Review: Israel Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel in O.C.
The Times' Mark Swed reviews the young Venezuelan conductor and soon-to-be head of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel on the Culture Monster blog:
When the Israel Philharmonic last came to Southern California, security was tight. Protesters opposed to the Israeli government picketed Walt Disney Concert Hall and one got inside, and the audience waited until bomb-sniffing dogs gave the all-clear. At one of the programs, Lorin Maazel conducted Mendelssohn’s sunny Fourth Symphony, known as the “Italian.” The mood was tense and the performance wasn’t sunny, it was merely dutiful. That was February 2007.
Sunday afternoon, the Israelis returned to Southern California, this time to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, courtesy of the Philharmonic Society. There was, again, the “Italian,” but this time no protests, no dogs. And this time, the sun shined.
Gustavo Dudamel’s back in town. His Orange County debut Sunday ushered in what will be two undoubtedly hyperactive weeks of concerts: He was concluding a tour with the Israel Philharmonic at Disney Hall on Monday and is staying for two weeks with his future band, the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
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-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City
Photo: Gustavo Dudamel with the Israel Philharmonic. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times
