After yawning through much of the Oregon Symphony’s
last two years, I’m thrilled to report that the 30-plus programs in the
upcoming season are some of the smartest and sexiest shows to be heard
in Portland this year.
It all kicks off this Thursday, September 3, in a season preview
concert at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. There, the Symphony will blaze
through a diverse program, including everything from Elgar, Grieg, and
Dvorák to an unusual rarity (American composer George Whitefield
Chadwick’s Symphonic Sketches), as well as the Tchaikovsky
Serenade for Strings, featuring members of Oregon Ballet Theatre
in full plumage. Portland Taiko opens the concert at 4:30 pm, with
Portland Youth Philharmonic, under conductor David Hattner, hitting the
outdoor stage at 5 pm.
There is a sour note in the Symphony’s season opener: Although they
broke all previous single-ticket sales records in their 2008-2009
season, our home-team orchestra hasn’t been spared from the ravages of
the economic downturn. Staff members have taken salary hits, orchestra
members are in the throes of contract renegotiations, and what was
formerly a longer summer series of neighborhood concerts has been
whittled down to this single event.
The best news for the Symphony is what’s ahead this season. Some of
my favorites are the Mozart Wind Ensemble showcase (November 21-23),
superlative pianist Yefim Bronfman playing Bartók (December
5-7), and Rossini’s breathtaking Stabat Mater (March 6-8) with
the Portland Symphonic Choir. On the pops side, Storm Large, Inc. takes
her first bow with the orch on February 13, and the stylish Max Raabe
and Palast Orchester, a sort of 1920s German Pink Martini, croon and
swoon on February 24.
There’s also a three-day mega-festival of Beethoven (May 15-17),
which I’d usually put back in the yaaaawn category except for the
fabulous lineup of performers on hand, including the Symphony’s young
concertmaster Jun Iwasaki, who has to be heard to be believed. Music
director Carlos Kalmar begins his seventh season with the Symphony in
tonight’s Waterfront concert: Show up and hear for yourself why the
Oregon Symphony remains the best new band in Portland.