The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of conductor and interim artistic director Geoffrey Robson, presented an electric and energetic program Saturday night at Robinson Performance Hall. The orchestra surpassed itself in three quite different works, dating from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st.
Thomas Ades' In Seven Days: Concerto for Piano with Moving Image opened the concert, with distinguished guest soloist Andrius Zlabys providing a brilliant, stylistically varied piano commentary ranging from jazz-inflected segments to turbulent yet fluid contrasts.
The composer's piece, consisting of seven continuous sections, follows the biblical story of creation, beginning with "Chaos-Light-Darkness" and concluding with "Contemplation." Throughout, the orchestra moves between playfulness and sublimity. The music is accompanied by a striking succession of animated still images by Ades' collaborator, filmmaker Tal Rosner. It's a stunning experience.
In Claude Debussy's Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, the orchestra as a whole conveyed the languorous sensuality of the well-loved concert staple and, with the freshness of approach, reminded the audience why the work has endured. The flutes were standouts.
The most powerful part of the evening came with the performance of Jean Sibelius' single-movement Symphony No. 7 in C Major. From the timpani roll at the beginning, through the ascending first section and then through the varied emotional shifts in tempo and mood, the orchestra achieved as exhilarating a performance of the symphony as one can imagine. The abrupt yet lingering conclusion was simple perfection.
Zlabys, Robson and the orchestra will repeat the concert at 3 p.m. today at Robinson, 426 W. Markham St. in Little Rock. Ticket information is available by calling (501) 666-1761, Extension 1, or online at ArkansasSymphony.org.
Metro on 03/01/2020