WSO Delivers Food of Love in Heartfelt Concert – Winnipeg Free Press

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra put on its heart Saturday night with a Valentine's Day-inspired program.

The latest offering in the WSO's ongoing Saturday Classics Series, A Classical Romance: Beethoven and Mozart, marked the local professional debut of internationally acclaimed conductor Earl Lee.

The Korean Canadian artist last graced this podium during the WSO's 2017/18 Emerging Canadian Conductors Showcase; he currently serves as Music Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The 110-minute program (including intermission) also highlighted the WSO debut of Niagara Falls-raised, UK-based soprano Sarah Dufresne, with Mozart selections perfectly suited to her wonderfully clear, bell-like vocals and innate lyricism.

He immediately introduced his first aria, Bitter, stomach full from Zauberfleet dies (The Magic Flute) is heartfelt as its heroine Pamina mourns the loss of her beloved Prince Tamino.

It also showcased his expressive acting skills, allowing him to immediately inhabit his character without costumes, props, sets or other acting partners sharing the stage with him. Performing without the obstruction of a music stand—always a challenge for soloists, especially singers whose bodies are their instruments—would have heightened this resonance even more.

Exultate jubilate, K. 165, a religious motet that has been the showcase of many sopranos since the prodigy wrote it in 1773, provided a further taste of Dufresne's mastery. It soared through its opening, Exsultate, jubilate: Allegro, including a startling coloratura, effortless recitativo, Fulget amica die, performed without interruption.

Lee's sensitive direction matched his score, with the maestro using his hands to sculpt the players' sound during the final movement, Tu virginum corona: Andante, which showcased the singer's rainbow spectrum of tonal colors.

Then it's time for more fireworks with the joyous finale of Alleluia: Allegro, often performed as a solo show. It should be out of the gate, and despite Dufresne's more flamboyant coloratura passages, sparkling like champagne, the surprisingly restrained pacing choices didn't always allow his electricity to spark.

However, his ringing high notes, perfect intonation and nuanced dynamic palette, including shading pianissimos in the upper range, earned him a standing ovation, leading to Mozart's final note. Cosi fan tutte.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Since 2008, this stage has not been heard under the name “Pastorale”. Lee imbued the programmatic, five-movement piece with dreamy poetry, though his temperament and patience—which Beethoven still had—would have provided general contrasts.

Nevertheless, the opening movement, colorful subtitles Awakening of quiet impressions upon arrival in the country, illumined by sunny spirits, while A view by the river Like a stroll through the countryside covered in a cadenza that mimics the sounds of nightingales, quails and cuckoos thanks to the gentle breezes of the WSO.

A fun gathering of the country's people it brought greater, better, cheerful energy than ever before, performed with the rhythmic smell of a village dance lightning, bone-chilling brass attacks, chromatic strings and thunderous timpani rolls influence, before returning to a peaceful finale, Shepherd's Hymn and Thanksgiving After the Storm.

One of the WSO's many strengths is its legacy of introducing new composers and their works to local audiences, whether through the recently concluded annual Winnipeg New Music Festival or through regular seasonal programming. This concert was no exception.

The evening opened with American composer Jesse Montgomery's “Starburst” for string orchestra. It sparkled with vitality, including a quick pizzicati on the lower strings that Lee handled with dynamic force.

Carlos Simon's second Manitoba premiere Now fate wins – Based on Beethoven's second movement Symphony No. 7 and was inspired by a quote from the composer's personal notebook about the vagaries of life—the same with his tightly packed orchestra.

A few quiet moments of lyrical solo by principal cellist Yuri Hooker, quickly subdued by timpani beats, are meant to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth in the difficult pandemic year of 2020. 1825 was applauded by the crowd.

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