The MET Orchestra showcases its diverse skills in Gubaidulina, Beethoven and Stravinsky

By Alan Yu, 03 December 2012

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Reviewed at Carnegie Hall: Stern Auditorium, New York City on 2 December 2012

Gubaidulina, Violin Concerto no. 2, "In tempus praesens"

Beethoven, Piano Concerto no. 5 in E flat major "Emperor", Op.73

Stravinsky, The Firebird (1945 version)

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Fabio Luisi, Conductor

David Chan, Violin

Yefim Bronfman, Piano

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Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

Innocence: Saariaho’s final opera receives New York premiere

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At the Metropolitan Opera, Innocence proves a gripping and perhaps divisive piece which feels real because it is a reflection of our reality, with no realistic hope of finding peace.

*****

Tristan und Isolde at the Met: staging gets in the way of the music

No’a L. bat Miri, 9th March

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***11

Met Orchestra brings a long neglected symphony back to life

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****1

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

Robert Levine, 13th January

Good Butterflys are not that difficult to come by but great ones are very very rare. Ailyn Pérez fits the bill in this revival of Anthony Minghella’s classic staging.

*****

Vocal thrills in Met’s traditional staging of Bellini’s I puritani

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Marco Armiliato conducts a finely balanced rendition of Bellini's final masterpiece with a stellar cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee.

*****

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Alan Yu

The first concert Alan attended was Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. For 7 years he presented classical music programmes for Radio Television Hong Kong, partly to pay his way through university. He attends concerts whenever he can and believes there is no substitute for the thrill of live performances. He writes here.