Thursday, June 26, 2008

From Russia with Love

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Venue: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Wednesday, June 25 at 7:00 pm.

Conductor: Rossen Milanov

Compositions:

Musorgsky: A night on Bald Mountain

Rimsky-Korsakov: Caproccio espagnol

Tchaikovsky: Waltz from 'The sleeping beauty'

Rachmaninoff: Vocalise, Op.34, No.14

Prokofiev: "Montagues and Capulets" from Romeo and Juliet, Op.64

Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op.47

Strvinsky: Suite form 'The Firebird'

Very impressive performance, it was completely enjoyable even for a person like me without any background in music. Although some patrons chose to sleep through the program, perhaps dragged in after a tiring day at office by their music loving wife, the majority in the hall was wide awake and applauded at the end of each piece enthusiastically. It was a place for snooty, high-class people and so I had to dress up and had to even wear a tie, polish my shoes and comb my hair. Tomorrow I am going back to listen to pieces of American composers like Bernstein and Souse. I hope that it will also be equally enjoyable.

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