If I ever had to choose a desert island disc, George Szell's Mozart recordings with the Cleveland Orchestra would be a very strong contender. Even after more than 50 years these recordings don't sound dated to me at all and it really was a special treat to be in Cleveland yesterday and hear the orchestra perform Don Giovanni (with Simon Keenlyside as the Don!) at Severance Hall, their magnificent early-20th century home. This was my first visit to Cleveland and also the first time I heard the orchestra live with Mozart.
What else to say that I'm happy I made the trip even though the orchestra's Music Director Franz Welser-Möst had to pull out of the performance at short notice and had to be replaced by the assistant conductor James Feddeck. But the show went on and very well.
I am writing this from San Francisco where I will spend the weekend with Britten chamber operas, meetings and auditions. Don't think I fled the snow!
Posted by Alexander Neef / in Travel / comments (0) / permalink
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