Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may have been the birthday boy Saturday night at the annual Mozart Birthday Bash thrown by the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, but it was the party guests gathered to pay tribute to the composer who proved the icing on the cake.
The program was a sampler of Mozart's works, from - in the words of Jennifer White, mistress of ceremonies - "from darkness to light ... from potent sadness to joie de vivre.''
This year marks the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, and it was clear from the outset that the A2SO, playing at the Michigan Theater, was planning on pulling out all the stops. From the evening's opener, the cheerful Symphony No. 33 in B-flat major, to the triumphant ending notes of the "Marriage of Figaro'' finale, the orchestra, led by Arie Lipsky, sounded superb. This group just keeps getting tighter and tighter, a notion again made abundantly clear Saturday night.
The A2SO also proved a generous host, sharing the stage first with talented young piano soloist Roman Rabinovich and, later, members of Ann Arbor's Vocal Arts Ensemble.
During intermission, it seemed all anyone was talking about was Rabinovich, a mop-haired 19-year-old native of Tashkent, and clearly an up-and-coming musical talent. His musical canvas, on display for the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 20 in D Minor, was filled with delicate pastels and vivid hues. As he hunched into the keyboard - at times his eyes just inches from the ivories - and then leaned back as if to take in the entirety of the work, the audience seemed to be hanging on every emotional note. It will be interesting to follow this exceptional young man's career.
Aaron Berofsky, the symphony's concertmaster, also provided a moving violin solo for the Serenade No. 7 in D Major ("Haffner''). Berofsky's skillful and emotional playing of the work, composed by Mozart for a wedding, managed to clearly convey the joy of that long-ago occasion.
For the second half, the symphony was joined by the Vocal Arts Ensemble for Mozart's short but-oh-so-sweet "Ave Verum'' and the lovely "Laudate Dominum,'' featuring mezzo-soprano Melody Racine. She was joined by baritone Daniel Washington for excerpts from "The Marriage of Figaro'' that included the work's familiar overture. Each soloist is associated with the University of Michigan School of Music, and their appearance with the symphony was another example of mutually satisfying town-and-gown cooperation. Both proved audience favorites, particularly Washington, whose amusing facial expressions only added to his performance.
"Any one of (the soloists) could have carried a show by themselves,'' said a pleased Jason Vavrick of Belleville, attending his first A2SO show.
As parties go, this one should be the talk of the town ... all that was missing were candles and cake. No one sang "Happy Birthday,'' but when you get to be 250, perhaps that's one song best banned from the program. At any rate, Mozart couldn't have gotten a better present than hearing his works so capably performed by such talented musical merry-makers.
|
|
|---|
©2002-2008
Ann Arbor Symphony
220 E Huron St., Suite 470
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 994-4801
