that is has been severely damaged, with one half of the front ripped off, despite being in a hard case with a ‘fragile’ sticker displayed.
The 66-year-old, who has performed with the Israel Philharmonic and other notable ensembles around the world, didn’t say at which airport the damage had occurred, but claimed that Alitalia was responsible.
Brazilian-born Israeli Myrna Herzog has posted pictures of her viola da gamba on Facebook after it emerged severely damaged from an Alitalia flight
Herzog claimed that it was Alitalia’s fault – though some have pointed out that the baggage handlers may well be to blame
She wrote: ‘Alitalia hates musicians! This is how Alitalia delivered by original 17th-century Lewis viola da gamba, after ensuring to me that it would be taken by hand into the plane and out of it.
‘It was savagely vandalized and it seems that a car ran over it.
‘So, far no luck in contacting any human being at Alitalia.’
Ms Herzog said that she tried to pay for a seat for the instrument, but was told that it would have to go in the hold as the plane was ‘super full’.
Herzog wrote on Facebook: ‘Alitalia hates musicians! This is how Alitalia delivered by original 17th-century Lewis viola da gamba, after ensuring to me that it would be taken by hand into the plane and out of it’. The musician added that she has previously stowed the instrument in the hold without any problems
The musician added that she has previously stowed the instrument in the hold without any problems.
Her Facebook post has received thousands of comments.
Lucy Robinson, who works at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, wrote: ‘Shameful! Dear Myrna I am so sorry.’
And Bretislove Estanislao said: ‘That is just disgraceful! RIP viola da gamba, my heart bleeds.’
Another commenter pointed out that Alitalia may not be directly responsible, saying: ‘Probably the airport operators where you have landed are guilty, not Alitalia.’
Alitalia has been contacted by MailOnline Travel for a comment.
Herzog said that she tried to buy a seat for her instrument but was told that the flight was too full (stock image)