Maestro Constantine Orbelian and his Moscow Chamber Orchestra (Delos’ most prolific recording artists) – plus a bevy of rising young stars from former Soviet-era nations – joined forces to perform before a jam-packed house at Carnegie Hall last night (12/12/12!). As the photo indicates (click to enlarge), the concert – entitled “New Stars for a New Century” – was sold out well before the actual event, despite the competing, pop star-studded “Rocking for Sandy Relief” concert at nearby Madison Square Garden! The Carnegie event was also Sandy-related, having been billed as “A Gift to the People of New York” in the wake of the superstorm’s recent ravages in and around the NYC area. (See my previous blog for additional details.) It was my personal pleasure and privilege to write the concert’s program notes.
As one observer enthused, “The place was FULL…. totally packed. People were hunting down tickets like it was a rock concert…” – something that seldom happens, even at Carnegie Hall! The program consisted mostly of shorter pieces: Russian and Armenian songs plus showpieces for solo instruments and orchestra intended to demonstrate the virtuosity and musicality of emerging young stars from throughout the former Soviet Union. While the happy crowd (including the Consuls-General and United Nations delegates from each nation represented) responded with tumultuous applause to every selection, Orbelian and others commented that the efforts of violinists Fédor Roudine (Bizet/Waxman Carmen Fantasy) and Ripsime Ayrapetyants (Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen) were received with particular enthusiasm; also the performance of soprano Nina Minasyan (“Vocalises” by Rachmaninoff and Babajanian). As Constantine put it, pianist Vadim Kholodenko “…just blew the roof off Carnegie Hall” with his rendition of the evening’s grand finale: Shostakovich’s manic Concerto for Piano and Trumpet, with the inspired collaboration of Andrew Balio (the Baltimore Symphony’s Principal Trumpet).
Here’s hoping that Constantine and company return to Carnegie Hall sometime soon – so that those of us who missed this wildly successful event can be there next time!
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