Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv is compiling a stellar list of firsts – first female music director of an Italian opera house (the Teatro Comunale di Bologna), first woman to conduct at Bayreuth (The Flying Dutchman in 2021). Her debut performance with The Cleveland Orchestra may not rank in that rarefied company, but in purely musical terms, it was no less impressive.
The program played to Lyniv’s background and strengths, with two core Russian works supplemented by a pair of enchanting fables from her homeland and neighboring Czechia – all 20th-century works bridging the Romantic and modern eras. The national flavors were clear from the opening piece, Sir Charles Mackerras’ suite from Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen. Lyniv had a fine feel for this music, capturing the blend of high-spirited animal antics and ominous human intervention in the composer’s unique language. Particularly striking was her evocation of the setting, with a relaxed tempo and well-timed pauses invoking the stillness of the forest. A glimmer in the sound added to the effect, and powerful dynamics brought the concluding barnyard dust-up to a rousing finish.
Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini featured Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan, whose style was a good match with Lyniv’s – polished and deliberate, a bit understated, with expression ranging from solemn to sprightly. The balance in their approach gave the piano and orchestra equal weight, with satisfying results. The piano solos were smooth rather than florid, the orchestra bright but restrained, putting a fresh gloss on a warhorse. Barnatan showed skilled technical fluency that overran itself in the final variations, which is not unusual, given their complexity. Otherwise it was an elegant performance anchored by steady pacing from the orchestra.
Boris Lyatoshynsky’s Grazhyna tells the story of a heroic princess, and in Lyniv’s hands it was a gripping narrative, colorful and exciting, bristling with the sounds of battle. From the opening murmurs in the strings she set a dramatic atmosphere that grew in intensity on a wide canvas, with characters and clashes carefully delineated against bold blasts of horns and brass. This is a piece that wants to run away in fast-paced excitement, but Lyniv exercised tight control, letting the music unfold rather than steamroll listeners. For a visiting conductor to achieve that level of detail and visual quality in a one-off with the orchestra was truly remarkable.
Lyniv showed the same control with the Suite from Stravinsky’s The Firebird, tempering a vivid reading with crisp, cool contours. Again, there was a sense of the music gradually gathering and blossoming, no small achievement amid the sharp strings, boisterous brass and hammer blows of percussion. Lyniv also found strong contrasts in the piece, carefully modulating the lights and darks, caressing the melodies one moment and punching out bright, animated colors the next. It was at once a highly personal and classic interpretation, showcasing the fire and invention in the music while being creative with the tempi and adding a touch of mischievous fun.
For all that, the hallmark of the evening was the transparency in the sound. Every piece was so clear that individual instruments were easily discernible, especially with Lyniv’s unhurried approach, which gave the music crystal clarity. The Cleveland Orchestra is currently shopping for a new Music Director and, given the advance planning required for classical concerts, Lyniv is almost certainly not on the list. But if this concert was an accurate measure of her skills and chemistry with the orchestra, she should be.
