In Tuesday’s (5/8) Washington Post, Samantha Buker writes, “The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra took over the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for its 50th anniversary gala concert Sunday night. Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves tackled Wagner’s ‘Wesendonck Lieder.’ … This is not the ASO of 10 years earlier, or even five. Jose-Luis Novo, music director since 2005, brought this ‘Tristan and Isolde’-laced song cycle to heights never reached in the ‘Tristan und Isolde’ selections played just after his arrival on the Annapolis podium. … The second half bore fruit from a two-year composer residency with Gabriela Lena Frank. Her newly commissioned work, ‘Raices’ (Roots—Peruvian roots in this case), is a concerto popping and vibrant. Each movement leapt off from an unexpected instrumental perch, such as a wood block. … The crowning affirmation came from the night’s finale: Suite No. 2 from ‘Daphnis et Chloe.’ The ASO passed the test of creating the shimmering texture of all the teeming voices of nature in Ravel’s work.”
Posted May 8, 2012
