Paradise and the Peri

Actually, it was an oratorio by Robert Schumann tonight, called “Das Paradies und die Peri”, last performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1976. And I got to sit in the first row right in front of the stage this time, due to a lucky ticket swap on very short notice. Although the lead soprano fell ill and her part had to be performed by a young stand in, it was phenomenal. The stand in was great. I doubt that the originally booked singer could have done that well. I never liked songs in a concert hall that much, but tonight there was a whole story told, with six main singing parts as well as a huge choir, interwoven with the music the orchestra produced. A little bit like an opera without costumes and stage settings, but all the drama, with the focus on music and its performers only. Rattle and his Berlin gang did very well again and, yes, I cross checked, he did get quite chubby of late. To give you a little taste, here is an excerpt of the piece I heard tonight (not with the artists I listened to tonight, but nevertheless…).

Hinab, Das Paradis und die Peri, R. Schumann, The Hudson Valley Singers & The Metamorphoses Orchestra