Sheet: Quincena Musical from San Sebastian. Kursaal Auditorium Cycle.
Orchestra Filarmónica della Scala de Milan. Address: Riccardo Chailly
Programme: Works by Tchaikovsky and Ravel.
Place: Kursaal auditorium.
Date: 27 August
Perhaps the philharmonic of the Scala of Milan, a priori, would not be among the best at the European level, because it is an orchestra specialising in the interpretation of opera. But it is true that when this edition of the Quincena Musical is about to end, what we heard on Tuesday night at Kursaal is one of the best things this year. It's a high-class orchestra. Its sound is immersive, elegant, and its interpretation is in accordance with the director's guidelines. And that is the key to yesterday’s excellent edition: Excellent address of Riccardo Chailly.
In this performance, we see the characteristics of the director again: wide arms, clean and firm gesture, suggestive when it comes to achieving soft and padded sonorities, aggressive when asking for a fortisimo tutti. Its unity, always clear, with a broad and sinuous drawing, with an adequate rhythmic underscore, is one of the most appropriate to highlight the multiple melodic lines and counterpoints that animate any composition.
The concert started with one of the great symphonies of the repertoire: 5th Symphony in my youngest from Tchaikovsky, op. 64, exactly. Wonderful work to prolong the great virtues of Chailly. This symphony surprises us with the dynamism of orchestral writing, which leads to the end building extended climatic zones to a point that touches hysteria. The manipulation of dark tones creates the typical melancholic atmosphere of the Tchaikovskianas symphonies. Wonderful. Tchaikovsky should be heard more frequently. In fact, if at one time the art of Tchaikovsky was rejected in the name of modernity, today it is fully justified in the postmodern ways in which the feeling is reassessed before reason.
And with this material, Riccardo Chailly made an interpretation teacher filled with magic, with intense contrasts and taking advantage of every instrumental family. And in addition, it really surprised the public. This is communication.
After the rest, we immersed ourselves in another musical environment: In Ravel's suggestive universe. It is a ballet composed by the cibovine Daphnis et Chloé. Music, one of the most passionate passions of the composer, is considered one of the best in Ravel, with the unsurpassed traditional harmonies of musical impressionism. The composer chose several parts of the ballet to create two orchestral suite that were played in the Kursaal.
The orchestra, led by Chailly to perfection, was able to create magical, enveloping sonorities. The auditorium was immersed in a nice impressionist film, full of details and suggestions.
As a tip, those of the Scala in Milan offered us a piece of the Jenúfa opera by the Czech composer Leos Janácek, fresh and elegant. A pleasure.
Sheet: Quincena Musical from San Sebastian. Cycle Victoria Eugenia.
Alexandra Dovgan (piano).
Programme: Works by Beethoven, Schumann, Rachmaninov and Scriabin.
Place: Victoria Eugenia Theatre. Date: 19 August.
The great composer Luciano Berio said that the virtuosos... [+]
Orchestra Budapest Festival. Address: Ivan Fischer.
Orfeón Donostiarra. Address: José Antonio Sainz Alfaro.
Soloists: Anna Lena Elbert (soprano), Olivia Vermeulen (contralto), Martin Mitterrutzner (tenor), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (low). Place: Audit Kursaal.Fecha: 18... [+]
Like everything in this world, the Quincena Musical of San Sebastian has ended. It has been an edition marked by the return to normality, which has brought with it the special enthusiasm of the public and some joy that was noticed in the environment.
Music is not a technical... [+]
Like every year, the San Sebastian Musical Quincena is a must for music lovers. And as in previous years, the offer is varied, nice and full of incentives. It is the 83rd fortnight, and although it may be a shorter festival than usual, it will offer highly recommended dates.