WILKES-BARRE - The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic brought its current season to a close Friday evening in a beautiful evening of music by French composers titled "Symphonie Fantastique" at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts before an audience of 1,050 people.
Friday evening's program featured Camille Saint-Saëns' "Bacchanale" from "Samson and Delilah," along with Maurice Ravel's "La Valse," and concluded with Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."
During Saint-Saëns' "Danse Bachchanale," the orchestra sounded simply as good as ever during an opening piece. The players hit mid-concert stride after just a few notes. The strings were symmetrical and spoke with fervor and determination, even in the absence of concertmaster Erica Kiesewetter.
Paying due diligence, though, the assistant concertmaster, Alice Hattstrom, was an impressive leader in first chair. The orchestra seemed to come alive for her. Likewise, the brass came to attention and brimmed with zeal.
The only problem with the entire offering was its brevity. The players were simply superb and the audience let them know with a resounding burst of applause usually reserved for much longer works and guest artists. It was very well-deserved.
Ravel's "La Valse" was absolute splendor. Maestro Lawrence Loh had the players take the audience through a tribute to the waltz. At times, the piece had the carefree loftiness of a carousel ride and at others the drama of the opening of a theatrical big-screen thriller.
During "La Valse," the percussion section had, at times, a purposeful bounce and at others, the seriousness of ominous depth and darkness. Mr. Loh had the players ebb and flow through each section of the piece with amazing clarity. Gloriously joyous and melodious and then, without warning, a turn to rumbling bass and powerfully speaking strings.
The program closed with Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14."
The program music piece lays out the life of a gifted young artiste for whom all love is lost and is fallen to despair and hopelessness. The orchestra painted Berlioz's masterpiece perfectly with drama and the highs and lows fitting of such an adventure. Truly a fitting finale for Masterworks.
Friday evening's concert was sponsored by Richard Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith and WNEP-TV. The Pops portion of the current season concludes June 8, with a concert titled "Maestro At The Movies" at the Scranton Cultural Center. The program will feature music of action, adventure and the Academy Awards.