April 13, 2025

Another wonderful concert by the PSO this afternoon. I'd never heard Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto (beyond the iconic first several measures), and both soloist and orchestra did it justice: a breathtaking performance that left me in tears. Along with Stravinsky's Rite of Spring a few years back, it was the most exhilarating performance of a classical piece that I've ever witnessed. The program closed with an old favorite, Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe (two suites), which was also wonderful. Even the first piece by Italian composer (I almost typed "composter") Victor de Sabata, Plato's Night, which for the most part didn't grab me, ended with a quiet, shimmering progression that filled me with light. And then there was the guest conductor, Daniele Rustioni, who was a full-on diva from his gymnastic style to his thick dome of hair, but so much fun to watch. All in all, a much appreciated and needed soul cleansing.