Boston Symphony Orchestra
It occurred to me that, given the variety of the Metropolitan Opera’s current problems, maybe General Manager Peter Gelb should consider putting this best of all possible Candides on his menu.
To judge from the BSO’s responsive playing and the audience’s enthusiastic responses, director-designate Andris Nelsons can’t do much wrong these days. Of course, a decade ago, neither could James Levine.
Conductor Charles Dutoit seems to have little affinity for Mahler’s distinctive style.
If “Salome” was a harbinger for what’s to come, we may be on the cusp of a golden era, indeed.
Pianist Murray Perahia’s return this weekend, with Schumann’s A minor Concerto, seemed tailor-made on paper: he’s one of the world’s great chamber musicians and this concerto plays to all his strengths.
BSO’s conductor emeritus Bernard Haitink may be best known for his interpretations of Austro-German repertoire, but, on Saturday night, he channeled his inner Francophile.
Saturday’s reading of Lutoslawski’s Piano Concerto greatly benefited from pianist Garrick Ohlsson’s steely yet sensitive account of the solo part.
There’s much in “La Pasión” to like. Composer Osvaldo Golijov’s use of Latin and South American musical forms has been well documented: the piece offers a striking compendium of idioms covering a huge geographical range.
In sum, this was one of those rare concerts in which everything clicked, musically and dramatically.
Classical Music Commentary: Boston Symphony Orchestra Season 2014-15 — A Jolt of Energy and Stability
Most of the programs during BSO conductor Andris Nelsons’ ten subscription weeks look fresh and, if not outright adventurous, on paper they at least look more exciting than not.
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