By Roy Berko
The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, and the Children’s Chorus and three soloists combined to perform Orff’s masterpiece, CARMINA BURANA, for four sold out performances.
The epic sounds of one of the world’s greatest orchestras and its renowned choruses and guest soloists (Nicholas Phan, Stephen Powell, Rebecca Nelson) was greeted by a screaming standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert, which continued for four curtain calls.
The many textured moods, from nuanced to spellbinding to swelling to forceful, to climactic, were all exceedingly well defined and performed.
The evening started with Bach’s CONCERTO IN A MINOR, usually performed on the keyboard, but in this instance played on an oboe d’amore — a nasal sounding woodwind. As performed by orchestra member Robert Walters, the soothing rendition was a nice balance to the long and complicated CARMINA BURANA.
The program was directed by James Feddeck, filling in for the ill Franz Welser-Möst. Feddeck is a delight to watch as he flows with the music, arms creating pictures in space, body almost dancing, face reflecting the various moods.
[Photo by Roger Mastroianni]
Roy Berko is a member of The American Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle and Dance Critics Association. He is a college professor of communication and psychology, author of thirty-one books, and a life coach. His reviews and commentaries can be found on ArtsAmerica.org, BroadwayWorld.com, NEohioPAL and CoolCleveland.com and on his popular blog, http://RoyBerko.info.
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106