Renée in the OC: Fleming opens Pacific Symphony season

By Matthew Richard Martinez, 14 September 2016

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Reviewed at Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa on 13 September 2016

Berlioz, Le Carnaval romain, Op.9

Strauss R., Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs)

Verdi, La forza del destino (The Force of Destiny): Overture

Tosti, Aprile

Donaudy, O del mio amato ben

Leoncavallo, Mattinata

Bernstein, Candide: Overture

Rodgers, The King and I: Shall we dance?

Rodgers, The King and I: I whistle a happy tune

Rodgers, The King and I: Something wonderful

Gershwin, Porgy and Bess: Summertime

Loewe, My Fair Lady: I could have danced all night

Puccini, Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro

Renée Fleming, Soprano

Carl St Clair, Conductor

Pacific Symphony

Strauss' Vienna given the Hollywood treatment

Laurence Vittes, 1st December

Jeremy Denk's take on Brahms didn't impress Brahms, the Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor proving an unequal, if refreshing, contest.

***11

Pacific Chorale celebrates Alexander's last season

Laurence Vittes, 30th October

In “five large symphonic movements”, the performance had a celebratory air, poised somewhere between Mahler's “Resurrection” Symphony and Mozart's Requiem.

****1

Pacific Symphony at its best

Laurence Vittes, 20th October

The Mozart was a immaculately smooth performance teased out with historically-informed ornaments and trills and turns.

*****

Strauss' Vienna given the Hollywood treatment

Laurence Vittes, 1st December

Jeremy Denk's take on Brahms didn't impress Brahms, the Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor proving an unequal, if refreshing, contest.

***11

Pacific Symphony at its best

Laurence Vittes, 20th October

The Mozart was a immaculately smooth performance teased out with historically-informed ornaments and trills and turns.

*****

Pomp meets ping-pong: Nixon in China lands again in Paris

David Karlin, 14th March

Excellent vocal acting from Thomas Hampson, Renée Fleming, Xiaomeng Zhang and a magnificent orchestral performance conducted by Kent Nagano can't make Valentina Carrasco's production fully grip.

***11

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Matthew Richard Martinez

A professional conductor living in Costa Mesa, California, Matthew received Bachelor of Music and MFA degrees from University of California, Irvine. An avid sports fan, when he’s not conducting or listening to music, he can be found cheering for his hometown San Diego Padres.