It is the emotional range of Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s contributions to classical music that ensures the timelessness of his compositions ““ moving listeners to feel everything from the pain of doomed love to the grandiose patriotism of wartime. Similarly, it is the ingenuity of the Hollywood Bowl’s Tchaikovsky Spectacular that manages to keep the annual concert honoring the composer an inspiring event each and every year.
As with previous years, the Spectacular explored both the greater- and lesser-known works of Tchaikovsky, bringing in renowned performers to accompany the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
The opening piece, “Battle of Poltava from Mazeppa,” conducted by Christian Knapp, foreshadowed the militaristic theme of the final piece of the concert, the “1812 Overture,” ensuring both a dramatic and cohesive start to the program, as beginning and end flowed together.
The second piece, Piano Concerto No. 1 followed by “The Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty,” were performed with soloist Mihaela Ursuleasa. Ursuleasa’s performance, besides being technically astounding ““ I almost dropped my wine glass several times as her lithe fingers flew about on the big screen ““ was also endearing, as she bobbed along to the orchestra between her intermittent assaults on the ivory keys, capriciously and whimsically as one of Tchaikovsky’s fairies.
Through her stylistic choices, Ursuleasa embodied the charm and passion that the idea of Tchaikovsky tends to evoke. After all, as the composer who gave the world Swan Lake and the Nutcracker ballets, scenes of dancing swan princesses and sugar plum fairies are all within the repertoire of the Romantic composer. Candy-coated imaginings aside; Ursuleasea herself is a sight to behold, mastering one of the masters without so much as a quivering hand.
In addition to Ursuleasa, who deserved every bit of the standing ovation she received, the stylistic conducting of Christian Knapp added to the infectious atmosphere of artistic enthusiasm. Knapp appeared to be swept away with the emotionalism of the music, giving more stoic conductors a refreshing run for their money. While his grand gesticulations often bordered on the comical, it was nonetheless smile-provoking to witness a conductor so clearly passionate about his work.
In this same vein of delicious excess, the concluding firework spectacular, which accompanied the “1812 Overture,” was an amazing aural and visual assault on the audience. The overture, as homage to Russia’s defense of Moscow against Napoleon at the Battle of Borodino in 1812, features the militaristic touches of ringing bells and canon fire.
The boisterous piece was wonderfully enhanced through the culmination of a pyrotechnic display, which bordered on a pyromaniac’s homage to Mother Russia.
Looking around the audience, it was clear that for the duration of the firework display, wine drinking sophisticates and bored children were one and the same ““ simply amazed. Even the addition of the Spirit of Troy marching band, who marched on stage in full USC regalia, added to the sense of fervent patriotism, if not blind Trojan loyalty. The smell of gunpowder, the sheer volume of fireworks and of course the powerful overture itself combined to create an ecstatic concert moment which even rampant USC hatred could not sully.
The only lull in the concert occurred with the performance of Tchaikovsky’s unfinished opera version of “Romeo and Juliet.” While the soloists, soprano Wendy Bryn Harmer and tenor Sean Panikkar, were both clearly talented singers, their performance lacked the heightened emotionalism of the rest of the concert pieces, and because of this, felt oddly flat and out of place. Set in the contentious last moments between Romeo and Juliet, a scene that should have been heart-wrenching was disappointingly yawn-inducing. That being said, the novelty of the piece as a rarely performed proof of Tchaikovsky’s more operatic side made it interesting, if not emotional.
While college students are not likely to drop a lot of cash on a swanky evening among the stars, both celestial and otherwise, if the opportunity ever presents itself, the Tchaikovsky Spectacular is a concert worth splurging on.
The lively atmosphere of the Bowl is catching, as is the passionate whimsy of Tchaikovsky’s genius, especially when coupled with an arsenal of pyrotechnic flare.
E-mail Brown at sbrown@media.ucla.edu.