Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Season Opener

By Brian Wigman, 03 October 2015

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“the Detroit players were clearly willing to find a happy balance between "cool" and "poised"”

Reviewed at Orchestra Hall, Detroit on 2 October 2015

Berlioz, Le Carnaval romain, Op.9

Gershwin, Piano Concerto in F

Druckman, Mirage

Strauss R., Der Rosenkavalier, Op.59: Suite

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano

Leonard Slatkin, Conductor

Bignamini conducts Detroit Symphony in a resplendent Beethoven 9

Sam Jacobson, 14th May

DSO music director Jader Bignamini leads his ensemble in the glory of Beethoven’s Ninth, prefaced by a recent work written as a companion piece to the symphony.

****1

A triple serving of Salome from Fabien Gabel in Detroit

Phillip Nones, 22nd April

The French conductor leads a “Salome-centric” concert high on drama and color, joined by Nicolas Altstaedt in presenting a cello concerto new to American audiences.

****1

France meets Russia at the Detroit Symphony

Erica Miner, 3rd December

Enrique Mazzola conducts an intriguing combination of a French work and a Russian work with a French title focusing on turn-of-the-century France.

***11

The concerto reconstructed: Detroit Symphony plays Sorey premiere

Annie Nikunen, 6th November

DSO plays Florence Price's Five Folksongs in Counterpoint and performs the world premiere of Tyshawn Sorey's For Marcos Balter for violin and orchestra with Jennifer Koh.

*****

Jacquelyn Stucker thrills in Strauss with the Detroit Symphony

Timothy Robson, 23rd October

Donald Runnicles conducted an imaginative chamber version of Strauss' testamentary Lieder, plus Elgar's own take on the concerto grosso form in his Introduction and Allegro.

***11

Jader Bignamini makes a strong impression with the Detroit Symphony

Timothy Robson, 18th September

In one of his first assignments as Music Director in Detroit, Bignamini conducts rarely-heard works by two Americans, along with an 18th-century Classical symphony by the Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

***11

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Brian Wigman

Brian Wigman is based in the Detroit Metropolitan Area and enjoys a working relationship as a writer with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He has over 15 years of intensive choral experience. In addition to Bachtrack, he also writes CD reviews for ClassicalNet. His interests range from the Classical period to the 21st Century, with a particular emphasis on Beethoven and Brahms.