ASO essays into foreign territory...

                                                                             

 

 

First let me say, Jacomo was my first choice to be our new ASO director. I admire the energy he brings, the effort he is giving toward broadening the scope of the symphony, toward attracting a younger audience and to drawing the audience more into the performance.

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