The Teatro Solis Experience

Monday, Columbus Day here in Uruguay, was a general holiday where government employees, banks, and other essential, but not too-essential workers had the day off. For me that meant a day I couldn't get to my beloved books and workstation in the National Library. (I think it might not need explaining, but the words in "red" that become underlined--when the cursor is placed over it-- in our posts are links to pictures, generally the case, or other websites with cool stuff. If you didn´t notice this before, check out previous posts for things you might have missed. =) )

GG and I stayed in reading our respective books and decided to take in another show, this time at the Teatro Solis. You saw a picture of the interior seats in our Heritage Day post. Now let me tell about what it is to see a performance from those seats!

We were fortunate to get top notch seats, roughly dead center, sixteen rows from the front for a performance of the Montevideo Philharmonic led by Alondra de la Parra, a guest conductor originally from Mexico, and founder and artistic director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas in New York. She's currently working on her Master's Orchestral Conducting at Manhattan School of Music, and is the Principal Guest Conductor of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. Ms. de la Parra has accomplished all this by the age of 25. If one day we get to see her conduct again (hint: maybe someone who knows how these things work could bring her to Santa Barbara for an Arts and Lectures appearance/performance???) it would be an experience I would invite everyone to see.

The musical melody of Arturo Márquez´s Danzón Nº 2 (1950) started the fantastic evening. GG had never been to a philharmonic/orchestra performance before and was amazed. Ms. de la Parra brought a little dance to her conducting, enjoying the rhythm and sound in a way those of us bound to our chairs could only watch and be mezmorized.

After a brief stage change we were treated to pianist Agathe Leimoni´s interpretation of Edvard Grieg´s Piano Concierto in A minor Op. 16 (1868) with orchestra accompaniment. She played a few other works after rousing applause brought her back on stage.

A longer intermission (a smoke break that many took advantage of to the dismay of those of us who could smell it back in our seats) and then up was Gabriel Fauré´s Pelléas et Mélisande -Suite (1889). (Sorry no link to the music) It was unfamiliar to me, but good.

Closing the evening was a Igor Stravinsky´s Firebird Suite (1919), exerpts which can be heard here and, with a somewhat "interesting" interpretive dance, here. Dark and, yet, brilliant, this suite and concluding performance, along with the opening were my favorite performances of the evening. Ms. de la Parra and the Montevideo Philharmonic received a standing ovation in the end.

We hope to see some more shows in this fabulous theater before leave Uruguay as it is very accessible transportationally (we got there and back by bus) and financially ($13.00 for the two of us were the most expensive seats in the house this evening).

(To you editors out there, I know that "logistically" would have been the correct word, but I am quite happy with the one I made up.)