Frank Almond
I have loved Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade since I was a boy. This symphonic depiction of episodes from The Arabian Nights stirred my imagination when young like few other pieces, and I am slightly embarrassed to say that I am still completely seduced by it. The last time it came around at Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, in 2009, the fantastic young Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko led a remarkable performance that went beyond my expectations. I even left a theater mid-movie to hear it again.
I wish I could be as enthusiastic about the Scheherazade performance I heard at MSO on Friday night. There were good things about it. Frank Almond’s solos were as bewitching as ever. This music suits his lyrical abilities and singing tone perfectly. Almond played with richer color than I remember in this music in the past. He also seems to have become a little more willing to play with more pronounced romantic bend and sweep to the phrase, which suits Scheherazade. In general the orchestra sounded as good as they always do this season, with wonderful solos from Susan Babini (cello), Katherine Young Steele (oboe), Todd Levy (clarinet), Ted Soluri (bassoon), Danis Kelly (harp) and Matthew Annin (horn).
The problem for me was that guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger just didn’t shape a convincing overall performance. The pace felt too slow, especially the first and third movements, missing the thrilling lilt and magic spell possible in this music. The finale was better than OK to pretty good. Big programmatic pieces such as this (meaning following a story of some kind) need an imaginative dramatist on the podium. In this performance Lehninger just didn’t seem to be one.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
As piano soloist in Camille Saint-Saëns’ Concerto No. 2, Sean Chen projected a gentle spirit, playing with a clean, graceful and liquid touch, and with tone more buoyant than powerful. He indulged some sections too much for my taste, but gave a refined performance, though in my opinion it lacked charisma. It was good to hear a crisp account of Igor Stravinsky’s charming Suite No. 2 to open the concert.
TAGS: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Frank Almond, Susan Babini, Katherine Young Steele, Toddy Levy, Ted Soluri, Danis Kelly, Matthewe Annin, Marcelo Lehninger
