Classical
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Such a wonderful performance of Armenian pieces by OEBS, they've not only captured the traditional beauty of the music, they also excelled and performed the pieces in a way that I have never heard before in my life...and I've known that music for quite some time now.
I wanted a little less comedy and a little more powerful music.
The Night at the Opera was Great fun. Polished performances.
Conductor Michael Morgan in his brilliance asked a bunch of talented young singers to perform their fantasy music. Their exuberance for the music showed in a night when every singer gave it their all. The Oakland East Bay Symphony is too often forgotten among our musicals jewels in the Bay Area.
With costs rising, investor shrinking, and technology changing, Musical Theatre presentation is reaching a crossroad. The result is that orchestra pits have shrunk, and prerecorded tracks are being substituted for live playing. Our youngest generations have embraced the use of such technology without a fuss. All new generations do it. This performance of the Kern/Hammerstein masterpiece was a way of showing them what those who have come before them know and has been taken away: the ecstasy of hearing an American Musical with a full orchestra. The version here was not the full musical (which runs about three hours) but an extended concert version. The star was the Oakland East Bay Symphony. The playing was absolutely superb and the sound coming from the Paramount Theatre stage simply took my breath away, and brought tears to my eyes. I have not been able to hear a Broadway score played like this in several decades. Tempi were crisp as a typical full sized Broadway pit orchestra, which made the experience all that more pleasurable. If I had one disappointment it would be with some of the soloists. They, by comparison, needed to be miked, and you could hear the difference in sound immediately. The standout was the soloist who plays Joe and gets to sing "Old Man River." His performance had an ease and knowledge of the genre to completely win over the audience. But the orchestra is the thing, and I hope that other Broadway musical scores become part of the OEBS repertoire.
The pre-concert discussion was very informative. Kern selections were excellent. Good variety. Was hoping for for more of Showboat
Michael Morgan and all the singers in ShowBoat were world class. I love the Oakland Symphony. My 13 years old daughter wqs dazzled, as was I.
