Arts & Culture Review
Event: Symphony For Spring
Organization: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
Date: April 2^nd, 2008, 7:30pm
Place: Cochrane, Alberta, Canada 

4 Stars

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey (Toronto Correspondent - Canada) 

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra really knows how to connect with their audience; even those who are enraptured by music from a distance. The CPO performed one of its Outreach Programs recently in Cochrane, a town just outside of Calgary aptly titled the event Symphony For Spring.

The CPO performed to a full house of excited enthusiasts of classical music; from newly inspired youth, to family gathering together in appreciation, and elderly couples cozying up to an evening of classics. The CPO treats every event as though they are performing for royalty as conductor Pierre Simard expressed at the start of the evening that the Philharmonic was ‘under the spell of Opera tonight.'

Soprano singer Natalie Fagnon, a youthful delightful addition to the world of opera, who recently won the Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival performed about four songs and was simply darling. Fagnon was at ease the stage, audience and overwhelmingly difficult style of music, but she was as animated and interactive with the audience as Maria Callas. 

Symphony For Spring started with Mozart's ‘Cosi fan tutte, K 588:Overture,' which was uplifting and playful. Then Verdi's ‘Un Ballo in Maschera: Saper, vorreste,' a more flirty piece, then back to Mozart for ‘The Marriage Of Figaro: Deh vieni, non tarder' which had a melancholy and woeful feel to it. The only English lyric song, also sung by Fagnon, as the previous songs had been, was Herbet's (arr. Longstaff) ‘The Enchantress: Art Is Calling For Me' which was another playful song, and executed beautifully. As Conductor Simard pointed out Bizet's Carmen is the most popular opera in the world and so a compilation tribute to an evening about opera seemed only fitting. ‘Carmen Suites No 1 & 2: Excerpts (Prelude et Aragonaise, Seguedille, Habanera, Chanson du Toreador, Les Toreadors)' was ideal in the acoustic church, as the music was sweeping and majestic.

After a short intermission, the evening seemed to take a turn towards a ‘homage to romance' with its flights of fancy (Strauss), its depth and intimacy of Eckhardt-Gramatte, and its passion and possession of Tchaikovsky. First up was the melodious ‘Fledermaus: Overture' of Strauss' design, which was wonderfully enriching. Russian born, Canadian raised Eckhardt-Gramatte 1926 piece ‘Molto Sostenuto' was a much slower pace with only strings; it was enticing, enriching and evocative. I was quite swept away by my introduction to Eckhardt-Gramatte. Lastly was Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, and a fitting way to end the evening as Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers have remained in the spotlight glare of both opera and romance for centuries.   

Outreach Programs such as this one performed by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra are a great way to gain a delightful evening of music in your own area, a way to expand your knowledge of classical music, and a great way to connect with your local Philharmonic.