But, having said that (and you knew the but was coming didn't you) while I totally loved the Mason Bates Warehouse Medicine piece and the accompanying video put together by the fine folks at WTAMU and I enjoyed Porgy and Bess very much being familiar with songs involved with the play, I can't say the same for Romeo and Juliet. Royal Brantley projected well; not so with the actors portraying Romeo and Juliet who seemingly were playing to one another alone. In doing so those of us in the cheap seats had a hard time understanding.
In short, while the idea may have sounded good on paper, it was not for me. I understand that the orations came between movements but they were a distraction and interrupted the flow of what for me was a less than dynamic piece to begin with. I'm fond of saying "Amarillo will stand up for anything". I may be the only one in the audience who was left wanting. Gauging by the extended duration of decidedly polite applause at concerts end, I think not.
I applaud Jacomo's ideas, his aspiration to make our symphony even better and his effort to attract a younger and wider audience to the concerts. I'm concerned that he may alienate the current base in the process. I hope I'm wrong.
aio
