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Volume 2, Issue 21 • October 15-, 2010 • San Diego Uptown News


San Diego Symphony starts 100th anniversary season with world premiere of ‘San Diego,’ plus Shostakovich


By Charlene Baldridge SDUN Music Critic


The initial Jacobs Masterworks Series concerts in San Diego Symphony’s 100th


anniversary


season took place Oct. 8-10 at Copley Symphony Hall. Celebrat- ing the city and musical celebrity itself, the programming ranged from the world premiere of Marvin Hamlisch’s “San Diego” (with text by Qualcomm founder/symphony benefactor Dr. Irwin M. Jacobs) to what might be called Dmitri Shostakovich’s capitulation sym- phony, No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, dating from 1937. There’s no doubt the greatest celebrating is that of the orches- tra’s survival and excellence. Despite its intermittent first years and many years of financial tribu- lations, San Diego Symphony has survived and gloriously thrives artistically under the leadership of Music Director Jahja Ling, who conducted.


Master flautist James Galway enlivened the San Diego Symphony’s opening season concerts as featured guest artist.


TWO NEIL SIMON CLASSIC COMEDIES SEE ONE OR SEE BOTH


CRITIC’S CHOICE “The Old Globe scores an


engaging doubleheader with Neil Simon’s ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ and ‘Broadway


Bound’ triumphantly opening


the 2010-11 season.” - LOS ANGELES TIMES


HuRRy. BOTH SHOwS MuST ClOSE NOv. 7!


BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS CRITIC’S CHOICE


-SAN DIEGO UNION-TrIbUNE DIRECTED BY SCOTT SCHWARTZ


Symphony No. 5 is either defi- ant to a government that con- trolled who’s in and who’s out of favor artistically or an it’s an ac-


tual apologia (the jury is still out, apparently) for earlier works that offended the government, specifi- cally Lenin, who was offended by Shostakovich’s opera “Lady Mac- beth of Mtsensk.” Whatever his motives, the imperiled Shostakov- ich toned things down a bit with No. 5, which returned to classical form and is less dissonant than his previous works. The spar- kling bombast remains, whether celebrating or mocking. Many, including pre-concert lecturer Nuvi Mehta, believe the work is sarcastic in nature, particularly in the scherzo section within the Allegretto, which presents a waltz redolent of the Austrian national dance, called lendler. At any rate, it is a stunning work, beautifully performed, which shows off all San Diego’s keenly honed sec- tions.


The nattily attired featured


guest artist, James Galway, performed Wolfgang Ama- deus Mozart’s Concerto No. 2 in D Major and also the melodic Georges Bizet/Francois Borne “Carmen” Fantasy, orchestrated by Galway. There followed numer-


ous encores, some orchestrated, some performed solo, notably a closing hornpipe. Galway at 70 is an institution unto himself and at- tracts hordes of admirers, many of whom applauded between move- ments all evening, threatening to destroy even Shostakovich’s sub- lime Largo section. Fortunately, Maestro Ling forged right ahead into the Allegro non troppo at the conclusion of the Largo, prevent- ing what could have been the last straw for this listener, already sated on Mozart and Bizet and so eager for Shostakovich, both lively and introspective. Of the premiere work, let it be


said merely that it was as sunny as the city’s weather and moreover that the San Diego Children’s Choir and St. Paul’s Choristers sang beautifully if self-consciously. San Diego Symphony presents the Jacobs Masterworks Series, a Winter Pops series, and the new Chamber Music Series. For programming and forthcoming ce- lebrity guests as well as the 100th anniversary Gala information, go to www.sandiegosymphony.com or phone (619) 235-0804.u


“SCREAMINGLY FUNNY”


GAY & LESBIAN NEWS - SAN DIEGO


NOW PLAYING COMING SOON


CRITIC’S CHOICE -SAN DIEGO UNION-TrIbUNE


BROADWAY BOUND DIRECTED BY SCOTT SCHWARTZ


NOV 26 - DEC 31


(619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623) www.TheOldGlobe.org


Group Sales (619) 231-1941 x2408


FOLEY SOUND EFFECTS BY SCOTT PAULSON


www.cygnettheatre.com OLD TOWN | SAN DIEGO


TABLE MANNERS | LIVING TOGETHER | ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN BY ALAN AYCKBOURN


TABLE MANNERS | LIVING TOGETHER | ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN BY ALAN AYCKBOURN


THUMBS UP” “TWO - EXAMINER.COM - EXAMINER.COM


UPCOMING EVENTS


OUT @ CYGNET For our LGBT friends.


Norman Conquests - Oct 20 Wonderful Life - Dec 15


WINE TASTING NIGHT


Norman Conquests - Oct 21 Wonderful Life - Dec 9


Pre-show Events at 6:30pm Shows start at 7:30pm


COMPLIMENTARY W/TICKET


TICKETS START AT $29


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