Music Reviews

Aug 20, 1999 - Russian National Orchestra - Expecting the Unexpected!

By Jack Neal

Listening to the Russian National Orchestra was a lot like having a conversation with Zsa Zsa Gabor - except that she's Hungarian. Expecting the unexpected became expected.

The on-many-occasions world class Russian National Orchestra played an all-Russian program at Reno's Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts Friday night (8/20/99) and it was virtuosic and scrumptious in every way - save one: Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" fell into clomps with some masterpieces hanging out for viewing and some amazingly flawed sections that needed a stint in the warehouse waiting for restoration. That inconsistency was unexpected.

The orchestra's dashing and expressive associate conductor, Andrey Boreyko, zeroed in on an amazingly introspective picture of Mussorgsky's colorful "Pictures" and did his part to breathe - on one hand - tremendous excitement into the music, and - on the other - to present a personal and intimately revelatory view of Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's expansive score. It was the orchestra's strange fetishness with its approach that lead to what would have been best left unplayed, if the orchestra's heretofore brilliant reputation was to leave town unscathed. The strings were immaculate, as they were all evening long, the percussion superb, as it was all evening long, the woodwinds splendid, as they were all evening long, but the brasses waxed and waned terribly for some well-they-are-terrific-aren't-they moments followed by whose ragtag band is this anyway. Let the chips fall where they may, but the orchestra's lead trumpter was having the kind of bad night - some shockingly inept playing - that would have landed him in Siberia in less compromising times.

But to dwell on the Mussorgsky is to overlook the orchestra's otherwise evening of unadulterated triumphs that were so relished by a surprisingly small house, about three-quarters full (ticket prices paced at from $100 to $150 undoubtedly took their toll). What those high-paying fans got beyond the Mussorgsky was one of the most popular, unhackneyed and thoroughly energized symphonic performances in recent memory. Based on reputation, that consistency was expected

Boreyko's Hollywood look (handsome and theatrical) at expressing how the music should look, if it looked rather than sounded, had an uncanny way of inspiring both orchestra and audience alike. He, along with the orchestra, were stars that shined it on with equal brilliance. Boreyko was a fascinating center of attention without drawing away from a purist's-eye view of what's important - the composer's intentions and an audience's loving involvement with those intentions. His interpretations were tremendously exciting, they were also unbombastic and sublimely musical. The temptation for letting it all hang out with such often shoddily treated war-horses as "Pictures," Tchaikovsky's "1812," and Borodin's "Polovetsian Dances,' were strictly off limits. Each of these works were conducted and played with finesse (the brasses in "Pictures" being the exception) that made them sound new, fresh and indelibly lyric. Boreyko landed squarely on the side of voluptuous understatement, if such a thing is possible and with this conductor it is, for wonderful presentations of wonderfully tuneful and exotic music. Breathes there a man (or woman) so dead they can resist the "Stranger in Paradise" aspects of Borodin's dances, or the thrilling climax piled upon climax of Tchaikovsky's "1812"? Certainly not Friday night, when standing ovations became the norm and bravo the word of choice. "Not since Liza Minnelli's heyday," someone was overheard saying, "has there been such an outpouring of audience love and enthusiasm."

Especially worthy of that devotion was the program's curtain raiser, Glinka's Overture from "Ruslan and Ludmilla," a stirring and stupendously played opener. The ultimate in "worthy" was an in-all-ways perfect recreation of Prokofiev's powerful "Romeo and Juliet." Anguish, gut-wrenching passion and lyric ecstasy were the name of games played between the Montagues and the Capulets. Prokofiev's score is pointedly dramatic in picking up on the star-crossed lover's world of love and turmoil. Boreyko's conducting was moving and inspired on all points. The orchestra's luminous playing could not have been more refined, nor more explosive. Who could ask for anything more?

Only an audience begging for more, which it got. A terribly with-it symphonic dance number (sorry gang, I can't name it) featuring the smashingly well-played snare drumming of the orchestra's good-looking young side drummer. And, yes - he does, and they do, have rhythm. Falla's "Ritual Fire Dance" wrapped things up in a fittingly fiery way. But Spanish, dear hearts? For an all-Russian program that "is" a change of pace!

The Russian National Orchestra is on a surprisingly short American tour. The orchestra's appearance in Reno was arranged relatively at the last minute by local arts enthusiast Diana Kern. Ms. Kern may not have know what she was getting herself into, but this is one case when a spur-of-the-moment, big-chunk of whim panned out to be sensational.

Proceeds for the Russian National Orchestra's Reno appearance will be distributed among Northern Nevada arts organizations.

Click here to see the review for the Childrens Concert by these same performers.