A sold-out Davies Symphony Hall greeted the newly designated Music Director Elim Chan last Friday with a standing ovation before she uttered a word or began conducting. Her response was heartfelt and adorable.
(Photo by Christopher M. Howard.)
The concert itself began with two greatest hits from Wagner's 1859 opera
Tristan und Isolde, the
Prelude and the
Liebestod. The former was beautifully hypnotic while the latter was longingly ecstatic, although it was missing a soprano looking towards her love-death.
(Photo by Stefan Cohen.)
The reliably exquisite mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke did appear to sing the six songs in Berlioz's 1841 song cycle
Les Nuits d'été. Sixteen years ago a scheduled performance of Berlioz's
Romeo et Juliette was scrapped at the last minute and was replaced by newly appointed principal viola Jonathan Vinocour performing the composer's
Harold in Italy and Sasha Cooke singing
Les Nuits d'été conducted by the late Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas, who was one of Cooke's earliest champions. I wrote at the time: "Ms. Cooke was perfection, giving one of the most beautiful performances I've ever heard. She is also one of the few vocal soloists at Davies who somehow manages to fill the hall with sound when singing softly." The same was true sixteen years later.
(Photo by Christopher M. Howard.)
At the end of that long-ago concert, MTT kissed the hem of Sascha's dress, and on Friday she played turnabout and kissed the hem of Elim Chan's dress. The two obviously adored working with each other. Then they performed an encore of an orchestratal song composed by MTT from the Rilke poem
Widening Circle.
(Photo by Stefan Cohen.)
The second half of the program was Debussy's 1905
La Mer in a satisfying performance by the full orchestra.
(Photo by Stefan Cohen.)
After the concert, the entire audience was invited to an outdoor party on Grove Street with complimentary food and drinks.
The orchestra musicians showed up for the party too...
...along with Elim Chan who sweetly surged into the crowd and signed autographs.
(Photo by Christopher M. Howard.)
We didn't stay long because a cold Pacific Ocean wind was tearing down Grove Street, but it was a joy to see such a celebration.
Shawn Ying, a volunteer SF Symphony chorister, wrote the following on his Facebook page after the concert, which sums up well the general feeling about Elim Chan's appointment: "The welcome to the Maestra was so enthusiastic and warm. At the end of of the performance, I felt that we had turned the page and finally the symphony family can move on and welcome the future. It has been quite a few bad years for the symphony family and the people who love and support them." Let us look to the future with anticipation and hope.
(Photo by Stefan Cohen.)
