Olin Chism | January 20, 2012
In a welcome shift, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra added Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 and Rautavaara’s atmospheric “Manhattan Trilogy” to Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, introducing a superb new artist in the process.
Olin Chism | January 6, 2012
Vivaldi’s popular “Four Seasons” has a new companion by Philip Glass. “The American Four Seasons” was introduced to Dallas on Thursday night by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. It proved to be an appealing alternative.
Olin Chism | November 11, 2011
Mendelssohn forgot to write a cellphone part in his Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” so someone corrected that oversight on Thursday night with an electronic obbligato insertion.
Olin Chism | November 7, 2011
The Houston Grand Opera’s new production of The Barber of Seville is a classic example of gilding the lily. Houston has introduced a multitude of embellishments that serve more than anything just to irritate.
Olin Chism | October 28, 2011
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s audiences have become accustomed to supercharged programs led by music director Jaap van Zweden. This weekend’s concerts demonstrate that the magic can be there even when Van Zweden isn’t.
Olin Chism | October 2, 2011
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Mendelssohn experiment winds up this afternoon with music both grand and obscure. There’s been enough of the former over the past two weeks to make up for any disappointment over the latter.
Olin Chism | September 25, 2011
At the halfway point, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Mendelssohn festival is definitely a hit. The high point Sunday was a magnificent performance of the composer’s “Scottish Symphony.”
Olin Chism | September 23, 2011
The music of Felix Mendelssohn is not as fashionable as it used to be, but the opening night of the Dallas Symphony’s Mendelssohn festival demonstrated that there are some gems among his little-known works.
Olin Chism | September 18, 2011
There may be some who view the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s annual gala as primarily a society affair. But the music-making in Saturday night’s edition was so magnificent that it pushed all other elements into the background.
Olin Chism | September 9, 2011
If the Dallas Symphony Orchestra can keep generating the kind of excitement it produced on Thursday night, this should be a smashing season. The season-opener, in the Meyerson Symphony Center, paired one of Brahms’ heftiest masterpieces with Prokofiev’s finest symphonic work.
