“The concert, which also included music by Richard Wagner and American composer Christopher Rouse, showed new levels of stylistic definition and ensemble unity, especially during Beethoven’s programmatically descriptive symphony.”
- The Salt Lake Tribune

“Thierry Fischer continues to knock it out of the park with his Beethoven symphony cycle. The Utah Symphony, under Fischer’s guiding hand, painted a vivid musical picture and offered a clear window into the emotions of the three composers on the program Friday night.”
- Reichel Recommends

“holy geez, it was amazing; the entire orchestra did a phenomenal job, but the main percussionist—absolutely stupendous and literally had me holding my breath at the end.”
- LifeIsBYUtiful

Were you at the concert this weekend? Let us know what you thought! Please leave your review in the comments.

In part because of its casting demands, “Falstaff” isn’t one of Verdi’s more frequently produced operas; it’s a once-in-a-decade experience in Utah Opera. Don’t miss your chance to see the master of Italian opera at his best.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

This was a fabulous cast all around. There were no weak links anywhere. In fact, this was perhaps the best cast that Utah Opera has assembled in years.
- Reichel Recommends

Truly a Verdi masterpiece, the production is well-directed by Christopher Mattaliano, and gave the appreciative audience a lot to smile about. All the elements of a fine opera production — orchestra, singing, acting and design — came together with a polished ease that belied the complexity of the opera. It was evident that the cast, as well as the audience, was having a good time.
- Deseret News

Aside from being awestruck, scenes like Act II, Scene II are hilarious. There, Falstaff is being hid inside a three-sided screen and inside a laundry basket. The performance hits on every spectrum that counts.
- City Weekly

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But the Saint-Saëns symphony was the evening’s main attraction, and Elliott’s grand C-major chord midway through the second movement was worth the price of admission. Pianist Jason Hardink also shone, and Grams was generous in acknowledging the contributions of other orchestra members at the work’s exuberant conclusion.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

Elliott is a consummate artist and fabulous musician. It was wonderful seeing him outside his usual job accompanying the Tabernacle Choir and in the soloist’s spotlight in Abravanel Hall. And at Friday’s concert he gave a spectacular performance of the Poulenc.
- Reichel Recommends

Were you at the concert this weekend? Let us know what you thought! Please leave your review in the comments.

Canadian violinist Karen Gomyo was the evening’s soloist in a bracing performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3. Schwarz’s no-nonsense tempo and Gomyo’s commanding technique made the Abravanel Hall crowd sit up and take notice, but there was subtle music-making at work, too; the soloist integrated unusually well with the tight, chamber-size ensemble.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

Schwarz’s account captured the vastness of the score; his bold direction and the bold playing of the orchestra brought depth and dimension to the interpretation. In the hands of a lesser conductor, Zarathustra can become bombastic and theatrical, but Schwarz avoided that pitfall and showed his profound understanding of Strauss’ music.
- Reichel Recommends

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As befits a symphony about a painter, the Utah Symphony brought rich, almost saturated musical color to its interpretation.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

…guest clarinetist Ted Calcara completely enlivened and invigorated the near-capacity audience inside Abravanel Hall for the first of two performances of a music program leaning heavily on the compositions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
- Salt Lake Magazine

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Matthias Bamert and the Utah Symphony. What more needs be said? Other than it was a sublime evening of music? It was that, but that hardly begins to describe the magic that was in the air when Bamert stepped onto the podium…
- Reichel Recommends

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Little Women opened on Saturday, and we were very lucky to have the composer, Mark Adamo, in attendance! Here are some of the reviews, so far:

Many filmmakers and composers have taken on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women over the past century, but no one has captured the novel’s soul better than Mark Adamo.
-The Salt Lake Tribune

This is, simply put, a first rate production of Little Women that does justice to Adamo’s words and music and should be on the to do list this week for everyone who loves opera, whether or not they’ve read Alcott’s book as a youngster.
- Reichel Recommends

You can come see Little Women March 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th. Let us know what you thought of the performance! Leave you review in the comments.

…the most engaging moments came in the slow movement, which paired the soloist with Utah Symphony principal cellist Ryan Selberg in a lovely, lyrical duet.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

Arming’s account was intense and dramatic, but with no hint of heavy handedness. Instead, he elicited richly lyrical and fluid playing from the orchestra.
- Reichel Recommends

What did you think of this weekend’s concert? Leave your review in the comments!

Adams appeared to be having the time of his life as the mischievous Puck, while Bahr and Mellen earned laughs as fairy royalty Oberon and Titania. But it was Ivers, enacting the supremely silly tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, who had not only the crowd but several members of the orchestra in stitches.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

McGegan, whose gestures on the podium are expressive and fluid, captured the essence of the music wonderfully. His bright tempos allowed the music to flow and breathe naturally and allowed him to bring out the lightness and transparency of the score. McGegan elicited nuanced and finely crafted playing from the orchestra. His reading was exuberant, vibrant and did justice to Shakespeare’s play.
- Reichel Recommends

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After intermission came one of the 20th century’s greatest masterpieces, Bartók’s exhilarating Concerto for Orchestra. The piece is jam-packed with terrific tunes, and Rophé and the orchestra dug into them with enthusiasm. The work’s many highlights included the jaunty dance of the bassoons in the second movement and the almost alarming intensity of the strings in the fourth.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

Rophé, who is a dedicated proponent of contemporary music, understands the work. His reading captured the colors and accents of the music compellingly. It was dynamic and intense and filled with bold lines. The orchestra brought finely crafted articulation to its playing. Phrasings were crisp and clean and the execution flawless. This is how Stravinsky’s music deserves to be played.
- Reichel Recommends

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The concerto’s outer movements gave the violinist ample opportunity to showcase his formidable technique, including a jaw-dropping display in the first movement’s cadenza. It was fascinating to hear him pivot expertly from one tone color to the next. The orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Julian Kuerti, provided a rich backdrop.
- The Salt Lake Tribune

Led by Guest Conductor Julian Kuerti, the Symphony soared along in perfect accompaniment as Hadelich tore through a nearly a half-hour of blazing crescendos, demonstrating overwhelming technique, a sense of dynamics and complete mastery of the piece. When he halted briefly during the section section of the Concerto, before racing back into the music, as the Symphony flawlessly resumed its place beneath the violin, it seemed effortless – and more powerful because of the ease with which they had done it.
- Salt Lake Magazine

At Friday’s performance Hadelich played the work as if he owned it. From the expansive and effusive opening movement to the ethereal Andante and the challenging rondo finale, the young German violinist was solidly in control. He didn’t miss a thing; his playing was nuanced and was matched by the orchestra under Kuerti’s capable direction.
- Reichel Recommends

Let us know what you thought of the performance. Please leave your review in the comments!