Sunday, February 13, 2005
AN A AND E WEEKEND
Thirteen minutes of heaven preceeded a sudden plunge into Dante's Inferno--30 minutes of desperately seeking melody followed by a most welcome intermission, then once again a visit to the netherworld before closing with something fit for the ear.
That was the Cleveland Orchestra Program for Saturday, Feb. 13 which included:
- Frederick Chopin - Nocturne in A-flat major, Op32, No. 2, Grande valse brillante, Op. 18 (orchestrated by Igor Stravinsky)
- Magnus Lindberg - Concerto for Orchestra (U. S. Premiere)
INTERMISSION
- Oliver Knussen - Violin Concerto, Op. 30 (Recitative - Aria - Gigue) William Preucil, violin (Preucil would be excellent if he had something fit to play, to work with)
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 (Alborada - Variations - Alborada - Scene and Gypsy Song - Fandango of the Asturias
Conductor - Oliver Knussen
(NOTE TO SELF: If Lindberg or Knussen are on the program, stay home and rent DVD.)
This was the first time I have ever been at a concert where some of the audience withheld applause. I was part of that "some of the audience." So was the couple next to me. The standing ovation didn't happen. In Cleveland. The home of the standing ovation.
If anyone is interested, there is a biography of Lindberg here, including details about the prestigious award he has recently been given. (What were the judges thinking?) The bio includes one little tell-tale word--"Modernism". Nuff said. (Select concert programs more carefully in the future, Carrie! Don't let a pretty name [Stravinsky] cloud your judgment.)
That was Saturday.
Today I joined my Red Hat Society group at lunch and at the play Thoroughly Modern Millie performed in Akron at E. J. Thomas Hall. This one was worth a standing ovation. There were only five performances of the show with a Broadway touring company including live orchestra. The singing was fantastic, the acting superb, the costuming excellent (How do they change 'em that fast?), the sets clever and movable. They had to be. There were 19 scene changes. If the company turns up in your town, don't miss it.
