Internationally renowned violinist Sergej Krylov delivered an captivating performance with his WASO debut on Thursday night performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
Revered as one of the best violinists in the world the Russian-Italian artist opened the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Winthrop Hall symphonic season with an impressive showcase of skill.
The magical evening of classical music, dubbed Passion Ignited, opened up with a short performance of the overture from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, before the internationally acclaimed violist joined the orchestra for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s D major Violin Concerto.
Leading the proceedings was conductor Lawrence Renes who returned to WASO for the first time in 20 years. His animated movement as a conductor almost a balletic experience against Krylov’s energetic playing.
At the end of the performance the visiting artist was met with rapturous applause and made several bows, before treating those in attendance to a surprise slice of some very recognisable Paganini.
After a brief interval the second half of the show focused on assemblage of different parts of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. The Russian composer the work as a ballet in 1935, and substantially revised it five years later. He also reworked the music into three orchestral suites.
For this presentation the conductor Lawrence Renes selected section from across the different versions of the work to create an hour-long rendition that highlighted the wide range of emotive moments within the compositions.
From the legendary Montagues and Capulets to the more somber moments surrounding the deaths of Shakespeare’s young couple, this was a engrossing presentation that allowed the audience to swept up in a fantastic dream of life in fair Verona.
The concert is being repeated on Friday and Saturday night, and just a handful of final tickets remaining for the Saturday night performance.
Sergey Krylov has several additional dates in Australia, he’ll be appearing at the Adelaide Festival on 14th and 15th of March, and also be heading to Queensland for a appointment with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
In Adelaide he’ll be joining Konstantin Shamray for a program filled with French works including pieces by Ravel, Saint-Saëns and Franck. While in Queensland he will play Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor.
Next up for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra is a collaboration with dance company Co3 and the New Zealand Dance Company, who will be presenting Douglas Wright’s Gloria from 31st March.
In April WASO will present Heroes and Dreams in April which will feature works from Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Beethoven. Trumpeter Jenna Smith will be the featured artist.
Thursday night’s performance was recorded for a future broadcast on ABC Classics and is expected to be broadcast on Friday 3 April at 1pm.
